An update for anyone with similar issues of their textured PEI plate degrading.
This same print with the same filament (PETG) on the damaged plate printed perfectly and released as expected after applying the Bambu Lab liquid glue - it’s just what I had around to try. I suspect any other release agent, such as 3DLac, or even Hairspray or Windex would have a similar effect. The liquid glue that Bambu Lab supplies goes over the plate in a nice thin layer, and uses very little to cover the whole plate.
My takeaway from this is that the textured PEI coating used on this plate is not strong enough to withstand the near-perfect first layer of filaments which adhere strongly, such as PETG. The print I was doing takes up nearly the entire plate, so it highlights the issue. I’ll be using some sort of release agent for any future prints, and I’d suggest if it is intended to have your textured plate last any length of time, it would be a good preventative measure to do the same.
I stripped off the sprayed-on texture successfully on the back of the plate with the included scraper, added some glue to it, and successfully printed PETG on top of the “bare” surface. I’ll probably strip off the rest of the texture on this plate and put one of their PEI stickers on it so I have a smooth build surface option without needing to buy another plate. At least when the stickers fail they are easy to replace.
IPA won’t desolve the plate or damage anything, but clean properly with IPA is harder then to clean with water and soap. If you do not get the IPA rubbed off properly, you aren’t getting the oils away from the plate, but instead just spread it. Doesn’t mean you cannot use it.
Not to butt in on your PETG and Textured Plate discussion but I was wondering if cleaning the cold plate (almost exclusively using PLA) after every single use with Dawn and warm water and after every ten or twenty prints I do the same and then rub some 99% IPA on the plate and then wash it off with warm water will actually be hurting my plate? So far no issues encountered but it is still early days for me compared to a lot of people here.
Still no issues using IPA to clean the plate. I haven’t needed to switch to the “clean with soapy water” side at all. As a reminder, I am spraying a coarse cloth (imagine the coarseness of a dish towel) generously with IPA and then rubbing the PEI surface with the cloth, with the intention of dissolving oils/dirt, and having the cloth pick it up.
I think Bambu Lab added the part about using IPA (“will also work”) since many offices don’t have dish soap and a sink available, but that’s just a guess. Everybody’s situation will be somewhat different, so the best advice I can give you is to find what works and stick with it (no pun intended lol).
There’s a reason that there are so many choices available in print bed materials and accessories, even as new as the tech is. I mean, humans have had centuries to perfect paint finishing, but look at the massive variety of waxes and polishes available at auto parts stores…
If using IPA works for you, use it. If it doesn’t work for you, use something else. The correct solution is just to use what works for you right now and go have fun printing things.
After only 2 Days of printing on my new P1P, the textured plate coating started coming off. I’m using their stock settings, Bambu PLA Basic filament, and their own demo files included with the printer. I’ve messaged Bambu several times to ask about this, as I would imagine the plate is a consumable, but it shouldn’t degrade this fast. They have yet to respond to my messages/support ticket. Major bummer, as the rest of the experience with the printer has been great.
never experienced that with prusa heat bed and never used release agent with prusa on pla/petg
moreover the prints are coming off without big force it looks more like the coating is comming off during printing and baked into the print if it would be getting off during print and not when detaching the print afterwards…
→ after only <20 prints i see the coating not as heat resistant enough/degrading too fast …
I have the same issue in that the surface of the texture plate is breaking down on my P1P, this was a bit of a supprise as it started almost from the very first print which in my case was the 20min benchy but is getting progressively worse and of course these missing areas transpose to you print and if it is a large flate area is is quite visible. Great plate for adhesion if you don’t have an issue with the textured patern on your print. My concern is do I get another plate, is it manurfacturing issue, should the surface be breaking down? will it continue to happen even with a new plate?
So it sounds like I’m not the only person with a problem here. Good. I’ve probably done around 20-30 prints on it, and it has started not recognizing it either. I’ve flipped it, and it worked for a while. But now, I’ve noticed the top is starting to turn black (I think because the hot end is grinding on it) and things don’t stick like they used to. Any suggestions from others or should I move on to a different plate?
Always let the parts cool completely. From what ive seen from hundreds of parts. If not thousands. Is that the pei sheets are indestructible if you let the parts cool.(youre also letting the powder coating cool and the plates steel fibers settle/retract). Otherwise it was probably a faulty part. Oil on the sheet before it was coated or something.
dish soap and water with a paper towel is best but IPA also shouldnt hurt the plate. I go through gallons of the stuff.
Yep. I have 2 spots on my plate where there is a different sheen where the PEI has been affected by not waiting. Got in a hurry and removed some objects while the plate was at about 40 degrees. Saw the result and now wait for it to cool completely. The rest of the sheet is doing fine.
And I only clean with soap and water or diluted simple green and water.
Have PEI build plates changed fundamentally in the last 6 years? Six years ago Prusa was either the first, or certainly one of the first, to come out with a PEI build plate, and to this day I vividly remember him adamantly stating that you should clean the PEI plate with IPA before every print, and clean it with acetone “at least once a week” or whenever the print stops sticking.
I set the link to start exactly where he starts his speech about that.
