Fusion3 Design F400 User manual

1
F400 USER MANUAL
Revision 4 - 7/26/16

2
1Introduction
Thank you for purchasing your F400 3D printer from Fusion3! Your F400 has been designed and manufactured to
give years of excellent service with few issues and minimal maintenance.
This manual will introduce you to your F400 and help you get the most out of the equipment. We realize this is a
long document and not everyone is going to read it. So if you want to get printing quickly please see the
QuickStart Guide that shipped with your printer.
Remember: This is a complex piece of equipment, and there is a learning curve involved. It is a machine tool, not
an appliance (like a microwave). Please be prepared to invest the time to learn how it works and how to get the
most out of it. We are here to help you get up this learning curve. Please contact us if you are confused or have
any questions!

3
Table of Contents
1Introduction...........................................................................................................................................................2
2Warnings and Disclaimers .....................................................................................................................................5
2.1 Do Not Operate Equipment Unattended .....................................................................................................5
2.2 Hot Components are Present During Operation..........................................................................................5
2.3 Electrical Shock Hazard ................................................................................................................................5
3Setting Up Your F400 .............................................................................................................................................6
3.1 Please Retain All Packaging ..........................................................................................................................6
3.2 Lifting, Carrying, and Transporting...............................................................................................................6
3.3 Finding a Suitable Surface ............................................................................................................................6
3.4 What is a Suitable Ambient Environment? ..................................................................................................6
3.5 Power ...........................................................................................................................................................7
3.6 Network .......................................................................................................................................................7
3.7 Setting up Simplify3D ...................................................................................................................................7
3.8 Notes for Users with Multiple F400s............................................................................................................7
4Hardware Information ...........................................................................................................................................8
4.1 Front View....................................................................................................................................................8
4.2 Right Side .....................................................................................................................................................9
4.3 Back............................................................................................................................................................10
4.4 Filament Bay Detail ....................................................................................................................................11
4.5 Extruder Cold End Detail ............................................................................................................................12
4.6 Print Volume Overview ..............................................................................................................................14
4.7 Print Head Assembly Detail........................................................................................................................15
5Control Panel Information ...................................................................................................................................17
5.1 Control Tab.................................................................................................................................................17
5.2 Setting a Temperature ...............................................................................................................................19
5.3 Macro Submenu.........................................................................................................................................19
5.4 Print Tab.....................................................................................................................................................20
5.5 Console Tab................................................................................................................................................20
5.6 Setup Tab ...................................................................................................................................................20
6Web Interface Information..................................................................................................................................21
6.1 Accessing the Web Page ............................................................................................................................21
6.2 Web Interface Description .........................................................................................................................22
6.3 Changing the Web Interface Configuration ...............................................................................................24
7Software Information (AKA Working with Simplify3D)........................................................................................26
7.1 Additional Resources..................................................................................................................................26
7.2 Basic Interface & Operations .....................................................................................................................26
7.3 Processes & Profiles ...................................................................................................................................27
7.4 Simplify3D Build Estimates.........................................................................................................................31
7.5 Support Structures .....................................................................................................................................32
7.6 Working with .factory Files ........................................................................................................................36
7.7 Common Questions, Tips, & Tricks ............................................................................................................36
8SD Card Information ............................................................................................................................................40
9Basic Tasks ...........................................................................................................................................................41
9.1 Opening & Closing the Doors .....................................................................................................................41

4
9.2 Running a Print Job ....................................................................................................................................41
9.3 Leveling the Print Bed ................................................................................................................................50
9.4 Loading Filament ........................................................................................................................................55
9.5 Unloading Filament ....................................................................................................................................60
9.6 Cleaning the Print Bed................................................................................................................................60
9.7 Preparing the Print Bed..............................................................................................................................61
9.8 Moving Axes by Hand.................................................................................................................................62
9.9 Changing Filament Mid-Print .....................................................................................................................62
9.10 Pausing & Resuming a Print Job .................................................................................................................65
10 Filament..........................................................................................................................................................66
11 Maintenance...................................................................................................................................................67
11.1 Cleaning the Print Head .............................................................................................................................67
11.2 Check Thermistor Hold Screw ....................................................................................................................68
11.3 Check Heat Break .......................................................................................................................................69
11.4 Inspecting & Cleaning the Extruder ...........................................................................................................70
11.5 Check & Adjust Bearing Preload.................................................................................................................74
11.6 Check & Adjust Drive Cable Tension ..........................................................................................................75
11.7 Adjusting Configuration Values..................................................................................................................79
11.8 Removing & Installing the Print Bed ..........................................................................................................79
11.9 Removing & Installing a Print Head............................................................................................................80
11.10 Removing & Installing the Extruder ...........................................................................................................87
11.11 Accessing the Electronics Bay ....................................................................................................................90
11.12 Updating Your Firmware ............................................................................................................................93
12 Troubleshooting .............................................................................................................................................98
12.1 Correct First Layer Height ..........................................................................................................................98
13 Getting Help..................................................................................................................................................101

5
2Warnings and Disclaimers
2.1 Do Not Operate Equipment Unattended
While we have designed and manufactured your F400 to minimize the risk of damage if something were to go
wrong, the fact is that 3D printing is a highly complex activity that may not work correctly at any time. To minimize
the risk to your equipment, facility, and personnel, we ask that you do not operate your F400 unless someone is
present to monitor the equipment. If your F400 is operated unattended and something goes wrong, in extreme
cases this can cause a fire.
2.2 Hot Components are Present During Operation
During normal operation your F400 contains several components that reach elevated temperatures that can cause
burns if you contact them. These components include:
The print head
The print bed
The motors
These components have warning labels indicating elevated temperatures may be present.
Please keep in mind these components may be hot in the minutes following a print job as the heat takes up to 20
minutes to dissipate completely.
2.3 Electrical Shock Hazard
Your F400 contains some components that operate at 110V AC. These components are all located in the enclosed
electronics bay. If the service door is removed while the equipment is powered on, a shock hazard will be present.
We strongly recommend you leave the service door in place if the equipment is plugged in and/or operating. If
you need to service the components in the electronics bay, please unplug the power cord and wait 10 minutes
before performing any work.

6
3Setting Up Your F400
3.1 Please Retain All Packaging
IMPORTANT: Please retain all packaging materials (3 pieces of the box, pallet, foam endcaps). In the unlikely event
you need to send your printer back to Fusion3 for repair you will need the packaging materials. The tube can be
collapsed for relatively compact storage.
3.2 Lifting, Carrying, and Transporting
Your F400 is a 2-person lift only! It weighs 85 lb.
On the left and right faces are cutouts that function as hand-holds.
Remember this is a piece of precision equipment: do not subject it to shocks, drops, or bumps.
3.3 Finding a Suitable Surface
Your F400 will be at home on any reasonably sturdy and stable surface that:
Can support 120 lb
Is at least 31” x 30” in size
Will resist shaking and vibration during the printer’s operation
The rear face of your F400 must be at least 2 inches from any wall or obstruction, to allow adequate
ventilation.
The right face needs sufficient clearance for the power cord and for the operator to easily reach the
power switch.
Rubber feet on the bottom of the unit will prevent sliding on most surfaces
3.4 What is a Suitable Ambient Environment?
Typical office/indoor environment is preferred. 40oF to 85oF ambient temperature is recommended.

7
Thanks to its full enclosure, the F400 is fairly insensitive to air drafts, dust, etc. It’s still better to avoid
environments with these characteristics if possible.
3.5 Power
Your F400’s peak power draw is approximately 5 amps at 110VAC. Operating draw will depend on the material
being printed; higher temperature materials require more power.
Please use the included power cord to connect your F400 to a 3 prong outlet. Due to the high power draw, please
be mindful that you do not overload any power strips/surge protectors you use.
If you are installing multiple F400s, be mindful of the capacity of your electrical circuits. Three F400s can over-
draw a 15A circuit.
3.6 Network
Your F400 contains a 10/100 Ethernet port to allow you to connect the printer to your local network. It will set up
a web page that allows you to remotely monitor and control the printer.
This is an optional feature; the attached LCD also gives you full control over your printer.
By default this web page is only accessible inside your local network. It is NOT accessible from the wider
internet (it is not cloud-based)
See section 6 for more information.
3.6.1 What if I need Wifi?
You can purchase an Ethernet to wifi bridge and use that to get your F400 onto your wireless network. We have
tested the following and verified they work:
http://www.amazon.com/IOGEAR-Universal-Ethernet-Adapter-GWU627/dp/B004UAKCS6
http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-TL-WA801ND-Wireless-300Mbps-Repeater/dp/B004UBU8IE
3.7 Setting up Simplify3D
Please see our separate Simplify3D setup guide. It’s available:
As a PDF on your SD card
On our website at https://fusion3design.com/manuals/
Provided via email attached to your shipment notification email
3.8 Notes for Users with Multiple F400s
There are a few things to keep in mind if you have multiple F400s.
First, the SD cards that come with your printers are NOT interchangeable. Each printer has its own SD card with
calibration values specific to that printer. We recommend labeling the cards in some way to help avoid confusion.
Second, if you want to put your F400s on your network, you need to make sure they have different MAC addresses
and different machine names. See section 6.3 for more information on how to change these values.

8
4Hardware Information
4.1 Front View
1. Print volume
2. Main door lift point
3. Filament bay
4. Filament bay door lift point
5. Control panel

9
4.2 Right Side
1. Electronics bay service door
2. Lift point (left side is identical)
3. Power plug and switch
4. Ethernet jack

10
4.3 Back
1. Print volume exhaust fan
2. Electronics bay exhaust fan

11
4.4 Filament Bay Detail
1. Extruder cold end (aka extruder)
2. Left filament spool track
3. Filament spool holder
4. Filament spool (1kg)
5. Right filament spool track

12
4.5 Extruder Cold End Detail
1. Spring grabber
2. Filament inlet tube
3. Filament exit tube (aka filament feed tube)
4. Idler bar (in closed position)
5. Hand feed wheel
User touch points are orange on the extruder.
4.5.1 To Open the Idler Bar

13
Pull up and back (towards yourself) to disengage the springs from the idler bar.
Once the springs are disengaged you can easily open the idler bar to expose the feed gear.
1. Feed gear
2. Idler bar (in open position)

14
4.6 Print Volume Overview
1. X/Y motor
2. X axis (left to right)
3. Y axis (front to back)
4. Exhaust fan
5. Print bed and Z axis

15
4.7 Print Head Assembly Detail
1. Cooling blower (runs intermittently)
2. Filament feed tube
3. Wiring cable chain
4. X endstop switch (on the back)

16
1. Print head (this gets hot)
2. 30mm fan (runs constantly)
3. IR bed probe

17
5Control Panel Information
The control panel is a full color resistive-type touchscreen that gives you full control over your F400. It also
contains a microSD card reader and a hard “stop/reset” button.
1. Touchscreen interface (see below for more detail)
2. Hardware “stop/reset” button. Pressing this button will immediately cause your printer to stop what it’s
doing and reboot. It’s useful if something goes wrong and you want the printer to stop immediately.
When you press this button the motors will be switched off and power will be cut off from the bed heater
and print head.
3. microSD card reader
5.1 Control Tab
The control tab is the default screen you will see when you power your printer on. It gives you access to basic
temperature and motion controls, and other tasks you’d commonly need to prepare to run a print (such as loading
filament).

18
1. Message bar
2. Bed heater control column
3. Print head control column
4. Current temperature row
5. Temperature control rows
a. “Active” = setpoint; the temperature the component is trying to reach
b. “Standby” is not used
c. Touch the active temperature cell to change the setpoint of the heaters (see below)
6. Current position in 3D space (may not be accurate until the machine is homed; see below)
7. Homing controls (left to right: home all, home X, home Y, home Z)
8. Move submenu
a. NOTE: the printer will prevent you from moving an axis unless it has been “homed” first.
9. Macro submenu
10. Tabs row (active tab is green)

19
5.2 Setting a Temperature
5.3 Macro Submenu
The macro submenu lists short scripts call macros that do different tasks. Press the red “X” to close the menu after
selecting your macro.

20
1. Disable Heaters: Shuts off the print head, print bed, and blower if they are running.
2. Disable Motors: De-powers the stepper motors so that components can be moved by hand.
3. Load Filament: Script that will load filament into the print head.
4. Unload Filament: Script that will unload filament from the print head.
5.4 Print Tab
1. Bed heater controls (identical to “Control” tab)
2. Print head controls (identical to “Control” tab)
3. Extruder %: allows you to adjust the amount of plastic being extruded during a print.
4. Speed multiplier: allows you to adjust print speed in real time during a print.
5. Cooling blower control: allows manual control of the cooling blower on the print head.
6. File selection submenu: Press this to see a list of all files on the SD card.
5.5 Console Tab
This tab can be ignored for normal use of the printer.
This tab has two main functions:
Show messages generated by the controller (routine messages and error messages)
Allow you to send individual gcode commands directly to the controller. This is not needed in normal use
but can be useful for debugging or troubleshooting.
5.6 Setup Tab
This tab can be ignored for normal use of the printer. It has various setup options for the LCD itself.