Why is it so difficult to find spare parts in the United States?

[somewhereinla 2]

Machine will break, I don't mind it and in the case of the Ultimakers they are pretty easy to trouble-shoot and fix. What I do mind is how difficult it is to find spare parts in the United States. I have a UM2 that has been out of commission for 3 weeks with no hope for spare parts... I think it is completely unacceptable especially since Ultimaker's ambitions seems to try to attract the education and "pro" market. I did contact both Ultimaker and its rep. in the U.S (fbrc8) . I got one answer from fbrc8 , the usual " we are sorry...blah, blah, blah...), none from Ultimaker in Europe.

In the 3 years or so I have had the UM2(since it came out) every time I need a part or a specific material, it is always "out of stock", and I don't know that statistically my timing can always be that bad, possible but unlikely.

Now I don't know if the problem is with fbrc8 or Ultimaker Europe, but this should become #1 priority. What is the point in buying the "best printer" if you can't fix it when it breaks? because the best printer in my mind is the one that's printing!

Cheers.

[neotko 1,417]

It could help to know what parts did break.

[somewhereinla 2]

I am not sure how it would help as far as the part supply in the US? The UM2 is giving me the "Error Heat Bed " message. I followed the "excellent I have to admit" trouble shoot page for this problem. Switch " temp 1" with" temp 3" and concluded the heat bed was the problem. a few days ago, I finally located a heat bed, but it is not working, so either the board is the problem or the heat bed I got is defective...

[neotko 1,417]

You could check if this post help

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/5248-error-stopped-temp-sensor-bed#reply-152091

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/4735-a-fix-for-ultimaker-2-heated-bed-not-working?page=2#reply-123251

Cheaper to fix it than get a new one.

I see you where posting about that already. I see now.

If they don't fix the stock, get a china clone. Check reviews, sellers, and you might have a 50/50 chance of getting a working replacement. I mean, that's what I would do.

Edited February 6, 2017 by Guest

[somewhereinla 2]

You could check if this post help

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/5248-error-stopped-temp-sensor-bed#reply-152091

https://ultimaker.com/en/community/4735-a-fix-for-ultimaker-2-heated-bed-not-working?page=2#reply-123251

Cheaper to fix it than get a new one.

I see you where posting about that already. I see now.

If they don't fix the stock, get a china clone. Check reviews, sellers, and you might have a 50/50 chance of getting a working replacement. I mean, that's what I would do.

 

Thanks for the reply. I did looked at those links, and they are not the problem we are having. We checked the screw and the soldering very carefully.

[somewhereinla 2]

Just to clarify, this isn't really a rant (well maybe a little bit)... It is just happening at a time when we are looking into getting UM3's and now I am having second thoughts that's all.

[neotko 1,417]

Just to clarify, this isn't really a rant (well maybe a little bit)... It is just happening at a time when we are looking into getting UM3's and now I am having second thoughts that's all.

 

Indeed you just want to use your printer. When I was saying that you might want to get a china clone I wasn't kidding. The of the advantages for users of open source is that every single part is available somewhere. For a heated bed I would try to avoid it but if there's no other option...

[yellowshark 153]

I am guessing @somewhereinla is in a business using UMs. If so then for an FDM printer the UM, especially the UM3 is going to be near the top of your list of printers. If you are running a business then down time is a real issue so I can understand and sympathise with the "rant".

I am very interested in the UM3 as an additional printer for our business but I will be waiting some considerable months to let it bed in and monitor the volume of problems being reported - quite a lot already it seems. Our current printer has had one fault in 3 years and the replacement part arrived within 3-4 days of reporting the failure.

[krys 206]

Hi there,

While I cannot speak to the general topic of part availability (or lack thereof), if you are looking for a quicker result, then have you considered ordering for your friendly neighbours to the north?

I seems that Shop3D has the UM2(+) heated bed in stock right now:

https://shop3d.ca/product/ultimaker-2-heated-bed-assembled/

Maybe consider Canadian suppliers as a backup when you cannot source parts locally?

Anyway, just throwing this out there. Hope it helps.

[somewhereinla 2]

I am guessing @somewhereinla is in a business using UMs. If so then for an FDM printer the UM, especially the UM3 is going to be near the top of your list of printers. If you are running a business then down time is a real issue so I can understand and sympathise with the "rant".

I am very interested in the UM3 as an additional printer for our business but I will be waiting some considerable months to let it bed in and monitor the volume of problems being reported - quite a lot already it seems. Our current printer has had one fault in 3 years and the replacement part arrived within 3-4 days of reporting the failure.

 

I am not running a 3D printer business. We are a small industrial design / consultancy firm working with big clients. We use ultimaker for quick prototyping. We also have CNC mills and lathe, but ultimaker makes it very cheap to prototype. We have used other Fdm printers before - makerbot - but ultimaker has been very reliable. Formlab printer is the other printer we are looking at right now. Not as fast, a little messy but they have spare parts when needed.

[somewhereinla 2]

Hi there,

While I cannot speak to the general topic of part availability (or lack thereof), if you are looking for a quicker result, then have you considered ordering for your friendly neighbours to the north?

I seems that Shop3D has the UM2(+) heated bed in stock right now:

https://shop3d.ca/product/ultimaker-2-heated-bed-assembled/

Maybe consider Canadian suppliers as a backup when you cannot source parts locally?

Anyway, just throwing this out there. Hope it helps.

 

Sûre, this could be a solution, I can find one on eBay or allbaba as well, but as a business we need a reliable source we know always stock parts.

[krys 206]

Sûre, this could be a solution, I can find one on eBay or allbaba as well, but as a business we need a reliable source we know always stock parts.

 

Well, all I can say is that Shop3D is a/the official UM reseller for Canada and that they have always been super responsive for me. Shop3D is @Valcrow's store and he monitors the forums here too.

I cannot speak to the consistency of them keeping stuff in stock, but I can say they sell actual OEM parts and not clones. So at least it would not be hit or miss in that regard.

Something to consider. Anyway, hope it helps. Good luck!

[somewhereinla 2]

I have not consider Canada. Maybe I should : )

My thread isn't about who has what in North America, but why is it that Ultimaker does not require re-sellers to carry spare parts, especially since my understanding is that they now have an Official North America rep, "fbrc8" , it seems to me that Ultimaker should make sure that they always have ample supplies, rather than ordering as needed and using "snail mail"(3 weeks)...

Edited February 7, 2017 by Guest