Routine Maintenance & Common Upgrades
Every ~50 hours of printing
- Lubricate the smooth rods (X, Y, and Z) with a small amount of machine oil or PTFE-based lubricant — dry rods increase wear on the linear bearings and can cause banding.
- Check belt tension — X and Y belts should feel firm and snap back cleanly when plucked, not slack.
- Clean the sheet with warm water and dish soap to keep bed adhesion consistent.
Every ~200 hours, or when print quality drifts
- Check the nozzle for wear. A worn brass nozzle develops a slightly oval opening, which shows up as inconsistent extrusion width. Brass nozzles are inexpensive — replace at the first sign of wear rather than troubleshooting quality issues around it.
- Inspect the PTFE tube inside the extruder for scoring or a shrunken end — a common source of intermittent clicking (see Extruder Clicking, Grinding & Under-Extrusion).
- Re-run XYZ Calibration if you've moved the printer or noticed any dimensional drift.
Popular first upgrades
| Upgrade | What it helps with |
|---|---|
| Hardened steel nozzle | Printing abrasive filaments (carbon/glass-fill, glow-in-the-dark) without wearing out brass nozzles |
| Enclosure | Reduces warping and fumes when printing ABS/ASA |
| Extra steel sheets (smooth + textured) | Different finish per print without re-leveling mid-job |
| Filament dryer / dry box | Consistent results with PETG, nylon, and other hygroscopic materials |
Tip: Before buying an upgrade to fix a quality problem, check the Common Print Quality Problems & Fixes article — most early-ownership issues are calibration or maintenance, not hardware limitations.