SLS X Trouble-Shooting Guidelines
Section 1 : Thermal & Material Errors
1) Powder Sticking or Dragging
Signs : Sticky powder surface; spreader removing chunks of the layer
Cause : High Temperatures (exceeding softening point)
Solution : Reduce Halogen Temperature immediately
2) Powder Discoloration (Browning)
Signs : Powder appears brown/dark during part cleaning
Cause : High Bed Temperatures causing material degradation
Solution : Decrease Bed Temperatures
3) Browning/Hotspots During Print
Signs : Localized darkening of powder on the bed while printing
Cause : High Halogen Temperature or uneven heat distribution
Solution : Reduce Halogen Temperature
4) Part Warping & Curling
Signs : Corners curling upward; part separating from the powder surface
Cause : Thermal contraction due to Low Halogen Temperatures
Solution : Increase Halogen Temperature to reduce thermal gradient
5) Hard Powder Cake
Signs : Powder is hard/caked rather than soft during post-processing
Cause : High Halogen temp or ambient temperature drift in the room
Solution : Reduce Halogen temp; operate in a temperature-controlled environment
6) Smoke from Toolpath
Signs : Visible smoke during laser scanning
Cause : Excessive Laser Power (burning the material)
Solution : Reduce Laser Power settings
Section 2 : Mechanical & Motion Errors
1) Inadequate Powder Delivery
Signs : Z-bed/Print Bed not filling; Feed (A) bed not dispensing enough powder
Cause : Incorrect powder ratio; Motor connection issue; Improper powder base
Solution : Follow mixing guidelines; tighten A-motor connectors; remake powder base
2) Wave Formation on Bed
Signs : Visible ripples or waves in the powder surface
Cause : Loose spreader assembly/chain; dirty spreader blade
Solution : Tighten chain/assembly; clean the spreader blade
3) Spreader Motion Problems
Signs : Stuttering, jamming, or failure to move
Cause : Loose wires/endstops; powder on rails; loose coupling; debris under spreader; overflow bin full
Solution : Systematically diagnose connectors, clean rails, and empty bins
4) Z-Bed Immobilization
Signs : Build platform (Z-bed) not moving
Cause : Loose motor connector; powder melting/sticking to sandwich plate; lead screw misalignment
Solution : Tighten connectors; decrease bed temp; realign lead screws
5) Powder Seeping
Signs : Powder leaking from the borders of A or Z beds
Cause : Damaged insulation around the sandwich bed
Solution : Replace with new insulation
6) Smoke from Toolpath
Signs : Visible smoke during laser scanning
Cause : Excessive Laser Power (burning the material)
Solution : Reduce Laser Power settings
Section 3 : Optical & Electronic Issues
1) Uneven Melting
Signs : Inconsistent sintering along the print toolpath
Cause : Contaminated protection glass or F-Theta lens
Solution : Clean the glass and lens with approved optical cleaner
2) Screen Failure
Signs : Display not powering up
Cause : Signal fluctuation
Solution : Restart the machine; wait 15 seconds before checking again
Section 4: Post-Processing Issues
1) Cake Cracking
Signs : Vertical or horizontal cracks appearing in the powder block after the build
Cause : Uneven or rapid cooling
Solution : Increase the cooldown duration before removing the cake
Cause : Excessive Laser Power (burning the material)
Solution : Reduce Laser Power settings