How To Fix a 3D Printer Bed if It’s Not Heating Up

A business owner who relies on a 3D printer may be familiar with the issue of a printer bed that stops heating. This issue can seriously delay production and make the once-seamless process of printing much more of an ordeal. Even as you figure out the right 3D printing business ideas to do on the side, it’s crucial to understand what problems these machines face. Whatever the problem is, you can work to resolve it with the help of this guide on how to fix a 3D printer bed if it’s not heating up.

Inspect the Bed Before Printing

The first step to ensuring the bed’s no longer heating is to inspect it. By routinely assessing the printer bed, you’re able to catch problems quicker. First, check the thermal temperature—many beds should reach temperatures between 122 degrees and 212 degrees Fahrenheit, or 50 and 100 degrees Celsius, before printing.

Many printing beds have a light that flickers or lights up when the bed is heating. If you switch the bed on and no light appears, then your printer bed is broken. Some heater beds heat up slower, but slow speeds typically do not indicate a problem. However, if you want it to heat up faster, you can increase the power supply to your output voltage.

Assess the Wire’s Condition

Check the electrical flow in your printer. If no electricity comes from the wires, they might have damage. You can tie frayed wires together tightly with electrical tape. Another idea is to use a multimeter to track continuity in the wires.

Ensure the printer is off before checking for continuity in the wires. The meter works by powering it on and adjusting the dial to the continuity range, as noted in your 3D printer manual. You are notified of readings by a loud beep, sometimes followed by a value less than 1.

If no beep or number seems greater than 1, you have a connection problem. You can also fix this issue with electrical tape, but you may want to replace the wires instead.

Check To See if You Triggered the Thermal Runaway

You might notice the 3D printer randomly shutting down during a printing session. A random shutdown is not a major problem; it’s simply the thermal runaway triggered inside the printer’s hot end. Your thermal runaway is the part that activates when the 3D printer is overheating. At this point, you need to restart the 3D printer. Avoid disabling your thermal runaway, as this part helps prevent overheating and fires. 

Consider Other Troubleshooting Solutions

A typical 3D printing jamming issue you may encounter is a hot-end error. When the 3D printer experiences heating problems, it could ruin your day. One troubleshooting solution to use when you encounter errors is to seek guidance from your 3D printing device manual. Fortunately, there are many ways to address filament jam issues and other 3D printing problems.

Understanding how to fix a 3D printer bed that won’t heat up is crucial to correctly using your 3D printer. With the right set of guidebooks and ways to inspect for issues, you can reliably use your 3D printer and ensure the hotbed continues to function as intended.