Preventative Maintenance Schedule
All,
My company has been running a print farm for several years. We are retiring our Lulzbot Taz printers. They have been very labor intensive and unreliable for 24/7 printing. Side note: never use Lulzbot printers for industrial scale printing. You will have a bad (and expensive) time.
We have been directed to Prusa for the quality, support, and reliability of its printers.
Does anyone have a preventative maintenance schedule for this printer?
Use: 24/7 intricate parts using PLA exclusively
I am creating a list for our operators to replace parts on a scheduled basis and to check for failure.
For example:
How often to check for bed leveling?
Are there fasteners prone to loosening?
How often should the nozzle and heat brake be replaced (using PLA ~210-220C)?
Do any sensors wear?
Anything else I am missing? What are common things to look for on a monthly basis?
RE: Preventative Maintenance Schedule
How often to check for bed leveling?
I have not checked it in 3 years. It pretty much checks itself.
Are there fasteners prone to loosening?
I check the terminals once a month on the power source. I check the other screws every 2-3 months. They rarely loosen.
How often should the nozzle and heat brake be replaced (using PLA ~210-220C)?
Unless I print abrasives, they last up to a year (or more). I have never replaced a heartbreak.
Do any sensors wear?
Thermistors will need replaced sometimes. I have had to replace them about one a year or so but I have some that are 3 years old. I clean the bed one to two times a week.
Anything else I am missing? What are common things to look for on a monthly basis?
Once every 1-3 months, I add a little lubrication to the bearings if it seems like it needs it. It increases with age.
All,
My company has been running a print farm for several years. We are retiring our Lulzbot Taz printers. They have been very labor intensive and unreliable for 24/7 printing. Side note: never use Lulzbot printers for industrial scale printing. You will have a bad (and expensive) time.
We have been directed to Prusa for the quality, support, and reliability of its printers.
Does anyone have a preventative maintenance schedule for this printer?
Use: 24/7 intricate parts using PLA exclusively
I am creating a list for our operators to replace parts on a scheduled basis and to check for failure.
For example:
How often to check for bed leveling?
Are there fasteners prone to loosening?
How often should the nozzle and heat brake be replaced (using PLA ~210-220C)?
Do any sensors wear?
Anything else I am missing? What are common things to look for on a monthly basis?
How often to check for bed leveling?
Are there fasteners prone to loosening?
How often should the nozzle and heat brake be replaced (using PLA ~210-220C)?
Do any sensors wear?
Anything else I am missing? What are common things to look for on a monthly basis?
--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Preventative Maintenance Schedule
- Lubricate the smooth rods in shorter intervals, but with very little amount of grease
- DO NOT lubricate the thread of the Z-axis, as the nut is made of a self-lubricating polymer
- Lubricate the Bondtech gears with very little grease (not the groove for the filament)
- Clean the blades of the fans from dust and stringing (if you print PETG). Block the rotation of the fan if you use a vacuum cleaner, so that it does not spin with 100000 RPM 😉
RE: Preventative Maintenance Schedule
I have a google sheets I use as a reminder. Here it is, I can add a link to it if you would like. The cells change color based of of how late or early you were to doing the maintenance.
RE: Preventative Maintenance Schedule
This is how we do it and it worked very well :