What is the best way to shut down a Stratasys FDM 3D Printer? We have had several questions in the past about the best way to shut down Stratasys 3D Printers. Well, we hope this video will answer some of these questions. If you power down the printer over the weekend, all you need to do is to turn off the main power button. That will be just fine. However, if you are turning off your Dimension, uPrint, F123, or Fortus FDM 3D Printer for a longer than a weekend, this is the process we recommend. Many of the 3D Printing materials, especially the support materials will absorb moisture from the air when the printer is turned off. (Known as being hydroscopic) So, if you are powering down the 3D Printer for longer than the weekend, it’s best to unload all the materials from the system. From there, make sure all of the caps are in place on the sealed canisters, (like the Fortus canisters) and if it is a spool or cartridge is open to the air, place the material into a sealed Mylar style bag or a sealed bin to keep the moisture out. The driving factor for this extra effort is that the moisture absorbed into the materials can cause the tips to clog and/or even back up the material so much that it encases the print head in material, which can therefore lead to the print head needing to be replaced. So, when powering down your 3D Printer for more than a couple of days, take a moment and unload the material to avoid potentially creating future problems.