A printer that is looked after regularly spends its evenings printing rather than being repaired.
Every print
Keep the build plate clean, following the plate maker’s cleaning advice for its surface. Watch the first layer; a change in how it looks is often the first sign that something has moved.
Every few weeks
Check belt tension and look for fraying. Clean dust and filament debris from the extruder gears. Check that fans spin freely and are not clogged. Tighten any frame screws that have worked loose.
When the maker’s schedule says so
Lubricate rails, rods and lead screws with the lubricant the maker specifies. Update firmware only when the update addresses something relevant, and read its release notes first.
Parts that wear
Nozzles, especially with abrasive filaments. PTFE tubes in Bowden set-ups and in some hotends, which degrade with heat. Build plate surfaces, which lose grip over time. Belts, which stretch. Keeping one spare of each small part avoids waiting days for delivery.
Keep a log
A short record of what was replaced and when shows which parts wear fastest on a particular printer, and it makes the next repair quicker.
Questions makers ask before buying
How often should a nozzle be changed?
When it clogs repeatedly, when prints show under-extrusion that other fixes do not solve, or sooner with abrasive filaments that wear brass quickly. There is no fixed interval.
Which lubricant should rails and screws get?
The one the printer maker specifies. Different motion systems use different greases and oils, and the wrong one can collect dust or damage plastic parts.
Last reviewed 15 September 2026
