After two months of unsuccessful prints on our nearly one-year-old Formlabs Fuse 1, I wanted to share my experience and continue documenting it in order to connect with other users facing similar issues.
Since mid-May 2023, we have been encountering significant problems with severely overbaked prints. This has reached a point where post-processing becomes either too challenging or even hazardous. All our prints have failed quality control or had to be aborted due to the powder within the entire build chamber overbaking, resulting in parts that are inaccessible. When we eventually manage to break apart the powder with great effort, the parts exhibit marks or cracks on their surfaces, and some even break in the process. Prior to this issue, we experienced smooth sailing with only a few minor glitches while printing the same types of parts for almost 10 months.
Our workspace is a self-contained room within a clean, clinical environment, maintained at a constant temperature with air conditioning and a dehumidifier. The powder refresh rate is set between 25-30%, and we have carefully sifted the powder, removing any impurities to ensure high-quality powder. Due to the curved nature of our parts, we average a packing density between 10-15%, rarely lower.
Despite engineers conducting recent tests and providing support at our facility, we have encountered more print failures and part replacements (heaters and quartz lamps), leading to circles of confusion in the diagnosis. These issues, coupled with the two months of downtime and the need to outsource to expensive third-party bureaus under urgent lead times, have incurred substantial costs. Another month of this situation and the expenses would exceed the price of a new 3D printer.
Regrettably, Formlabs analysts attributed our failures to packing at 2% density, which clearly indicates they did not thoroughly review our print history. The only instance we used 2% packing density was for a small part with minimal z-height, allowing the on-site engineer to quickly observe our problem. In contrast, Formlabsā engineer stated that the recommended packing density is around 30%. Knowing this information from the beginning might have raised concerns, especially considering we sent our parts for sampling and viability checks before deciding to purchase the printer.
Most recently, as of last Friday (June 30th), we observed a slight improvement in the overbaking of PA12 by using 100% fresh powder and thoroughly purging the hopper of debris while reducing the temperature to -3 degrees. However, we now face a new issue of severe warping. Both Formlabsā optics test and our own assessment resulted in failed parts. By addressing our original problem, we seem to have introduced another one. Moreover, lowering the temperature compromises the optimal strength of PA12, which raises concerns about future part failures.
The complimentary powder provided by Formlabs is insufficient given the significant time wasted dealing with these issues. Additionally, the strain on our printer shown by the browning of the quartz lamps accelerates the wear of a soon-to-be-out-of-warranty equipment. The absence of a backup support plan, such as a loan printer, adds to our frustration. We are reluctant to conclude that this technology has a lifespan of less than a year, but the release of the Fuse 1+ shortly after our purchase, with upgrades to most hardware, possibly supports this notion.
In summary, after a positive 10 months, the 2 months of failed printing is unacceptable and severely compromises the ability of our business to scale. We hope Formlabs sorts this matter once and for all and turns our gaze away from alternative SLS/MJF technology providers.
supporting article: LEADNAV Fuse 1 Down - She's DEAD - UPDATED! - #9 by LEADNAV
