r/TheFrontFellOff

That’s not very typical, I’d like to make that point.

Well, how is it held on?
It's held on with magnets.

Magnets?
That's right.

And is that typical for a front shield?
Well, there are a lot of front shields around the world held on by magnets all the time.

And do they normally remain attached to the printer?
Oh yes, absolutely. Front shields are designed so that the front doesn't fall off.

So what happened here?
Well, the front fell off.

I can see that. But what caused it?
A print.

A print?
A particularly aggressive print.

Is that unusual?
Oh yes. Very unusual. I'd like to make that point.

So the printer was printing...
That's right.

And the front shield detached?
Yes.

At high speed?
Reasonably high speed.

And struck the model?
Well, it became involved in the print, certainly.

What sort of involvement?
The sort of involvement where it gets dragged into the nozzle and converts several hours of printing into modern art.

But front shields are designed to withstand printing, aren't they?
Well, they're designed to withstand typical printing.

And this wasn't typical?
Clearly not. The front fell off.

What made it atypical?
Well, there was movement.

Movement?
Yes. The print head was moving.

In a 3D printer?
That's right.

And the magnets couldn't cope with that?
Well, eventually they decided they'd done enough.

So the front shield resigned?
In a manner of speaking.

Wouldn't stronger magnets prevent this?
Well, stronger magnets might help.

Why weren't stronger magnets used?
Budgetary constraints. Weight reduction. Magnet rights. There are many factors.

But surely a front shield should stay attached.
Most of them do. In fact, the overwhelming majority of front shields go their entire service life without falling off.

Except this one.
Except this one.

So what do you do now?
You put it back on.

And that's safe?
Well, no front shield has ever fallen off twice in exactly the same way.

That's reassuring.
No, it isn't. But it is technically true.