First feedback on the Fuse1+30W

[CARLAYERS]

I would like to give our first impressions of the Fuse1+30W, which we put into operation 4 days ago.
Some posts by the user @LEADNAV gave us first insights into the device before we bought it. I would like to do the same here for forum members and interested parties.
Since the first posts were about specific problems, I wanted to open a new one on this topic.

So far, we have almost no complaints about the Fuse1+30W.

The installation was supposed to be done by a technician on site, but since we ordered at short notice before the Christmas holidays, the installation was only possible by video call this year.
We bought from a dealer in Germany and both the remote installation and support questions have been absolutely no problem so far. Our dealer already had experience with this type of installation and within an approx. 5 hour call on the first day and another approx. 1 hour call on the second day, all devices were set up, the first print job printed and post-processed and all initial questions answered.

As this is our first SLS device, we opted for a Starter Bundle, which includes all accessories in addition to the devices, as well as the Premium Services. So far, I would do this again.

For the time being, we are only using the PA12 powder, as we consider this to be sufficient for the time being. If not, it should be relatively easy to switch to PA12GF, as it is the same polymer base. Even though with the Fuse1+ we have the possibility to print under protective gas atmosphere for PA11CF, we hope that the other materials will be sufficient.
The decision to use the Fuse1+ instead of the Fuse1 is largely based on the higher printing speed and minor improvements within the printer. These are for example (according to our dealer) an improved material dosing system and a better spindle in the powder hopper which makes clumping less likely.

In the first four print jobs so far, there have been absolutely no problems and the results have been impeccable, with one minor exception.
The print quality is indeed absolutely impressive, although additional sanding is absolutely necessary. In my opinion, it is somewhat strange why Formlabs only recommends it, but does not offer it with a device itself. Since it fits in well with the rest of the ecosystem, we decided to start with the 2021 sandblasting cabin from Sinterit.
Already on the second print job, we tried to test the limits of the Fuse1+ and printed a possibly familiar figure. Here, the individual parts were printed and then assembled. The tolerances are a little too loose on the arms so that they fall out quite easily, but it shows the possibility of the printer.

What we have noticed so far during installation and working with the Fuse1+ is that some of the instructions and illustrations on the display are still based on the Fuse1. Since there are very slight construction differences between the machines, one or two things do not quite fit. You can still find your way around the pictures, but some points will have to be adjusted.

One small thing that we had to pass on to support for the time being is a problem with the light in the Fuse Sift. It does not work. But this is not a problem for the time being and I’m not worried that the support team won’t be able to help us.

So far, the devices have proven to be absolutely reliable with an industrial quality.
For questions or exchange needs, please ask below.

Fuse1+ Figure - YouTube

[LEADNAV]

Congrats on the new machine.

I can maybe cover our post processing methods as they are pretty dialed in… we blast cabinet the parts with fine glass bead then we purchased an actual “Sous Vide Cooker” to steam bath the parts in Rit Dye (Graphite…we felt the Black was a little too harsh and “fake” looking).

This cooker has worked outstanding as it holds the dye mix till we’re ready to heat it up and soak. I brain stormed this idea to use a Sous Vide when I was pricing out the ridiculously priced “Dye tanks” for additive.

Here is the one we use.
https://www.katom.com/080-ESVC28.html

We pile parts on the rack, drop it in for 25 minutes at max temp, then rinse well then compressor blow off the parts to minimize any left over dye and streaking. We then put em on a tray with a small fan to air dry them prior to packaging.

As far as the Sift lighting…we had the same issue. One light bar “went out”. They sent us another but when I went to pull the top off the Sift, I found that the bulbs small JST connector had just come undone. I told Formlabs that a better connector would be advised for a machine that’s made to vibrate but so far it has not come undone again. I’m assuming yours came loose in shipping.

Side note…our first delivered Sift was a total lemon…mother board was bad…so they shipped another

My Fuse 1 is actually now down. I will update the thread I did last week on the surface warping on the new XY dimensional test print… but essentially we figured out that my heater bulbs were fried, oneside being completely black and the coils inside were damaged. So they are sending a new set $190 and a new IR temp sensor (cost unknown) to troubleshoot.

My parts went from being beautifully accurate dimensionally to all over the place and I noticed my surface armor was “different”. Harder to blast off. After a few failed chambers…now I know. Glance at your Heater Bulbs once in awhile. Hopefully it is just a bad IR Sensor and these parts get it running again, fingers crossed.

See thread "Rippling" and uneven top layer Finish / on XY calibration print - #2 by LEADNAV

Interested to see how the Fuse1+ does when you switch to 12GF!

[Corey_M]

Hi @CARLAYERS ,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with the Fuse 1+ so far! I love the LEGO print and might need to make a few of my own after seeing that, haha. Please do be sure to reach out to our Support Team with any questions or concerns (especially if you are not already in touch for the light issue) and we can do our best to assist. Take care!

[EiMarcis]

Hi,
Great review!
As You’ve explained everything here quite detailed, wanted to ask, hear your feedback about tolerances. Have You tried to produce series of parts in several batches? And have You faced any problems with tolerances?
We’re using Fuse1 with Nylon12 and I have some small parts with hole for D-shaft feature. And for the round segment there’s a +/-0.02mm diam. tolerance. In simpler words, You can consider there’s a D6.60 hole with tolerance +/-0.02mm. I understand that this is a small grade tolerance, but the issue I’m facing with here is that this dimension deviation isn’t systematic. In other words, some batches come with, for example, 95% success rate, but in other batch there’s suddenly more than 50% parts to scrap. The parts are oriented according to recommendations - hole axis align with Z-axis and all these kind of parts are placed together in several layers. And in chamber they’re also placed in same region.
So maybe someone can give feedback on similar cases and mention some influencing factors which would disturb this consistency?

[CARLAYERS]

All parts manufactured by us do not require this high tolerance accuracy. However, I also find the tolerance you are aiming for extremely high. As far as I know, this tolerance is not estimated so low by formlabs? I can’t find it right now, but I think I read somewhere about a lower tolerance…

I could perhaps measure our next planned product more frequently here in order to gather experience.

[CARLAYERS]

I am currently also looking for a possibility of colouring. A manufacturer in Germany offers a special coating to make the parts waterproof and the colouring should also withstand mechanical stress.
However, the price of 250€ per 0.5L makes me look for alternatives.

Do I understand correctly that the container you linked is filled with the Rit dye? I can only find this in 207ml bottles. According to this, quite a lot of it is necessary. So over 50+ bottles?

[X_AFS]

to EiMarcis
“I understand that this is a small grade tolerance, but the issue I’m facing with here is that this dimension deviation isn’t systematic. In other words, some batches come with, for example, 95% success rate, but in other batch there’s suddenly more than 50% parts to scrap.”

I do not (yet) own a Fuse 1+ but have been following these related threads with great interest.

I have a part that has tolerance requirements similar to yours, & while I am still using a printing service, I have been able to still use the parts that fall outside of the tolerance requirements by placing them in hot water (190° F) and then they slide onto the steel part they are designed for. Perhaps this same method would save the parts you have been scrapping?

Out of curiosity, how far “out” have the parts been?
Could you give a range that at least is predictable? (Ie: no less than D6.58 to no greater than D6.65)

Thank you CARLAYERS & LEADNAV for your detailed reviews and honest assessments of the Fuse 1+

[LEADNAV]

Rit Dye them with the Graphite color
Graphite Rit Dye

It only takes a quarter or half of that small bottle with some soap and vinegar to prep that Sues Chef cooker I posted about before. I’ve then run that thing for months with only once in a while, putting a fresh splash of dye in the tank to refresh it. With some additional metal baskets and the rack that comes with it, I can dye an entire chamber at once for 25 minutes at max temp. During that I open it up and raise and drop the rack a few times to mix it up and shift the parts.

I then pull the parts out, hose them off to remove the residual dye and then blast them off with the air compressor air. Then I tray em up with a fan on them and they are ready to package up in about 5 minutes as the material does not soak in any water.

I started using black Rit Dye but it made the parts a little too “fake”…Like a old man dying his hair black…if that makes sense. The Graphite color is perfect and just nocks the edge off and prevents the raw material from taking in oils…coffee stains…

This puts the dye so deep in the parts that I’ve literally tested those parts, scuffing them up, and then put them back in the glass bead blast cabinet to then pull them out, air compressor blast them with air, and they look like new.

Not sure why you are looking to “waterproof” as the material itself is pretty good. I’d know because after cooking them in water, hosing them off and air drying them for 5 minutes they go straight in plastic. If there was any moisture in the material I’d see it in there…and there is nothing.

The finish does not get much better than that and looks great.

I do Cerakote (ceramic spray and bake on coating) but that process adds a great deal of pain and the finish looks less professional in my opinion. Only needed if you wanted other colors.

[nhaglof]

Hi LEADNAV,

Relatively new user of the Fuse 1 here… we’ve been printing and post-processing some parts and noticed an oddity with the RIT dying process versus spray paint. At the moment, we’re simply boiling water and putting the dyed parts in for 15 minutes and noticed the parts would not survive a “scratch” test (run your fingernail over the part and it creates scuffs), which did not happen with a spray paint. Is there anything I’m missing with your process versus ours that could cause this? It sounds like you’re not having issues with scuffs on your dyed parts, while we are. I assume that cooker is operating at similar temperatures to where we are, perhaps something in the post-processing helps out there?

Thanks,
Nick Haglof

[LEADNAV]

The Cooker we are using simmers the parts at 195F and we leave them in there for 25 minutes. These being Nylon 12 GF parts versus Nylon 12, I’m not sure of what your seeing may be different but this process has left us with excellent and consistent results. The Nylon 12 GF has a higher heat tolerance and harder surface quality.

If we do test fit our metal objects into the part we will see some “shiny wear” form…but to be expected and I don’t think this to be a bad thing for the end user or an eye sore… The cool thing is that if we do test fit parts and form these marks, we can just throw them back in the blast cabinet and make them look like new again, pulling them out to simply air blast them off before packaging and shipping out to customer. The Dye goes deep into the part and not just onto the surface.

As Cerakoter’s ourselves for our metal parts…painting these SLS parts with their rough texture… to us just makes them look “cheesy” and not as professional looking as does the Dyeing…

[LEADNAV]

Just adding to this thread… as for what’s in our tank other than a half bottle of Rit Dye, we also have a small amount of white vinegar and dish soap in there as recommended by Rit Dye themselves. I have not changed the tank out for months with that original mixture. It evaporates as we use it and need to top it off with more water. Whenever we do that we just add a splash or two more Rit Dye to it and keep going.

[LEADNAV]

Also, If you do not want to invest in the large tank, which I highly recommend, you can start with a smaller kitchen unit to put in a plastic container like we did with this one here.

Sous Vide

This will keep it simmering at the right temp versus trying to boil it manually…

But I have a feeling the regular Nylon 12 would scratch a lot easier without the GF throughout its surface…of course we are currently not printing anything as Formlabs software engineers are trying to figure out how to get the machine to actually print Nylon 12 GF…

[CARLAYERS]

We now also have a described cooking pot with very similar specifications as described by LEADNAV.
After several and various experiments, I have to say that the 90°C is too high for the normal PA12. Here, larger or long and thin parts quickly deform. Here, PA12GF clearly shows its strength in mechanical stability at higher temperatures.
However, the normal PA12 can be coloured with the same success at 65°C and continuous water wetting. Simple stirring was not sufficient here.
We put a small water pump in the pot which creates a continuous circulation.
With this we can now dye the parts without deforming them and without additional stirring. Also for about 25 minutes.

However, I have to say that we do not achieve a deep black and the surface is not scratch-resistant.
I plan to test other dyes from other manufacturers to see if a deeper black can be achieved with other dyes.
The problem with scratch resistance will probably remain for the time being. I would assume that PA12GF is more resistant here.

We want to experiment soon with the possibility of densifying the printed components by putting them into a polishing drum with stainless steel polishing material. The idea is to increase the scratch resistance and reduce the irregular colouring that occurs due to uneven surface density.
Of course, there are already industrial systems for this, but the costs only make sense for continuous use.

[CARLAYERS]

In addition, an update on our initial problems with the Fuse Sift.
After consulting with the support team at our dealer, we were able to trace the cause of the problem to the motherboard.

The problem was that the light in the Fuse Sift did not work. After checking the plug connections and measuring the voltage, which was 25V instead of the normal 48V, we were sent a replacement mainboard.

The replacement was done by a support technician from our dealer.
Our Fuse Sift is now working properly again.
(Even though it is more pleasant to work with the lighting in the sift, this was not an urgent or work-disrupting fault).

[LEADNAV]

Our first Sift wouldn’t Fill powder out of the gate. Within a week of having it, Formlabs had told us this was a “super rare case in which we had a bad motherboard”. They told us they’ve never seen a bad motherboard… and we had to deal with packaging back up the brand new faulty Sift and sending it back while we waited on a replacement unit.

Guess you got the second bad motherboard…

Nylon 12 GF is definitely a good looking material post processed and it is the only material with the temperature and structural properties we needed for our production parts… too bad they still have not launched a fix to let us print it consistently.

I was disappointed to hear the big announcement last week was for a brand new material (flex TPU). I was really hoping it was an answer to letting us print their existing materials other than Nylon 12…

[MattRForerunner]

Are you talking about vapor smoothing we have a vapor smooth machine in house we use for the PA12 (MJF), Pa12 GB (MJF) And FDM (Bambu) parts. our TPU (MJF) parts we use a proprietary process im not aloud to Share.

As for dye if our customers want them dyed they want them as black as possible we use the rit pro line with great success but sometimes our customers dont want to either pay for dye or just want raw parts.

We also offer Cerakote and my Coworker that does that is certified by Cerakote and did all the required training At Cerakote.