The one thing we can’t do without is something to print on…
In the old days it was glass or even acrylic plates, usually covered with painters- or kapton tape.
Since these early days we users always tried out new things, some of which made it into manufactured build plates…
But is there such a thing as the universal, all in one, always sticky build plate that lasts forever ?
Nope…
If the plate material is not harder than your nozzle it will wear and it is it you should still consider adhesives for most filaments.
Either to make the stick or in order to being able to get them off again.
What a pain indeed…
These days though we see more and more materials enter the build plate market…
PEI, smooth or textured, PEY, PET, H1H, H1F, TK99, …
These however need to be separated into groups…
Solid, fused, sticker
PEI usually comes as heat cured powder coated while the rest is a sticker, with the exception of TK99/FR10 sheets.
Powder coated and heat cured PEI Is good for about 180 degrees celsius.
But we won’t go that high because steel and PEI is not an ideal mix in terms of thermal expansion being equal.
The stickers COULD go close to what their material allows for but we can go that high as the adhesive won’t make it, at least not if it shall not be a permanent one.
TK99/G10 is a resin fibre sheet material.
Good for around 300 degrees celsius.
But it requires being clamped down as so far there is none bonded to a steel plate.
Probably because you want a certain thickness in order for big and warping parts NOT warping the plate.
And you can’t really properly bind a resin fibre sheet to steel anyway…
As long as you can stay way below the max temp the bed material allows for it should last for quite a few rolls.
The stickers though can often be a pain once you had a stuck print and lost you patience.
If you not eventually lift the sticker somewhere, chances are a bubble will form somewhere eventually.
As said everywhere, build plates are consumables…
We all know how to deal with our PEI plates, but what about those sticker plates with their fancy surface structures ?
Like it or not, they are best used perfectly clean and without any adhesives added.
Their sole purpose is not to provide the best possible adhesion but the best possible bottom surface for your part.
Means they are best suited for easy filaments like PLA.
Adhesives can be uses and for some filaments should be used but be aware that they will affect the surface finish of your part.
You should ALWAYS let the plate cool down slowly on the bed if you want to get the longest possible lifetime out of it.
The rapid cooling we prefer for our PEI plates puts a lot of stress on the material and adhesive for the sticker.
The better ones have a slightly thicker adhesive layer but in return also act more like an insulator on the build plate, their heat transfer is not perfect…
Depending on the material you can print basically anything on them - if you make sure filament and sticker material are compatible.
They are a bit like Kapton tape with benefits.
So, if PLA and such is your filament of choice you can use what you prefer.
What about those more complicated filaments?
Take Nylon and PETG, not to mention PP.
Make a mistake and it either pops off mid print or fuses permanently to the plate surface.
This is usually caused by a combination of needing a high bed temperature and also having a rather high extrusion temperature.
Some plastic then will even permanently bond to a clean glass surface…
For many years FR10 was hailed as the best out there to solve all these problems.
Good for very high bed temps no hobby printer can reach, chemically inert and resistant to most solvents and cleaners.
And be a smooth and shiny or finely sanded it seems to provide superior adhesion for most types of filament.
TK99 is now the official plate material to deter people from buying the slightly cheaper FR10 sheets.
Same material, just with a coloured resin and claimed to be optimised for 3D printing needs - I can’t find any performance difference.
Despite being quite tough TK99 CAN be scratched and every mark will leave an imprint on your prints!
Means no metal tools…
Another thing to be aware of is the need for clamps, in particular that those clamps might protrude into your usable build area if you are not careful.
With the high price tag TK99/FR10 might not be the first choice for a beginner and even for those printing a lot due to the handling issues and clamps.
One thing though I really miss in Bambu Studio is the option to set a pre-heat time for the build plate.
It is quite cold here this time of the year…
While those PEI plates might heat up quick enough, a thick TK99 plate will still be rather cool on top by the time the print starts.
And well, the chamber temp is usually far from ideal as well.
A lot of issues could be prevented if we would have the option to control the chamber temp properly…
