Hello everyone,
I have a question regarding the Fuse 1+ and materials that are specified to be printed in normal atmospheric conditions rather than in a nitrogen environment.
In our facility, ambient humidity can vary significantly throughout the year. To create a more controlled printing environment, I am considering supplying the Fuse 1+ with clean, dry compressed air instead of nitrogen.
The idea would be:
- Oil-free compressed air source
- Filtration and drying (target dew point around -20°C to -40°C)
- Regulated supply pressure
- Fuse 1+ configured in Nitrogen Mode, but supplied with dry air instead of nitrogen
The goal is not to reduce oxygen concentration, but rather to maintain a stable, low-humidity atmosphere around the powder bed while still keeping normal atmospheric oxygen levels for materials that require air rather than nitrogen.
My questions are:
- Has anyone tried supplying dry compressed air to the Fuse 1+ instead of nitrogen?
- Does the Fuse 1+ actively monitor oxygen concentration, or does it only monitor gas flow/pressure?
- Are there any known issues with using dry air in terms of print quality, thermal behavior, or machine operation?
- For materials specified as “air only,” would a low-humidity dry-air environment be expected to improve consistency compared to typical shop air?
I would be interested to hear about any practical experiences or recommendations from Formlabs staff and other users.
Thank you.