# Strange Squeaking/Rubbing Noise **URL:** \ **Category:** Form 3/3+\ **Created:** [July 31, 2021, 12:34am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642 "2021-07-31T00:34:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![j\_greer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7c8e57/32.png) [@j\_greer](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/j_greer)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2021, 12:34am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/1 "2021-07-31T00:34:39Z")
Our Form 3 was encountering the common clicking noise so we cleaned and greased our lead screws about a month ago. Now just yesterday we heard the printer making a strange rumbling squeak, like dry windshield wipers going across glass. This happened at the end of every layer and the wiper didn’t move, so I don’t believe it was that. The print wasn’t affected and came out fine. Video: [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nLXoyWy4Vcghp4xsyqmfdgs-JrqkN5ML/view?usp=sharing](https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nLXoyWy4Vcghp4xsyqmfdgs-JrqkN5ML/view?usp=sharing) ---
**Author:** ![Jackson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/jackson/32/17924_2.png) [@Jackson](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 7:58pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/2 "2021-08-02T19:58:31Z")
Hi @j_greer, I’m so sorry that you ran into this issue! It sounds like this is an issue with the lead screw in the **x-axis** of your printer. Did you clean and grease that one too? Either way, I’d recommend [reaching out to our support team](https://support.formlabs.com/s/contact-support?language=en_US). They’ll be happy to provide instructions for properly cleaning and regreasing the lead screws in your printer! ---
**Author:** ![j\_greer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7c8e57/32.png) [@j\_greer](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/j_greer)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 9:10pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/3 "2021-08-02T21:10:20Z")
Hi @Jackson, We did clean and grease both lead screws per the instructions [linked on this page](https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Schedule-of-maintenance-Form-3?language=en_US). We even printed and used the tools shown in the document. We started another print this morning and we heard the noise again, but not as often. ---
**Author:** ![Jackson](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/jackson/32/17924_2.png) [@Jackson](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 2, 2021, 9:29pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/4 "2021-08-02T21:29:05Z")
In that case, I’d definitely recommend [reaching out to our support team](https://support.formlabs.com/s/contact-support?language=en_US). They’ll be able to provide you with some alternative solutions to reduce and/or eliminate the noise! ---
**Author:** ![torijin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@torijin](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/torijin)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 5:22pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/5 "2023-01-17T17:22:12Z")
Hi! I have the exact same noise, did you find a the cause/solution for it? @j_greer ---
**Author:** ![Phil.O](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/phil.o/32/18990_2.png) [@Phil.O](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Phil.O)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2023, 10:03pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/6 "2023-01-17T22:03:20Z")
Hi torijin, If you have already tried cleaning and greasing the lead screws, I suggest cleaning the [resin tank exterior](https://support.formlabs.com/s/article/Inspecting-and-cleaning-resin-tanks-Form-3?language=en_US#exterior-tank) as this can attribute to the squeaking. Otherwise, I would go ahead and [create a support case with our support team](https://support.formlabs.com/s/contact-support?language=en_US) with a video of what you experiencing as this may be a different issue that the team should investigate. Hope this helps! ---
**Author:** ![j\_greer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7c8e57/32.png) [@j\_greer](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/j_greer)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2023, 7:19pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/7 "2023-01-18T19:19:48Z")
@torijin, like Phil mentioned, try cleaning and greasing your lead screw. also look at the bottom of the tank and clean any residue off. I also saw some residue on the top of the LPU rollers I cleaned off. In the end support came to the conclusion that this was a worn ABL nut and RMAed the printer for us. I would try cleaning mentioned above as that did make it better at first. ---
**Author:** ![Andrew\_W](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/andrew_w/32/18585_2.png) [@Andrew\_W](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Andrew_W)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2023, 6:00am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/8 "2023-01-19T06:00:47Z")
We had the same issue. I applied a very small amount of the grease to the rail that the rubbing block (circled in yellow below the X axis screw) runs along in the attached images. No more squeaks. ![IMG_20230119_131937](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/a/0/a050555fb777265e1ba5bd7c55049161969bfd5b.jpeg) ![IMG_20230119_131833](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/uploads/formlabs/original/3X/0/1/01e29d328e06160e56375f8808dd8034b28e8a58.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![vic\_kirby](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex025/user_avatar/forum.formlabs.com/vic_kirby/32/21256_2.png) [@vic\_kirby](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/vic_kirby)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2025, 1:36pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/9 "2025-04-11T13:36:36Z")
Hi all! There’s some really awesome suggestions in this thread, and I hope you’ve found a solution! Just in case, I want pass along our new process video on the [Formlabs Support Youtube channel](https://www.youtube.com/@formlabssupport) for the Form 3 X-axis maintenance. I hope you find it helpful! It features steps to not only grease the lead screw, but also how to _clean_ it before hand for the best results. Check it out here: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/AcTForawhAQ/maxresdefault.jpg "Cleaning and lubricating the X-axis lead screw | Form 3") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcTForawhAQ) ---
**Author:** ![MBaadsgaard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/258eb7/32.png) [@MBaadsgaard](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/MBaadsgaard)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2025, 9:07pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/10 "2025-05-28T21:07:20Z")
For future reference: If there is a strong sound of rubber rubbing, only when the laser head is actually printing, then it is likely the 2 strips of carbon on either side of the laser windows. If they get resin on them, the friction coefficient increases drastically, so when the laser engages the bottom of the tank, its rubbing against it hard. Anyway, i was given a form 3 that was “broken” which i fixed up and first print had this issue, did this step and it worked again. Along with the rail and leadscrew lubrication steps theres a good repertoire here of options. ---
**Author:** ![ATGC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e95f7d/32.png) [@ATGC](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/ATGC)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2025, 2:59pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/strange-squeaking-rubbing-noise/31642/11 "2025-10-31T14:59:45Z")
Thank you for this, it was driving me crazy, cleaned the x-axis several times, changed the resin tank, then read this thread, tiny amount of resin on this rail made a really loud noise, tiny amount of grease and a clean now silent again.