¶ Periodic Maintenance — X-Plus 4
Regular maintenance is essential to ensure reliable printer operation.
Benefits of routine maintenance:
- Improves performance — Ensures smooth motion and stable operation.
- Extends service life — Reduces wear and protects mechanical components from environmental effects.
Maintenance should be performed according to printer usage, environment, and material type.
¶ Maintenance interval
Inspect and lubricate the Z-axis lead screws every 1–3 months, depending on:
- Usage frequency
- Operating environment
- Type of lubricant used
Perform maintenance earlier if:
- The lead screws appear dirty
- Movement resistance increases
- Power off the printer.
- Remove dust, debris, and old grease from the lead screw threads.
- Use a soft cloth or toothbrush.
- Isopropyl alcohol may be used to remove old grease.
Ensure the lead screws are completely clean before lubrication.
- Home the build plate.
- Apply a thin layer of grease to the lead screws.
- Move the build plate downward.
- Apply another thin layer of grease.
- Repeat the movement several times to distribute the grease evenly.
- Remove excess grease near the lead screw nuts.
- Lucas Oil Products LUC10533 White Lithium Grease
- Super Lube 21030 Synthetic Multi-Purpose Grease
- Lucas Oil 10005 Red ‘N’ Tacky Grease
Most greases are compatible with lead screws.
An NLGI Grade 2 grease is recommended.
¶ Maintenance interval
Maintain every 2–4 weeks, or when shafts appear:
More frequent maintenance may be required when:
- Printing at high chamber temperatures
- Operating in dusty environments
- Power off the printer.
- Wipe the steel linear shafts with a soft cloth.
- Use isopropyl alcohol if necessary to remove residue.
Keeping shafts clean prevents abrasion and ensures smooth motion.
- Apply a suitable light machine oil to the linear shafts.
- Use a brush or lightly soaked cloth.
- Move the printhead along the X–Y axes to distribute the oil.
Use oil designed for linear motion systems.
- Keep the enclosure closed when possible.
- Protect shafts from dust, moisture, and chemical exposure.
- Super Lube 52008 Synthetic Lightweight Oil
- TSI Supercool Synthetic Vacuum Pump Oil
Recommended viscosity: 68 cSt, without additives.
If unavailable, sewing machine oil or 3-in-1 oil may be used, but will require more frequent reapplication.
¶ Cleaning and Lubricating the Pulley
Over time, dust can accumulate on the pulley, which may cause unusual idler noise. Cleaning and lubricating the pulley can help resolve this.
Please refer to the link below, which includes instructions and two videos showing the noise before using WD-40, as well as exactly where to clean and lubricate the motor pulley:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1k6UTJ3Xz-aTdcCfHDZss4vN01yzP4014?usp=sharing
The printer contains four cooling fans:
- Hotend cooling fan (toolhead left side)
- Part cooling fan (behind the toolhead)
- Auxiliary part cooling fan (chamber right side)
- Chamber heater fan (chamber left side)
¶ Maintenance
- Power off the printer.
- Use compressed air to remove dust and debris.
- Hold the fan blades in place while cleaning to prevent overspinning.
Regular cleaning ensures stable airflow and extended fan lifespan.
¶ Hotend and Nozzle
Over time, the hotend and nozzle may require replacement due to wear or clogging.
See:
Nozzle replacement steps
Reference tightening torque:
1.5–2.0 N·m (tighten while heated)
See:
Hotend replacement steps
High-temperature printing accelerates thermal grease degradation.
For instructions:
Apply thermal grease
- Always heat the nozzle to the recommended printing temperature before removal.
- Wear thermal-resistant gloves to prevent burns.