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3D printer maintenance

Everything to keep your nozzle, print bed, moving parts and filament in good condition.

Most printing problems are not a fault but overdue maintenance: a nozzle silting up, grease on the bed or damp filament. Here you will find a stainless steel needle and a copper brush to clean your nozzle, isopropanol for the print bed, grease for the moving parts, silica gel and vacuum bags for your filament, and handy tools. Read more…

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What do you need for 3D printer maintenance?

TaskProduct
Clearing a clogged nozzleStainless steel needle: 0.3 mm thick, for nozzles from 0.3 mm, 5 pieces
Cleaning the outside of the nozzleCopper brush
Degreasing the print bedIsopropanol 1 litre, purity over 99%
Lubricating moving partsSuper Lube 92003 silicone grease with PTFE (85 g)
Keeping filament drySilica gel beads (1 kg) and the PrimaCreator Air Tight Filament Storage Set
Cutting PTFE tubing to lengthPTFE Bowden Tube Cutter, for tubing up to 6 mm outer diameter
Small bolts on hotend and extruderHex key 1.5 mm in hardened steel
Cutting filamentSide-cutting pliers model 170

How to clean a nozzle

  • Heat up: heat the hotend to the printing temperature of the filament that is loaded.
  • Outside: brush baked-on filament off the nozzle with the copper brush.
  • Opening: carefully insert the stainless steel needle into the opening from below and move it up and down a few times. Do not leave it in too long: the needle gets hot.
  • Push through: then push some filament through, so the loosened residue comes out.
  • Higher up in the hotend: with a slightly heated 1.5 mm hex key you can pull stuck or broken filament out of the heatbreak or nozzle.

If the nozzle stays clogged or the opening is worn, replacing it is quicker. You will find new nozzles among our components.

Cleaning the print bed

Isopropanol dissolves grease and fingerprints and evaporates quickly. Put a little on a lint-free cloth and wipe the cooled bed. Do not touch the bed with your fingers afterwards. If your print still does not stick well, take a look at adhesion.

Keeping filament dry

Filament absorbs moisture from the air, especially nylon, PVA, PETG and TPU. Damp filament prints worse and can even cause clogs. So store spools you are not using sealed with silica gel beads. The orange beads contain an indicator and turn green-blue when saturated. The Air Tight Filament Storage Set contains a hand pump, reusable vacuum bags that fit most 1 kg spools, humidity indicators and silica gel sachets.

Lubricating and cutting

Super Lube 92003 is a silicone grease with PTFE for bearings, rods, gears and other moving parts of your printer. Always cut PTFE tubing with the tube cutter and never with scissors: scissors squeeze the end oval, and a skewed cut on the hotend side lets filament leak and can cause clogs.

Still something going wrong? Solving 3D printing problems covers the most common problems and how to fix them. All tools for your printer are in our 3D printer accessories.

Frequently asked questions

  • How often should I maintain my 3D printer?

    That depends on how much you print. Clean the bed as soon as the first layer sticks less well or after you have touched it with your fingers. Clean the nozzle when changing material and at the first signs of under-extrusion. Lubricate the moving parts when they start to run stiffly, and check the colour of your silica gel regularly.

  • Why isopropanol and not an ordinary cleaning product?

    Isopropanol with a purity of more than 99% dissolves grease well and evaporates quickly, so your bed is dry and clean again straight away. Many cleaning products leave a thin film behind, which your print sticks to less well.

  • How do I dry silica gel again?

    Spread the saturated beads over a flat dish and put them in a ventilated oven at no more than 80 °C. After about 3 hours, or as soon as they are orange again, you can reuse them. Our orange silica gel is free of cobalt chloride.

  • How do I know if my filament is damp?

    If you hear crackling while printing, or see bubbles or a lot of stringing, the filament has probably absorbed moisture. In the Air Tight Filament Storage Set the humidity indicator shows it too: if the dots stay brown, the filament is dry; if they turn blue, repack it with a fresh silica gel sachet.

  • Which grease should I use for a 3D printer?

    A silicone grease with PTFE, such as Super Lube 92003. It lubricates for a long time, is suitable for bearings, rods and gears, and is made for the higher temperatures that can occur in a 3D printer. Apply a thin layer and wipe off any excess, so no dust sticks to it.