Planned Maintenance - formlabs Form 4B Manual

Required supplies
Microfiber cloth or low-fiber paper towels
Lithium grease for ball bearings
Non-reactive nitrile gloves
To inspect the Z-axis screw:
1. Put on a new, clean pair of nitrile gloves.
2. Rotate the Z-axis screw. Depending on your printer's firmware version, there is a maintenance
option, accessible through the printer's touchscreen, that moves the build platform mount
along its screw. For detailed guidance and visual assistance, visit support.formlabs.com.
3. As the build platform mount moves up and down, listen, look, and feel to check for areas
that emit noise or where the build platform mount sticks or moves less smoothly.
4. Visually inspect the lead screw to ensure that no debris or foreign objects obstruct the
lead screw or path of motion.
5. Visually inspect the lead screw to ensure that lubricant covers the full length of the
screw threads.
6. In the case that the screw is missing lubricant or if the Z-axis emits intermittent noises when
printing, lubricate the lead screw using the instructions below.
6.5.5.2 Lubricating the Z-axis screw
To lubricate the Z-axis screw:
1. Put on a new, clean pair of nitrile gloves.
2. Disconnect the printer from its power source.
3. Remove the build platform and resin tank.
4. Place a clean low-fiber paper towel over the LPU.
5. Remove old and dirty grease from the screw using a paper towel.
6. Apply a light layer of lithium grease specifically intended for use with ball bearings evenly
along the screw. Apply the lubricant directly from the container or by dabbing lubricant
onto the screw with a gloved hand.
7. Rotate the screw. Depending on your printer's firmware version, there is a maintenance
option, accessible through the printer's touchscreen, that moves the build platform mount
along its screw. For detailed guidance and visual assistance, visit support.formlabs.com.
8. As the build platform mount moves up and down, listen, look, and feel to check for areas
that emit noise or where the build platform mount sticks or moves less smoothly.
9. Wipe the screw with a microfiber cloth or low-fiber paper towel to remove excess lubricant.
6.6

Planned maintenance

Perform the following maintenance tasks at the frequency specified in the table below. For
detailed guidance and visual assistance, visit support.formlabs.com.
Maintenance tasks shall be done according to the following plan:
Task
Updating the
firmware
34
Frequency
When PreForm indicates a new firmware
version is available.
Refer to
Updating the firmware
Section
6.6.1