UM S5 grill mod to prevent blocked front fan

[yzorg 9]

hi guys

first clogged nozzle on my UM S5...

Over a +48h Print, the front fan pulled in that many fine PVA hairs. Up to the point that the fan stopped rotating and the space behind was filled with plastic hair.

The now uncooled cold-end of my 1st AA core of course clogged soon afterwards.
lucky that the S5 noticed the stopped filament and printing halted.

 

So, i found the factory front fan grill unsuitable for filtering the debris eventually produced in the UM.

I will put in this as quick fix:

Fine stretch mesh. Got it from an Architecture model builder materials shop.

 

[GregValiant 1,251]

Were you able to save the print?

I had the same problem with my Ender.  I call it "cotton candy" and it's so fine I haven't been able to measure it.  Heck, sometimes it's so fine it slips between my fingerprints and I can't grab it.

I tried a grill but it needed to be cleaned or the same problem arose (lack of air).  I decided to move the air intake to the side but it still picked up the hairs.  This is the final design.  It moves the intake to the top and away from the cotton candy producer.  It works.  I stripped the plastic off of a refrigerator magnet and glued it into a pocket.

 

[yzorg 9]

yes print was saved

[vagredajr007 2]

Thanks for this! I had no idea I had to clean the front fan every 90 days, but even though my fan still spins, it doesn't seem to be spinning fast enough to cool properly and I guess I'm having to replace it now. Hard to say, since Ultimaker doesn't have specs on the rotation needed and so *shrug* -- but I'm going to try both of these "mods" as I also have a Ender3 and don't want this to happen again to my S5 or to the Ender!
This really seems like a design flaw in the S5, given its price and the fact that newer models have the fan placed to prevent the hairs from getting in the fan. 

[Dustin 129]

20 minutes ago, vagredajr007 said:

Thanks for this! I had no idea I had to clean the front fan every 90 days, but even though my fan still spins, it doesn't seem to be spinning fast enough to cool properly and I guess I'm having to replace it now. Hard to say, since Ultimaker doesn't have specs on the rotation needed and so *shrug* -- but I'm going to try both of these "mods" as I also have a Ender3 and don't want this to happen again to my S5 or to the Ender!
This really seems like a design flaw in the S5, given its price and the fact that newer models have the fan placed to prevent the hairs from getting in the fan. 

😥

There is a full maintenance schedule published in the knowledge base.
https://support.makerbot.com/s/article/1667410987947

[GregValiant 1,251]

Here is the front baffle for an Ender 3/3Pro (with the steel hot end cover)  Baffle.

Here is the baffle for the power supply fan.  I'm really proud of this one. PS Baffle.  That one will teach you something about support removal.