The fact that consumer technology has advanced enough for 3D printers to exist is a sure sign of how far we’ve come. Unfortunately, no matter how capable our hardware is, we still haven’t figured out how to make it last forever. The same unfortunately goes for 3D printers: sooner or later, they will start showing signs of inevitable failure, ranging from consistently poor quality prints to constant freezes and breakdowns.
Although they are becoming more common, 3D printers are extremely complex pieces of equipment with many moving parts and programmed routines. Much like an elaborate watch, once one of these elements goes awry, it can have a knock-on effect on the rest of the device’s operation. You may be able to extend the life of your 3D printer with a few replacement parts and judicious maintenance, like cleaning the bed, but if it starts exhibiting any of these symptoms regularly – and especially if it exhibits several of them – it may be time to start looking for a replacement part.
Prints are poor quality, even with adjustments
If a 3D printer consistently fails to produce high-quality prints, that’s a pretty good sign that things aren’t working properly. Hit, miss, or poor quality prints aren’t in themselves a sign of impending failure – if you’re printing a new design for the first time, there’s always a chance it will look a little weird – but after a round or two of adjustments you should get what you’re looking for. There are many quick tips you can use to improve the quality of your print, such as leveling the bed and testing the nozzle.
It’s specifically when your printer can’t seem to do what you want, even after these adjustments, that it might be time to start investigating the hardware. If you still experience problems no matter how much you adjust elements of the print or process, including printer temperature, nozzle movement speed, and replacing standard consumables like worn belts or clogged nozzles, it may be a sign that a critical part of the printer has suffered an irreversible failure. If you’re worried, try printing a different pattern, especially one that you already know and that your printer can handle. If the result is correct, there may simply be a problem with the design you were trying to print previously. However, if this standby design is also faulty, and especially if it is faulty in the same way as the new one, it may not be a problem you can get out of.
The printing process is unusually slow
Generally speaking, 3D printers aren’t particularly fast: after all, you’re creating elaborate shapes and patterns out of nothing but liquefied plastic. In fact, 3D printing professionals generally agree that deliberately slowing down the process results in higher quality prints. That said, there’s a fine line between “taking time” and “taking way too much time.” A 3D printer can be slow, but if it seems noticeably slower than usual, something may be worn out.
There is no single standard for how long a 3D printing job should take. It all depends on the size and complexity of what you’re printing, with small, simple objects taking around an hour and more elaborate constructions taking up to several days. If your prints take even longer, this could be a sign that your printer’s components are clogged, damaged, or worn. If you think a print is taking longer than it should, try switching to a simpler shape or using a less elaborate fill pattern to speed things up. If it still takes too long, there could be an internal problem hindering the process.
Printer constantly stops and freezes
More than the printer is running slowly, it is of particular concern if the printing process constantly hangs or fails. Even if there is a small blocked filament or the nozzle is moving a little slowly, as long as it is still moving and dispensing, you can hopefully resolve the problem. Even if it stops, in the best case scenario, it might run out of filament when you weren’t looking. On the other hand, if the printer completely freezes and becomes unresponsive, that’s almost certainly a sign that something is seriously wrong.
Constant failures and shutdowns in the middle of a print job are often a sign of serious degradation of the internal components, to the point that the printer can no longer function. There are several potential mechanical causes for this situation, such as motor overheating or extruder clogging. These types of problems can rarely arise on their own and can be resolved with a few quick tune-ups. If this continues despite your efforts, the internal parts may be degraded and on the verge of breaking.
You replace parts unusually often
Ideally, all previous problems could be resolved by replacing the affected parts with new parts. Whether it’s the nozzle, internal belts, extruder motor, drive gear, or anything else, if there’s a single part of your 3D printer that’s broken, replacing it is usually the definitive, if not the most affordable, solution. However, there is a certain point in replacements and repairs where you have to wonder if you have fallen into a sunk cost fallacy.
A part of your 3D printer breaks down every now and then, it’s unfortunate, but it’s not unreasonable to deal with. If you have to replace parts on a semi-regular basis, this could be a sign that the device’s critical, irreplaceable components are the problem, with their issues causing the new parts you add to degrade more quickly. After a certain point, replacing parts will become more expensive than purchasing an entirely new printer; If you’ve reached this point, chances are your current printer is a lost cause and needs to be replaced entirely.
The printer itself is outdated and struggling
Speaking of printer replacement, while there’s nothing catastrophic in the short term, the sad reality is that even the most sophisticated and elaborate printer will eventually become obsolete. The older your printer gets, the more it will start to present various difficulties, and these difficulties will start to add up.
Because 3D printing is still a relatively new technology, new advancements and standards are constantly being rolled out, from new equipment to software updates. If your current printer is too old, it may not be able to properly process new filaments, use new slicers, or analyze changes to software and design files. If you try to force your printer to use materials or components that are too old to handle, it might struggle, as mechanical wear and tear from years of use can cause strange noises and vibrations when it tries to operate. There’s no absolute limit to how old a 3D printer can be, but if your current printer is more than 10 years old and has these types of issues, it’s probably time to put it out of its misery.