FUSION3 3D PRINTERS:

Between each print you will need to:

1. Clean your print bed using water and a paper towel (please do not use any cleaning solutions or alcohol as this can impact the effectiveness of your adhesives).
2. Apply the correct amount of adhesive to the print bed according to the guidance provided on the Certified Materials List.
3. Check that you have the correct filament loaded for the next print and sufficient filament (should you prefer not to change spools mid print).

For the Fusion3 EDGE:
When printing on Glass, depending on the material, , we strongly recommend that customers use Avery purple glue stick.
– Applied to a clean, dry bed
– Applied in alternating directions, only needed in the area that you are printing
– Using the suggested number of layers found on the certified materials list for each material

Some exceptions may include Polycarbonate for which you may find that either Glue Stick or Magigoo PC formula may be better for your particular application.

When using a unique magnetic print surface with EDGE, that print surface may require a special adhesive or release agent to keep parts from adhering. Please refer to the Certified Materials List for guidance or in the case of certain ‘expert surfaces’ such as Build-Tak, PEI and others, the instructions or other manufacturers guidance (as Fusion3 is not able to provide support and does not warranty these surfaces during use).

For the Fusion3 F306, F400 and F410, we strongly recommend that customers use Avery purple glue stick
– Applied to a clean, dry bed
– Applied in alternating directions, only needed in the area that you are printing
– Using the suggested number of layers found on the certified materials list for each material

We have tested a myriad of different options and found that this is the best solution, universal for all materials printable on our 3D printer, readily available and inexpensive. Several tubes are included with your printer.

If you are having unique issues with esoteric or large parts warping or not staying on the bed, we may suggest a unique formulation of Magigoo which may solve your issue.

As with any machine tool that generates heat and movement for long periods, we believe that you should be actively monitoring your 3D printer. We put a caution statement on the front of our 3D printers: “DO NOT OPERATE EQUIPMENT UNATTENDED”

Fusion3 sells large 3D printers, so naturally, we understand that many customers will be printing parts for upwards of 20 to 40+ hours. Our experience has been that no 3D printer is infallible, regardless of their marketing language. For your safety, peace of mind, and best results, you should actively monitor the machinery.

Some 3D printers are rated for ‘unattended operation.’ We believe that this certification is meaningless. For example, a customer relayed a story about their experience with a $150,000 industrial 3D printer, rated for ‘unattended operation.’ They ran a part over a weekend. Early in the print, the vacuum table which holds the proprietary build surface in place failed, and the part stuck to the print head. The part ran for the entire weekend as material continued to extrude into a larger and larger ball. This ball slammed around the inside of the 3D printer destroying the internal motion control system and also shattering the glass door of the 3D printer. While this 3D printer was rated for ‘unattended operation,’ the owners were left with a machine that was useless for a long period of time, waiting for over two weeks for the manufacturer to send a team on-site to evaluate the damage.

So how should you monitor any 3D printer while in operation?

1. Be present for the first 15 min to 1 hour, ensure print starts properly, and you experience good first layer adhesion.
2. Can check print every hour or two, in person or via a remote camera system. Individuals and small businesses may want to purchase and subscribe to a 3rd party cloud camera system such as Google Nest or Ring. Larger companies will have I/T constraints, firewalls, etc. and either a security camera system or established specifications for remote monitoring of devices.
3. Network connection to stop the printer if you are not satisfied with the state of the print. Perhaps a layer shift, print head jam, or the print comes off the bed. If you configure access to your Fusion3’s network interface, you can stop the printer via those means. Another method is to purchase an IoT power plug that would allow you to shut down power to the 3D printer if properly configured.

The turnaround time between prints will vary on a few different variables, including if you plan to print using the same material and if the print bed requires cooling.

The quickest turnaround time could be as quick as 3-5 minutes. The longest turnaround time could be as much as 15-20 minutes.

The factors that contribute to this:

Removing Part From the Bed: With higher temperatures materials, such as ABS, you will have to let the print bed cool down to allow the part(s) to self-release. This can take up to 10 minutes.

Cleaning the print bed: Regardless, between prints you will have to clean the print bed with water and reapply adhesive between each print. This takes approximately 2 to 5 minutes.

Changing Spool of Filament: If your next print requires a change to a different type of filament or if your current spool has run out or does not have sufficient filament for the print (and you’d rather start with a full roll), unloading and loading a new roll of filament (which requires heating the print head and purging any remaining filament out of the system), will add another 5 to 7 minutes of time.

The first layer is printed at 1/2 of the normal print speed.

Note that the quality of the first layer is very important to the quality of the print. The first layer must adhere well to the print bed and be smooth and even. The slower speed ensures that this layer is good.

After the first layer, your Fusion3 3D printer will automatically speed up to the selected print speed.

The workflow for printing with a F410 is very simple.

1. Export your CAD file to your hard drive in .STL or .OBJ format
2. Open that file using the supplied Simplify3D slicer software
3. In Simplify3D, import your file and align it on the print bed to the optimal placement (usually to minimize the amount of support structures)
4. In Simplify3D, select the F410 Printer Material Profile for the material you wish to print
5. Select ‘Prepare to print’ and save the file to your hard drive
6. Copy that file onto your F410, either onto the SD card or via web browser to the F410’s onboard storage
7. Prepare the print bed with adhesive
8. Load your filament into the printer
9. From the printer control panel or web interface, start your print