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Incident Report Details
Attachments (0)
Report Summary

50 YOF consumer's 3D laser printer had a red wire electrical issue. Manufacturer did nothing and had deceptive practices. Her relative fixed the issue in 20 minutes. She is not using machine due to fire hazard. Not isolated incident. No injuries.

Product Details
  • Product Description: Glowforge Plus Laser Printer
  • Manufacturer/Importer/Private Labeler Name: Glowforge Inc.
  • Brand Name: Glowforge
  • Model Name or Number: Plus
  • Serial Number: JHT-938-4
  • UPC Code:
  • SKU#:
  • Date Manufactured:
  • Retailer: From an individual
  • Retailer State:
  • Purchase Date: 10/12/2022
  • Product Category: Home Maintenance and Structures
  • Product Type: Tools & Hardware
  • Product Code: Other Portable or Stationary Power Tools (809)
Associated Recall
Incident Details
  • Incident Description: I was using my Glowforge machine as normal when the red wire shorted out and melted. I contacted Glowforge to let them know something was wrong and explained the details about what happened. Instead of troubleshooting to try and help me fix my machine, the representative of the company I was speaking to told me they do not have the capability to help me troubleshoot, but that I could send my machine back and pay them $1,500 for a refurbished machine. There was no way I was doing that, so I searched for help on [REDACTED]--turns out several others have also experienced the red wire issue and they had advice on how to fix it. I called my brother-in-law to see if he could help me fix the machine based on the suggestions given on [REDACTED] and he had it fixed in 20 minutes... it was NOT that difficult. The Glowforge representative could have easily walked me through the steps on what to do to fix it. Had I gone along with what the Glowforge representative had advised me to do (because there was apparently no other option), I would have sent my machine back, they would have spent 20 minutes fixing it and cleaning it, and then sold it to the next person with an "unfixable issue" for $1,500, and I would get someone else's previously broken machine that they call "refurbished". They just keep reselling people's broken machines as "refurbished" machines instead of aiding consumers in solving their problems, which quite frankly, for me was a quick and easy fix. Whether this is out of laziness or trying to get more money out of people, I don't know, but it is not right on Glowforge's part. Glowforge did nothing to help me but instead tried to rob me of $1,500. Moreover, I am now leery to use my machine because others have experienced electrical fires from the red wire shorting out. It is a major safety hazard. I have not used it since this incident and will now be switching to a CNC machine instead.
  • Incident Date: 9/23/2023
  • Incident Location: Home/Apartment/Condominium
Victims Involved
  • Injury Information: No Incident, No Injury
  • My Relationship to the Victim: Self
  • Gender: Female
  • Victim's Age When Incident Occurred: 50 years
Comments from the Manufacturer/Private Labeler
  • Glowforge Inc.: Glowforge Inc. takes all customer concerns seriously, and we strive to maintain the highest standards of safety and satisfaction for our products. Upon receiving the CPSC complaint, our team diligently conducted an investigation using the serial number provided. Our records indicate that the printer in question was purchased secondhand in November 2022 by the consumer after the printer had been out of warranty for more than a year (warranty ended in October 2021). The consumer reached out to us in September 2023. Although the consumer describes that we did not engage in troubleshooting; this does not match the records we have on file of the interaction. We worked with the consumer to diagnose the issue, including having the consumer submit photos to us for our evaluation. Our troubleshooting caused us to believe that remote repair was not viable for the issue. Thus, we offered the consumer the option to exchange the unit for a refurbished replacement for only the cost of a repair, which is a fraction of the cost of a new printer. It’s important to note, all refurbished printers undergo rigorous quality checks before being shipped to customers. Furthermore, we want to assure that the allegations of "electrical fires" and “major safety hazard” are untrue. Even if the insulation were to somehow fail on the power line wire, our machines are fully enclosed and employ common grounding techniques to protect users from electrical faults, ensuring that no hazardous situation would exist. We are pleased that the consumer now reports that the printer is repaired and operating again. We continuously work on evaluating and improving our products and services. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Additional Details
  • Submitter has product?: Yes
  • Product was damaged before incident?: No
  • Product was modified before incident?:
  • If yes to any, explanation:
  • Have you contacted the manufacturer?: Yes
  • If Not, Do you plan to?:
  • Report Number: 20231023-ED9D2-2147344486
  • Report Date: 10/23/2023
  • Sent to Manufacturer/Importer/Private Labeler: 11/1/2023
  • Report First Publication Date: 11/16/2023
  • Category of Submitter: Consumer