The hot end fan is a cooling fan configured in FDM printers, usually located near the hot end, to cool the filament extruded form the nozzle. When using materials such as PLA that required faster cooling, the hot end fan is very critical. It can provide fast cooling to solidify PLA and ensure high printing quality. If the hot end fan fails, it can cause print failures and affect the performance of other components of the printer. When using an FDM printer, it is very important to troubleshoot the problem of the hot end fan in time, and replace it with a new hot-end fan if necessary. In this tutorial, we will discuss the use and importance of the hot end fan in detail, provide common symptoms of hot end fan failures, and help users troubleshoot and solve problems with the hot end fan.
What is the Hot End Fan
After the nozzle heats the filament and melts it, the filament is deposited onto the print bed, and the model is printed layer by layer. The role of the hot end fan during this process is to cool the filament and quickly help solidify the melted material. This reduces warping or distortion issues and improves overall print quality.
Why the hot end fan is important
- Cooling filament. Fast curing materials
- Heat dissipation. Prevents overheating of other components of the print head.
- Print speed. Proper cooling allows for faster print speeds.
Signs that the hot end fan is not working properly
The hot-end fan can dissipate heat well and prevent the filament from clogging, ensuring the stability and success rate of printing. When the hot end fan is not working properly, the hot end becomes too hot and the heat can cause the filament to soften and clog the extruder, making it impossible to finish printing. Overheating of hot end components and clogged filaments are common problems caused by abnormal operation of hot end fan. With these signs, it is best for the user to check early to ensure the hot end fan is operating.
- Hot end overheating
- Fan running sound is abnormal
- Filament plugged at cold end
- Inconsistent filament cooling
- Frequent printing failures
Replace or Upgrade Hot End Fan
When the hot-end fan fails, or wears out due to long-term use, it is a good choice to replace the hot end fan with a new one. How to replace the hot end fan may be difficult for novices. First, we need to consider the compatibility of the printer with the fan. The most common choice is to directly choose the original parts of the machine. The original fan of the printer will avoid the adaptation problem of fan size and specification.
In addition to compatibility, replacement fans also need to consider quality, reliability, and availability to ensure proper operation of the new hot-end fan, and good printing results. The process of selecting and replacing a hot-end fan may vary by printer model, so it is recommended to consult the printer's instruction manual, or seek more specific advice on printer part replacement depending on the model.
How to Upgrade Hot End Fan
When the hot-end fan fails, it can be replaced. When users have additional needs for the hot-end fan, they can also replace and upgrade the hot end fan to optimize the printing experience. Upgrading the hot end fan can improve the performance and efficiency of the printer. Possible upgrades are:
- Silent Noise reduction, the better printing environment.
- Dual-fan two-way cooling system. Higher efficiency.
- PWM control fan. Adjustable fan speed.
Please note that when making replacement and upgrade hot end fans, make sure they are compatible with your specific printer model, seek advice or information on how to meet your needs.
Hot end fan configuration is critical for FDM printers, it will affect the quality, stability and reliability of 3D printing. A good cooling system will also support higher printing speeds. Desktop grade FDM high speed printer, Anycubic Kobra 2, optimizes the heat dissipation design and upgrades the cooling system to ensure the cooling effect of printing and give users a fast printing experience. The maximum printing speed of Anycubic Kobra 2 Neo can reach 150mm/s, and the recommended printing speed is 250mm/s, reaching 5 times the speed of ordinary desktop grade FDM printers.
