Most 3D printer failures come from a small group of causes: power and wiring faults, clogged nozzles, extrusion problems, poor bed adhesion, loose belts or failing motors, and missed maintenance. Many of these can be fixed in-house with basic tools. Others, especially on industrial machines like Stratasys Fortus systems, need a trained technician to avoid…
A good 3D printer maintenance routine covers eight areas: nozzle cleaning, lubrication of rails and bearings, V-slot wheel checks, fan cleaning, belt tension, cable inspection, firmware updates, and build surface care. Most of these take only a few minutes and prevent the majority of print failures and repair calls we see. Many new owners…
There was a time when 3D printers were accessible to only a limited group of people, but that’s not the case anymore. We can see the use of 3D printers in schools, homes, and libraries because it has become more affordable than before, but still, they are not cheap enough that anyone and everyone can…
When a Stratasys Fortus 3D printer pauses during a build, the most common cause is a clogged tip or “material blocked at head” error, usually caused by moisture in the filament. Other common causes are a worn or cross-contaminated extrusion tip, debris in the Y-Block or guide tubes, and a failing drive block or head…