Understanding the Lifespan of a 3D Printer

In this article we’ll take a look specifically at FDM printers and explore the factors that influence how long a 3D printer can remain functional and reliable - and what you can do to ensure that your printer stays at the top of its game for longer.

3D printer lifespan: Factors to consider

While the first step any user should do before running their 3D printer for the first time should be to read the user manual, there are some other factors to consider that are generally applicable regardless of the 3D printer you’re using.

3D printer usage

The frequency and intensity of use can dramatically affect the lifespan of a 3D printer. Printers that run continuously, such as in production environments or 3D print farms, are subject to greater mechanical stress which can accelerate the wear on belts, gears, hot ends, and other components.

That’s not to say that an idle printer will not encounter any issues if uncared for. Unused filaments improperly stored can absorb moisture which can lead to bad prints or clogging, and dust build-up in dormant machines can result in print failures when restarted.

Some general points to consider:

Print Volume and Duration: High-volume printing or long print jobs tend to wear components faster. Regular maintenance is key and some manufacturers even provide guides on how often you should service your printer's components, usually measured in printing hours.

Materials Used: Some materials like carbon-fiber filaments are more abrasive and can wear down nozzles or drive gears more quickly. Accounting for the material type used can help plan out maintenance schedules.

User Proficiency: Improper calibration along with wrong settings for speed, acceleration, or temperature for specific materials can lead to increased strain on the machine or very often result in bad or failed prints. Over time, these will add additional stress on the printer and can lead to breakdowns.

Print environment

Where you use your printer matters, as the surrounding environment plays a critical role in determining your printer’s performance. From temperature and humidity to dust and vibrations, all these factors can either help or hinder the longevity of your printer.

When considering temperature and humidity we need to ensure the following:

• Consistent temperatures: Extreme heat or cold can lead to inconsistent extrusion, warping, or layer delamination. While some printers come with dedicated enclosures and ventilation systems to mitigate this, open bed printers are more susceptible to these variations which can make printing some filaments more difficult.
• Humidity control: When talking about filaments, humidity is one of the key factors to monitor, as most of them are highly hygroscopic(they absorb ambient moisture) which as we previously mentioned, can cause clogging, poor layer adhesion or result in failed prints. It is important that filament rolls are stored in a low-humidity(preferably controlled) storage and that the print area is maintained at a stable temperature to help combat this issue.
• Consistent airflow: While many industrial or professional 3D printers such as our own UltiMaker printers come with enclosed chambers and air management systems to regulate internal temperatures and filter out fumes or particles, adequate ventilation in the room is still important. For open bed printers, you should ensure a consistent airflow by ensuring that the printer is not under a strong or direct draft(from open windows, fans or air conditioning units).
• Dust and contaminants: Lint, hair, or other particles can build up on the various components and lead to clogs or mechanical wear over time. Ensuring that you regularly clean your printer is the simplest and most important step to ensure that your printer remains optimal for longer.

Cleaning out the build plate after each print should be considered an absolute must for any printer operation, failure to do so will often result in very poor first layer adhesion which can lead to failed prints or a slew of other issues. Check out our 6 Key Factors That Affect Indoor Air Quality When 3D Printing for a more in-depth look at this topic.

Less known factors are vibrations and stability, often overlooked the surface you place your printer on is an important element in your 3D printer’s lifespan.

• Solid surface: ensuring that your printer is placed on a level, stable surface will help avoid issues that are more difficult to troubleshoot such as layer misalignments or layer shifts. Especially with the higher speeds and accelerations that some printers are capable of, this factor becomes more important as it’s the main prevention against ringing(caused by resonance frequency, an interesting phenomenon that we might dive into deeper in a separate article).

Maintenance of 3D printer

Regular maintenance is without a doubt one of the most effective ways to extend the lifespan of your 3D printer and maintain consistent print quality. While specific procedures will vary between different printer models and brands, there are a few universal tasks that every user should keep in mind.

Routine cleaning

We briefly touched on the subject earlier, but cleaning extends to several other parts besides the print bed:

• Nozzle and extruder: Periodically clean out any filament residue or blockages to ensure smooth material flow. This process typically involved removing and cleaning the nozzle or performing what’s known as a cold/hot pull.
• Build plate: For the majority of build plates in 3D printers, cleaning is recommended to be done using a microfibre cloth and >95% isopropyl alcohol(IPA), though please note that you should ensure good ventilation and avoid inhaling the alcohol vapors.
• Fans and filters: If your printer comes with a dedicated filter, these should be replaced periodically(according to your manual) as part of a scheduled routine. Fans can cleaned out by using compressed air.

Calibration and lubrication

• Moving parts: Rods, lead screws or linear guide rails will typically require periodic lubrication. This will help minimize friction and ensure a smooth motion across all axis.
• Axis calibration: All 3D printers have a process to check and calibrate the X, Y, and Z axes. While some printers can perform this step automatically before each print, this step is critical as small misalignments can compound over time, especially in printers with multiple extruders.

Firmware and software updates

While this is a step that is sometimes overlooked, firmware and software updates can do a lot to extend your 3D printer’s lifespan.

• Firmware: Keeping your printer’s firmware up to date can improve reliability and security while also adding new features or performance tweaks. Without touching any of the mechanical parts, firmware updates can for example improve how the printer accelerates and decelerates during motion to reduce vibrations while maintaining speed which would improve print quality.
• Software: Updating your slicing software(we highly recommend Cura) to the latest version, will benefit from bug fixes, optimized print profiles as well as new functionalities.

Component quality

The quality of the components used will directly impact the quality and reliability of the end product, this applies to all devices not just 3D printers. The reason why we wanted to address this aspect as well is because with the myriad of options available on the 3D printer market, users should be able to make educated decisions to best benefit their use case.

Whether you’re a hobbyist looking to tinker and modify your printer, or a professional in search of a durable machine that can handle rigorous, high-volume usage over time, these are the factors we think you should consider that affect a printer’s lifespan.

Frame and structural integrity

• Rigid construction: A sturdy frame, from aluminum or steel, helps maintain the precise alignment of moving parts. This directly impacts print accuracy and also reduces stress on mechanical components.

Motion system components

• Linear bearing and rails: Linear bearings and hardened steel rails ensure a smoother motion and can handle repetitive stress for longer without developing play or wobble. Cheaper options are available such as smooth rods with self-lubricating bushings or v-slot extrusions paired with Delrin/polycarbonate wheels though they tend to wear out faster and require more frequent maintenance and replacements.

Extruder and print head assembly

• Drive gears: extruders(whether bowden or direct drive) with high-quality metal drive gears, will grip filament more reliably and resist wear from abrasive materials(like carbon fiber, or wood-infused filaments). Common hobbyist-level 3D printers will typically use brass gears are fine for soft filaments like PLA, but will require replacement a lot more often.
• Nozzles and print cores: depending on the material profiles you plan to use, the nozzle material becomes an important factor, hardened steel or ruby-tipped nozzles will last longer than brass nozzles, especially when printing more abrasive filaments such as carbon fibre reinforced filaments.

While there are some other quality-of-life features to consider such as sensors and monitoring systems like filament flow sensors or thermal runaway protection that add a layer of reliability, one of the most important aspects to consider when talking about component quality is long-term ROI.

• Cost-benefit analysis: While a printer with high-grade components will have a higher upfront cost, the increase uptime and lower frequency of repairs will always justify the investment especially when integrated into existing manufacturing or production workflows.
• Scalability: If you anticipate the possibility of scaling up production or plan on working with advanced engineering materials, a sturdier quality 3D printer will be better suited to handling these demands. Opting for a lower cost alternative may seem beneficial in the short run, but longer maintenance schedules and higher downtimes may ultimately end up in requiring frequent upgrades or outright replacements of existing 3D printer units.

Impact of New Technologies

As new features continue to be developed and integrated by manufacturers, they’re aimed at improving the reliability of 3D printers by reducing or outright eliminating the impact of user errors and optimizing long-term performance.

All of these features work towards extending the lifespan of a 3D printer and directly affect some of the factors we’ve previously outlined.

Automated bed leveling and calibration

Two processes that initially had a higher learning curve and required some degree of trial and error in order to ensure proper settings were achieved. Modern 3D printers use various sensors to detect and adjust the print bed’s alignment and even more advanced printers like UltiMaker’s Factor 4 has automatic calibration features for its gantry system as well.

Automated material handling

A newer feature in the 3D printer landscape, some printers come with either build-in or separate modules to automatically handle filament swaps and storage with some method of controlling humidity levels. Not only does this remove the need for manually swapping out filaments for longer print jobs or for prints that require multiple materials but it ensures that filaments are kept at optimal conditions reducing the associated risks that come with badly kept materials.

Print process reporting and error detection

While a rare feature, select advanced printers have built-in print error detection capabilities, whether done through AI monitoring via an integrated camera, sensor arrays, or various other methods, this feature is designed to ensure that parts are consistently printed to spec or in the case of more simplistic systems, it alerts the user if a print has failed and automatically stops to prevent any damage to the printer.

For example, the UltiMaker Factor 4 comes with its own dedicated Print Process Reporting, a feature that provides detailed post-print reports that monitor and evaluate critical print parameters to ensure that each print adheres to predefined quality standards.

Modularity

3D printers have been modular for some time, allowing for easy upgrades and replacements. Certain components, like nozzles and extruder gears, wear out more frequently and require specific tools, along with partial disassembly and reassembly, for replacement.

True modularity has only recently started becoming a key design philosophy for professional printers where some manufacturers allow for easy replacement of assemblies with minimal or no tools.

For example Factor 4 is designed as a truly modular system where the print head, feeder module, gantry module, material station and air filter are all designed to be easily swapped out with minimal tools and expertise.

Software integration and ecosystems

Probably one of the most important developments that have contributed to the improved reliability, reduced wear and tear and general future-proofing capabilities of 3D printers has been the integration within an ecosystem comprising hardware, software, materials and support services.

Two concepts guide the industry, vertical integration and open systems both of which work towards ensuring that printers receive continuous firmware and software updates enabling compatibility with new features and materials as well as delivering various efficiency optimizations.

We have to note that security(both software and hardware) becomes a principal factor the importance of it increasing when considering professional workflows. Factors such as IP protection, safeguarding sensitive design files and data breach prevention become critical aspects that also play into the reliability and lifespan of a 3D printer. We’ve recently covered this subject in-depth in our Security in 3D Printing article.

UltiMaker for example has opted to combine the two in a hybrid system, with tight integration between hardware, materials, software(Cura, Digital Factory) and a comprehensive support chain, while also remaining an open system that allows users to adapt their systems using third-party materials and slicers.

The key takeaway is that the integration of 3D printers within an ecosystem has contributed a lot towards extending their lifespan and serviceability.

UltiMaker: Built to perform, built to last

When it comes to the lifespan of a 3D printer, reliability is key. We believe UltiMaker users should be able to depend on their tools for years to come.

UltiMaker printers have served our clients for a decade. A great example is our partner IMES3D, who still operates 23 UltiMaker 2+ printers—launched in 2016—proving their lasting performance and dependability.Our printers are designed with modularity in mind for fast and easy serviceability of components and assemblies.

If you are looking for a reliable, long-lasting 3D printing solution to integrate into your workflow, UltiMaker is the right choice for you. Contact one of our experts today and let us help you find the best solution for your organization.