I am not sure anymore.

Yesterday i got an unhappy mail that Sintratec will not support me anymore, because i bought the printer second hand.
They give me the choise to pay for the support 150CHF per hour or to buy a new Sintratec Kit from Sintratec. Funny joke!

What was happen.

I bought the printer from Hugues at Januar 2016. He had some problem with the IR-sensor. But in general the printer was working. I transport the printer and shit happens. I do not why but a short cut happens and the mainboard was destroyed. I bought a new main-board and got an new IR-sensor. The printer works again. But the software is not working realy good. There is bug that you are not able to place more than one object and slice them. After slicing the object the location of the object inside the print chamber has changed and sometime placed outside the print chamber.

I asked for an software update but they told me to wait. I was waiting and sometimes asking for an update. Than the update comes and they told me how to do. I have made everythink the told me, but they forgot to tell that they have chanded the starting process. After startimg the new software moves the table of the printing chamber and powder chamber down and up.
One end-stop was not working anymore. That could happen because the powder get a way into the end stop switch. But the main problem was that the moving of the plattform was not stopped and it destroyed my nut spindel. They send my two new nuts. After rebuilding the nuts the printer works but only 3 times. I got a new circuit fault witch my computer and the main board of the printer again.

I was very suprised how this could happen. I talking to Sintratec and they told me that it must be the lamps. I am searching for the problem and found it. It was a electric spark througt the capton tape. I want to prevent such issues so i am talking to Sintratec again. After a long discusion the explained me that first kids have lamps with bad isolation cables. The cables will will only resist temperatures about 140 C. But near the lamp are temperatures near about 400 C. I told them with this knowledge i am not realy happy to use these old lamps. (remembering my computer was destroyed)
After a diskusion they told told me what they in addition have changed. I ask for a price for the parts and they told me that they will send it for free, because i have had a lot of trouble with importing thing from Sintratec into Europe. Later more.

I got new lapms, new spindel and a new firmware. I was happy about a good support, which is working slowly but working.

After rebuilding my printer a got a quality issue. Every 2 mm in z-direction i got a woble (one turn of the new spindle). They send me a new spindle for free but the problem is not realy solved. It is much better, but not good.

Right know we have nearly 11 mounth later. A long time for these tasks to solve. Why takes it such a long time?

The most problem was that Sintratec was not able to send spare part soon and corretly to import to Europe.

Commen problems are:

1. missing invoice
2. wrong invoice
3. wrong part ID
4. missing currency simbol (It is funny but you are not able to pay tax from zero.... you are only able to pay 0 Euro tax from 0 Euro)
5. packaging
6. bad labeling

I have appreciation of the situation. It is a new company. There are less employes. They are developing new things. I does not expect a plug and play 3d printer with no problems. That is the reason why i spend not so much money for a professional 3d SLS printer.
I am interested in the technology. The way is the goal :-) It is not my first 3d printer kit. My first one, the Ultimaker Kit, is working fine. The printer gets some updates and is still a very godd printer. But with a very good community and support. Everything is transperent. Every one is able to read it and is able to help solving the problem ....

To make it clear. It is not a problem to pay for update parts or parts i have destroyed of myself. That is normal. But if there is a design problem than we have to discuse and find a solution. You have the advantage to use early adopter to make your products professional. The early adopter find your bugs you not have found. But if you say early adopter get no support anymore, then Sintratec has not understand what early adapter do. And there is no difference between first buyer or second. If you make a diffence between than no early adopte is able to sell your printer . Than the printer is without value.

I am very disappointed and i not sure anymore that Sintratec was a good choise, but perhaps they reconsider.