What are the common faults in Additive Manufacturing equipment?

Question

Accepted Answer

## Common Faults in Additive Manufacturing Equipment

| Fault | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| Nozzle clogging | Debris, wrong temperature, moisture in filament | Clean or replace nozzle, dry filament, correct temperature |
| Warping / poor bed adhesion | Uneven cooling, dirty or unlevelled bed | Heated bed, brim or raft, level the bed |
| Layer shifting | Loose belts, overheated drivers, mechanical obstruction | Tighten belts, reduce speed, check motors |
| Under-extrusion | Partial clog, wrong flow, worn extruder gear | Clean path, calibrate flow, replace gear |
| Over-extrusion / blobs | Flow too high, wrong filament diameter | Calibrate extrusion multiplier |
| Stringing | Oozing during travel | Enable retraction, lower temperature |
| Layer separation (delamination) | Low temperature, excess cooling | Raise temperature, reduce fan |
| Thermal runaway or temperature error | Faulty heater or thermistor | Replace sensor, enable thermal protection |
| Dimensional inaccuracy | Shrinkage, loose axes, uncalibrated steps/mm | Calibrate, compensate scale |
| Laser or optics faults (SLA, SLS) | Dirty lens or mirror, misalignment | Clean and recalibrate |
| Powder or resin recoating issues | Uneven recoater, contaminated material | Level recoater, filter resin |
| Software / G-code errors | Corrupt file, wrong settings | Reslice, update firmware |

```mermaid
flowchart LR
  F[Fault] --> D[Diagnose: inspect print and machine]
  D --> C[Find cause: mechanical, thermal, material, software]
  C --> R[Repair and recalibrate]
  R --> T[Test print]
```

### Exam tip
Group the faults as mechanical, thermal, material and software, and give cause and remedy for at least 6.

Common Faults in Additive Manufacturing Equipment

Exam tip

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