I recently purchased a Fuse 1+ 30 watt from an authorized reseller. Every print i have done has had a significant error in the Y axis. I started by printing the temperature calibration twice (once at -2) followed by the x/y calibration print. The values in the Y direction were too far out of value to input in to the machine for correction. I also noticed that the Y values were not uniform in their error.
This lead me to several other prints trying to get at the bottom of the issue while working with formlabs support. While they have been responsive they seem to think this is some type of setting or software issue and seem to be kicking the can down the road. I believe there is a serious hardware issue at play.
I have printed every print setting there is for Nylon 12 and get the same result every time. Over the weekend I printed a series of 15 20x20x20mm cubes. There were arranged on the build plate 3 across the x axis and 5 down the y. Attached is a PDF with the results from that print. Has anyone experienced anything like this? any thoughts from the community?
Did you run an aging build or are you at a point that your entire printer is filled with 30% Fresh and 70% recycled. Did you then run the temperature calibration build while using the 30/70 rate. What were the results of that? I know you mentioned running it at -2 as well. This could maybe be a temperature thing as the bottom of the build will be subjected and retain heat longer than the top and the results at the top look good.
Yes. Aged powder was used for the calibration. I had to print 2 because my printer landed at -3c for the build heat. I’m a bit suspicious that heat would case an 11% distortion at the bottom. And if it were heat, why would the x and z be so consistent?
The Z axis can be a bit different but yes I would typically expect X and Y to have similar issues when its a heat problem. I was just curious if heat could be a factor. The last way to prove it isn’t software is put an older version of preform on your computer and an older/compatible firmware on the printer. If you still have issues, I would assume its hardware at that point. It is still weird to me that the problem corrects itself at the top. Unfortunately there can be little things that make the initial few days rough until all the issues get worked out.
So interestingly enough I did download the previous version of preform and reverted the firmware on the printer to the previous version as well with the exact same results on the calibration print. It seems to me that the most likely culprit is the valve in the laser being off and “drawing” the y axis beam incorrectly.
That was my thought too (Galvo) but wouldn’t the Y axis stay consistently wrong throughout the entire print. It is weird to me that it starts way off and then starts to trend closer to correct.
It really sounds like you guys did everything to troubleshoot it on the software side. Unfortunately you will probably have to just keep pushing Formlabs until they send new parts to fix the printer.