Just like any piece of machinery, 3D printers need maintenance to be performed somewhat regularly.
There are other maintenance tasks you should perform more regularly.
These can generally be described as cleaning, safety checks, preventative maintenance, and optimization.
Thankfully, this is pretty simple to do.
Over time, simply from being exposed to the air, the print bed will gather dust.
It will also pick up oils from your fingerprints and can keep some residue from your prints.
These all reduce print bed adhesion and can be the cause of warping issues.
A scraper is a good place to start if you have clearly visible print remnants.
Just be careful not to scratch or otherwise damage your build plate in the process.
Using adhesive aids, especially glue sticks, can result in sticky substances being left behind.
Tip: see to it to remove your print bed from the printer before washing it.
You do not want to get the electronics of your 3D printer wet.
Power Cables
Regularly checking that your power cables are in good shape is a great idea.
The most important ones are the cables to the hot end and to the heated print bed.
These carry the most current by far and so are the most dangerous if they start to degrade.
Check that the insulation still properly covers the wire and that theres no sign of melting or burning.
Electrical shorts risk starting fires or electrifying the printer frame and the next person to touch it.
Screws
3D printers work by knowing precisely where the print head is.
This relies on the printer being structurally rigid.
Firmware
Its important to regularly check for updates to your printers firmware.
These updates can fix bugs, improve performance, and add new features.
You should still make time for performing more in-depth maintenance every so often, though.
Have you got any maintenance tips to share?
Let us know down below.
