Frequently asked questions
I found an error in the guide where can I report it?
Please open a case and describe the error as accurate as you can.
Sintratec Central does not seem to find my Sintratec Printer
- Verify the USB cable is plugged in both to your Computer and your Sintratec printer. Make sure your Sintratec printer is turned on.
- Make sure you have installed the latest USB driver you can find on Sintratec's Customers Portal Home page. On Windows you can check if your printer is correctly identified if it is listed in Windows Device Manager as "Sintratec Kit" or "Sintratec S1" under "Universal Serial Bus Devices".
A part is broken / missing
Contact the support via case system. We will provide spare parts
How do I maintain my printer?
There are a few things to watch out for: - You should clean the laser glass regularly, best after every print job - Keep the guides free from powder - Clean the wheels with a toothbrush when needed - Empty your powder bin after every print, don't let it overflow - From time to time take the hat out of the base and remove the powder from the base.
I printing with really high temperatures, but the print still curls from the print surface
Your temperature reading is probably wrong. This may have the following reasons:
- The laser Glass is in front of the IR sensor
- The IR sensor is not all the way down the sensor tube
- The lid with the fans is removed, causing the sensor to overheat
- The laser box is removed, causing the sensor to overheat
My lamps don’t work
Your IR sensor is probably damaged. Contact the Sintratec support via support case system.
My laser is not working.
Check if the door safety switch is triggered and the laser safety key switch is turned right. Both are needed to be able to turn on the laser. If this does not solve the problem open a support case in our support system.
Are there any safety concerns?
We recommend wearing a dust mask while refilling powder, removing excess powder or recycling powder.
Always unplug the Sintratec Kit before opening the cover plate or servicing the Sintratec Kit in general.
Always wear the laser safety glasses when removing the laser safety box or when calibrating the laser.
Can I use used powder again?
Yes, you can sieve the used powder and use it again. Keep in mind that recycled powder needs to be printed a bit hotter. As for the sieve we recommend a mesh width of 150 microns or 100 mesh.
Can I use white powder?
Any other powder than our own PA12 and TPE powders are not supported yet. Feel free to try it out tough we are always glad about feedback.
Does the powder bear any health risk?
No, the powder does not cause any health risk, but we advise to wear a dust mask when handling the powder.
How do I get the powder out of my printer?
We recommend buying an ash vacuum cleaner. Please get in contact for a recommendation of a vacuum cleaner.
During printing the print bed gets increasingly darker and the prints are hard to clean.
The print bed is too hot, decrease the print bed temperature by 1 degree C.
My prints are XX% bigger/smaller than they should be. But my calibration pattern fits perfectly.
The Pattern is just for rough calibration. You can tweak up 5% in the Software. It’s located in the 4th tab under Calibrate.
My prints seem brittle, what can I do?
Your laser scan speed is to fast and/or the temperature of your print bed is too low.
Sometimes a layer seems to sperate from the rest of the print, what can I do?
The phenomenon is called "curling" and results in a print failure, it happens due to cold spots on your print bed.
Take the following steps:
- first make sure you are preheating the printer for the full standard preheating time
- increase the print bed temperature by 1 degree C (or more, if necessary)
- decrease the laser scan speed by 100-200 mm/s if necessary
What resolution has the Sintratec Printer?
The Sintratec Kit prints with a layer height of 100 to 150 microns. Note that due to the nature of laser sintering, the apparent surface finish is much better than FDM prints.
How long does it take to assemble a Sintratec Kit?
We found that a person assembling alone needs on average four days to assemble and set up a Sintratec Kit.
Is the Sintratec Kit really a kit or does it come fully assembled?
The Sintratec Kit comes as a kit. You can assemble it with basic tools such as screwdrivers and allen keys. You will get the kit together with a detailed assembly manual.
On avarage it takes 4 days to assemble. If you expect it to be "plug-and-print" the Sintratec Kit is not suitable for you.
You can get an impression of the assembly manual here.
What are the prerequisites to run a Sintratec Kit after it has been assembled?
You need a well ventilated room.
You will need enough space around the printer to refill powder, remove excess powder and recycle it.
You need a computer meeting the Sintratec Software requirements as well as an Internet connection to download and update the software.
You need a regular power socket. If you live in a country with different power plug, you need an adapter or a regular computer power cord with your local plug-type neck.
I found a bug in the software
Please report the bug via case system. describe as accurate as you can what you have done, so we can reproduce it.
What operating systems are supported?
The Sintratec Central Software supports Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 10 64-bit.
Where can I download the latest Sintratec Central Software?
Are there any safety concerns?
We recommend wearing a dust mask while refilling powder, removing excess powder or recycling powder.
Always unplug the Sintratec Kit before opening the cover plate or servicing the Sintratec Kit in general.
Always wear the laser safety glasses when removing the laser safety box or when calibrating the laser.
What are the main advantages of Laser Sintering compared to other 3D printing technologies?
Compared to stereolithography (SLA):
- Significantly more durable
- Very robust even in UV light conditions
- Freedom of form
- no additional support structures needed
- Higher thermal load
Compared to filament 3D printers (FDM):
- Significantly more sturdy
- Higher resolution
- Freedom of form
- no additional support structures needed
Read more: Compare of common 3D printing technologies
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Sintratec AG
| Badenerstrasse 13 5200 Brugg Switzerland |
+41 56 552 00 22 |
