¶ Build Plate Guidance
The documentation in this section highlights best practices for our offering of build plate surfaces. Follow these guidelines to ensure the best results with your prints, and avoid potential damage to your bed plates, ensuring maximum longevity.
As of 05/2023 all HTX printers ship with the textured PEI plate by default. The Carbon Fiber plates can be purchased individually by contacting sales.
Customers who received a Carbon Fiber plate prior to this may also contact sales to purchase a PEI plate if interested.
¶ High-Temp Carbon Fiber Plate
¶ Synopsis
The 3D Labs high-temp Carbon Fiber build plates are bonded with a proprietary process to magnetic SS430 sheets for use with our magbed system.
They are constructed with a high-temperature specific resin and are capable of continuous operating temps of 200C+ with no softening or loss in rigidity.
¶ Best practices
- When removing prints from the Carbon Fiber build plate, it's best to let it cool down to room temperature, and parts will automatically pop off.
- Do not attempt to remove the plate while it is higher than 60C.
- Do not overly flex the plate when attempting to remove a part. The CF plate does have some flex, but is not ultimately designed to be a flex plate and can cause permanent bend damage.
- Always use purple glue stick or 3D Labs HyperLok adhesive on the Carbon Fiber build plate to ensure the best possible bed adhesion.
- Clean the plate when it's at room temperature with a damp warm microfiber cloth.
¶ Tips
- You can flip the build plate over to expose the steel when running linear advance calibration prints to get a better visual on the thickness of the lines.
- Parts will usually pop off of the plate if it cools down to room temperature naturally.
- Some users prefer printing materials like TPU on the smooth metal side of the plate.
¶ High-Temp PEI Power Coated Plate
¶ Synopsis
The 3D Labs high-temp PEI powder coated plate is crafted using an extreme version of the PEI powder coating process that allows it to withstand operating temperatures of 200C+ with no material degradation or flaking.
Made from 2mm thick SS430, it's an industrial grade plate that will last for many print hours with proper maintenance.
Typical thin PEI plates will deform and pull away from bed magnets when printing with high-temp materials. Our plate stays firmly locked to the magbed under extreme conditions.
¶ Best Practices
- Do not attempt to flex the PEI plate more than 1-2mm. Only a slight flex, just enough to get the print to partially separate is allowed. Is not designed to be a flex plate and permanent bend damage may occur when overly flexing.
- Always use glue stick or 3D Labs HyperLok build plate adhesive as a separation layer. Without it, the parts may become almost impossible to remove due to the extreme adhesion properties of PEI.
- Parts will generally pop off by themselves when using adhesive and naturally cooling to room temperature.
- If a part has not popped off, using a spatula tool with a thin but not sharp edge, is the best tool to remove a part. Find a weak corner and pry it up, and gently work around the part with the spatula.
- Parts can be easier to remove with a drop of alcohol around the perimeter of the part. This will loosen the adhesive on the edges to allow for prying and removal.
- Clean the plate at room temperature with a warm damp microfiber cloth.
¶ Tips
- If the PEI plate becomes damaged, you can flip it over and use the other side.
- When printing PEI, use a lower first layer temperature (Minus 10 to 15C).
- Use a higher than normal Z-offset. PEI plate adhesion is very good. A higher than usual Z-offset will allow for easier removal of the parts.
- Occasionally clean the plate with Zippo lighter fluid, or 100% isopropyl alcohol after printing with high-temp materials.
- You can clean the plate with Acetone to remove stubborn ABS remnants from the plate.
- Place the build plate in a freezer to remove a stubborn part.
- Upside down canned air can also remove a stubborn part.
Important
Use a mask, gloves, and ensure proper ventilation when cleaning the plate with any solvents.