Ultimaker 3 Extended

How to Use

If the printer is not already turned on, flip the switch at the back of the printer and wait until the printer is booted.

Load the filament Check the back of the printer to see which filament is currently loaded or if there is no filament loaded at all (have a look if a spool is sitting at the back of the printer and filament is inserted in extruder 1). Also make sure that there is enough filament on the spool for your print. If you suspect the printer might run out of material during the print change the spool as well.
If you are fine with the color of the filament that is loaded (or the color does not matter at all) skip ahead to the next section Start the print.

If you want to print with a different color, take the corresponding spool from the 3d printer filament stash. Make sure that you take a spool with 3mm diameter filament (and not 1.75mm). In general the 3mm filaments should be located in the top row of the stash and the 1.75mm in the bottom two rows.
If one of the standard colors (red, green, blue, yellow, white, black, grey, silver) for printing is not available or you used up the last bit of a color, inform Christian or Lukas to replace it.

If you really need a special color for a research project (that is not provided in the stash) and painting the print is no option, ask your supervisor to order the filament for the project.

If there is no material loaded in the printer take a spool from the stash you want to use.

Changing the filament In the main menu select MATERIAL/PRINTCORE -> Material 1 -> Change by turning the control wheel and pressing it down to confirm. Now follow the instructions on the screen:
-Wait until the extruder is heated and the material is unloaded.
-Remove the spool from the holder and press CONFIRM (or directly press it if no material was loaded).
-Place the new spool on the holder in a way the printer can smoothly pull in the filament and press CONTINUE.
-press SELECT MATERIAL and choose PLA.
-Cut off any uneven parts at the end of the filament so that there is a straight edge (and throw the cut off part in the trash).

-Insert the end of the filament in the pulling mechanism of extruder 1 close to the spool holder (marked by the 1). Hold up the lever on the right side while doing so and push the filament in until you see the first centimetre in the transparent tube.
-If the filament is hard to insert try to straighten it a bit by hand
-Now press CONFIRM.
-Wait until filament is coming out of the nozzle in a constant flow and press CONFIRM again.
-Wait for the extruder to cool down
-You are now ready to start the print. Select RETURN twice to return to the main menu

Starting the print Before starting the print make sure the build plate is clean and dry. If not clean the plate carefully and remove any stains of material or previous prints.
Now use the pen at the right side of the printer to write your name on the sign on the top of the printer so everybody knows who to inform when the print failed or the printer needs to be used for urgent prints.

Select PRINT in the menu and locate your file on the USB-Drive. After selecting your file the print will start.
Wait until you can see that the first layer of your print is sticking to the build plate. If there are problems, clean the plate with a little bit of water, wipe it dry and restart the print.
Do not use hairspray or glue on the plate.

If the print is failing you can abort it by selecting ABORT and confirming with YES. Wait for the printcores to clear.

When printing over night, hang the cover located at the right side of the printer over the big opening at the printers front. This makes sure that the alarm will not go off because of the printers movement.

After the print is done remove your object and any remaining material from the build plate. If the print is hard to remove wait for the plate to cool down or carefully use the spatula. Confirm that the print was removed to get back to the main menu. Also remove your name from the sign.

For more information on the printer or problems occurring during printing, check the official website or tutorials online.

Maintenance

The printer should be maintained according to the following schedule:

• Every Month
  • Clean Printer
  • Lubricate Axles
• Every 3 Months
  • Check for Play on Axles
  • Check Tension of Short Belts
  • Check for Residue in the Front Fan of the Print Head
  • Check the Quality of Silicone Nozzle Cover
  • Clean Print Cores
  • Lubricate Lead Z Screw
• Every 12 Months
  • Replace the Bowden Tubes
  • Clean the Feeders

Please read these tutorials carefully before performing the according maintenance task.
In case that these Links break, the Websites are available as .pdf: UM3_Maintenance.zip

You can check the date of the last maintenance through its web-interface (you can find the IP-Address within the maintenance settings of the printer).  After performing any maintenance task, please mark the task as completed in the web-interface!
Last time I checked, the IP-Address was: http://137.226.72.28

The required replacement parts and lubricants can be found in a box above the printers.