Nothing sticks to textured sheet, not even PETG!  

RE: Nothing sticks to textured sheet, not even PETG!

Fwiw, new to 3D printing and had same adhesion issue with Prusa Mini textured sheet and PETG.

Tried these suggetions:

- cleaned with dish soap and warm water (used nail scrub to clean)

- wipe dry with paper towels

- cleaned with IPA (always use paper towels)

Perfect prints and perfect adhesion since then (clean with IPA and paper towels between prints).

Same issue - ships with some kind of wax

I had exactly the same issue with mine, received May 2021. I could not get ABS to stick even slightly at 110C, and the same filament sticks so well to the smooth sheet I have to use IPA to help remove it. Thanks to all the tips in this thread, now it sticks perfectly to the textured sheet too.

It seems like the textured sheet ships with some kind of waxy substance left over on the surface from manufacturing. If you run it under the tap you can see it's strongly hydrophobic, and lots of little water drops and bubbles sit on the surface. It's slightly oily to the touch but doesn't actually come off on your fingers.

I washed mine with dish soap and warm water, and passed the rough side of a scrubbing sponge over the entire surface about ten times. Then I rinsed, and wiped the surface down with IPA. This seems to have removed all the wax, and now the adhesion is much better. The surface is still slightly hydrophobic but water doesn't form small drops or bubbles.

stick

Posted by: @bartpe

Fwiw, new to 3D printing and had same adhesion issue with Prusa Mini textured sheet and PETG.

Tried these suggetions:

- cleaned with dish soap and warm water (used nail scrub to clean)

- wipe dry with paper towels

- cleaned with IPA (always use paper towels)

Perfect prints and perfect adhesion since then (clean with IPA and paper towels between prints).

Keep cleaning it and consider squishing the filament a little extra.  It will stick.  

I wonder if that's some kind of preservative.

Mine did not have anything like that.

All I did was wipe it off with IPA and do a new Z calibration for the sheet, which did surprise me at first at the number I had to dial down to for optimum results.

coating

Posted by: @jsw

I wonder if that's some kind of preservative.

Mine did not have anything like that.

All I did was wipe it off with IPA and do a new Z calibration for the sheet, which did surprise me at first at the number I had to dial down to for optimum results.

I could be an oil or protectant.  I just know that washing it over and over again on some sheet help promote adhesion.  

Posted by: @cwbullet

 

Posted by: @bartpe

Fwiw, new to 3D printing and had same adhesion issue with Prusa Mini textured sheet and PETG.

Tried these suggetions:

- cleaned with dish soap and warm water (used nail scrub to clean)

- wipe dry with paper towels

- cleaned with IPA (always use paper towels)

Perfect prints and perfect adhesion since then (clean with IPA and paper towels between prints).

Keep cleaning it and consider squishing the filament a little extra.  It will stick.  

That's what I was trying to say. After I tried these suggestions (cleaning with dish soap, paper towels, IPA) everything was fine.

Still having issues

I'm still having some issues with adhesion. 9/10 parts stick fine, but there are some places on the bed where adhesion is poor. Even on successful prints, after the sheet cools, parts don't seem to be adhered to the bed. I would definitely not recommend the textured sheet to anybody - the smooth sheet works much better. The finish on the prints on the textured sheet is really impressive, but if the plastic doesn't stick, it's just not going to be useful. I would like to try the new satin sheet, but have already spent $30 on this textured sheet which I will probably not use very often.

Textured

Posted by: @matthewlloyd

I'm still having some issues with adhesion. 9/10 parts stick fine, but there are some places on the bed where adhesion is poor. Even on successful prints, after the sheet cools, parts don't seem to be adhered to the bed. I would definitely not recommend the textured sheet to anybody - the smooth sheet works much better. The finish on the prints on the textured sheet is really impressive, but if the plastic doesn't stick, it's just not going to be useful. I would like to try the new satin sheet, but have already spent $30 on this textured sheet which I will probably not use very often.

My textured sheet sticks very well.  PETG is nearly perfect,  

It's a feature, not a bug.

Posted by: @matthewlloyd

I'm still having some issues with adhesion. 9/10 parts stick fine, but there are some places on the bed where adhesion is poor. Even on successful prints, after the sheet cools, parts don't seem to be adhered to the bed. I would definitely not recommend the textured sheet to anybody - the smooth sheet works much better. 

The PETG print popping off by itself when the sheet cools is totally normal, and I see that as a feature, not a problem.

I also had this spotty adhesion at first, but scrubbing those particular areas a bit extra with soap and a sponge solved the problem for me. 

My solution, fwiw

I'm new to 3D printing, but have my smooth sheet with PLA performing well.  Bought a texture sheet just for PETG and started off calibrating in the -0.3 to -0.4 mentioned for the difference between the two sheets.  Could not get a consistent stick of the PETG to even complete the calibration.  Smooshed it real good and still the PETG would not stick.  Finally found this thread but was hesitant to use an abrasive scrub pad on a brand new textured sheet since Prusa have not seemed to acknowledge that at all.

Texture sheet label: TL-21, purchased July 2021.

Based on other posts, I did the following (some of these are my own additions):

• Put on a new pair of latex gloves
• Washed hands with gloves on to remove any possible coating contaminants from the gloves
• Laid out some paper towels
• Used a microfiber cloth, hot water and Dawn to scrub the sheet using a circular motion
• Rinsed sheet
• Laid the sheet on the paper towels
• Rinsed and dried gloves (hands)
• With gloves still on, dried textured sheet
• REPEAT as needed

For the REPEAT step, I did a test someone else mentioned where they ran their gloved hand across the texture and could feel an improvement in grip between the texture and the glove.  Before cleaning with Dawn, I noticed very little grip but I felt this difference after using Dawn.  Still, I thought it could be better.  Also, while rinsing the sheet, I noticed the rinse water on the sheet was mostly running off, I thought it could also run off better.  After a second time through the steps, there was a ton of noticeable grip between the sheet and my latex glove and the water ran off BETTER than rain on my car's windshield with RainX (if you know what that stuff is).

NOTE: I am NOT suggesting you put RainX on your textured sheet! It is only a comparison of how water runs off the sheet after cleaning with Dawn.

After this, I dialed in the calibration first try and I've done 3 prints with the textured sheet and PETG without a single issue.

Gloves

I have never used gloves and I am not sure that degree of protection against fingerprints is needed, but t if works for you, keep doing it.  

Water Break Test

Using a Water Break Test

the water ran off BETTER than rain on my car's windshield

The water should stick like a flat sheet to the surface: if it runs off in streaks then it has oil or a hydrophobic coating and sticking may be a problem.

Re: Water Break Test

Thanks for that information, Jack.  I'll say that my description of what I was seeing with the reference to RainX wasn't exactly clear... and that I did not fully understand what people were desiring to see in the Water Break Test.  I have Googled that and read up and can say that I believe I was still getting the correct result even though I didn't describe it correctly.   At least from the Google result I read: https://www.btglabs.com/blog/the-water-break-test-as-a-surface-measurement-gauge - "in the case of the water break test, should result in the water sliding off the surface in an unbroken sheet. "

It was my intent to express that no water was beading up or streaking like it would on a windshield but instead the textured sheet was completely shedding all water, no beads or anything remained.

My sheet seems to be working flawlessly now after the steps I took.

If that was what you were also intending, then we are in agreement.  Your statement that the water should "stick" to the texture sheet seems counter to what I read on online and the impression I got somewhere from this or another thread.  I could still be mistaken, but as I said, my texture sheet seems to be 100% better than what it was before I cleaned it.

Thanks!

Very hot water from the tap usually runs/slides straight off the clean side of my sheets but sticks to the bottom (greasy) side.

Water break

If that was what you were also intending, then we are in agreement

I think that if it looks like the video, then we agree! English is a tricky language. I have trouble expressing myself, understanding things and spelling; it’s my mother tongue.

RE: Nothing sticks to textured sheet, not even PETG!

I just wanted to give my experiences in the hope that it helps someone else...

I'm new to 3d printing, and recently purchased a Prusa Mini+ with both the smooth and textured sheets.  PLA prints on the smooth sheet worked very well, although I had to set my Z axis to -1.80ish.  Tried PLA on the textured sheet but simply could not get it to stick (I didn't realize the difference in thickness at this time).

Decided to print the Mini Base, and since PETG was recommended, started there, on the smooth sheet.  Prints all went pretty well, but the skirts & perimeters were HARD to remove.  Ended up having to use  a pocket knife to get some of them off, which of course left some small scrapes on the sheet.  Since they were right on the edge, I'm not too worried about it.  However, in trolling the forums, the light went on about the textured sheet.

Tried it, but prints simply would NOT stick (as many other have mentioned).  Brought the Z axis down it it's max of -2.000, and I was still getting weak/no adhesion, globs of filament on the nozzle, and if any part DID happen to stick, it had tons of little globs on it as well. I tried changing the print temp, bed temp, print speed, nothing helped.

I then read earlier in this thread about scrubbing the textured plate, so got a green 3M pad, Dawn and scrubbed it a couple of times.  Adhesion got a LITTLE better, but still couldn't get successful first layer test print.

So, given that I need -1.80+ for PLA on the smooth sheet, I decided my SuperPINDA may need adjustment.  Moved it up close to 1mm.  Recalibrated the smooth sheet with PLA to -1.15, and first layer test was great.  Moved to PETG on the textured sheet, and started around -1.40.  First layer test print IMMEDIATELY improved to the point that I had a mostly successful print, the only issue was that the infill lines were only about 60-70% fused.  Moved up to -1.450, and first layer print is now getting tough to get off easily, but all infill lines are 100% fused, stinging is very minimal and globbing is virtually nonexistant.  I've now run several first layer test prints with no cleaning in between, and all is working great.

So, to summarize

1. Calibrate PLA or PETG on the smooth plate. 
   1. If calibration is lower than -1.70, adjust your PINDA up about 1mm or so, targeting using a Z value of -1.000 or close to it on the smooth sheet.
2. Scrub & wash your textured plate plate.  Don't be insanely aggressive with the scrub pad, but don't be afraid of it either.  Think a dinner plate with dried on food.  Once it's wet, it gets easier, but still needs a little elbow grease.  Also, don't forget the Dawn
3. Dry plate with clean paper towels, and wash plate with IPA, just enough to really cover about 50-75% of the surface, when wipe it down with more paper towels.

Thanks to all here that gave their experiences and advice!!!

RE:

Even though I do 3D printing as a job now, I still get unreliable adhesion on the textured sheets from time to time with pretty counter intuitive results when trying to solve it.

Textured Bed did not stick well --> cleaned it with Ethanol 98%
= Bed did not stick at all!!

Orders new bottles with IPA 99.9%, and cleaned the bed with it
= Even skirt outline did not stick AT ALL anymore?!

Poored more IPA 99.9% on the bed, let it soak... rubbed it off
= No change.. Skirt did not stick AT ALL...

Ended up using hot water with soap again :
= Print sticks pretty good again!?

So for me it feels like some materials really DON'T like a textured sheet cleaned with IPA or Ethanol.
I decided to start an spread sheet to start documenting what materials + Print bed types Like and DON'T like specific types of bed threatening.

I read here about rougly handeling the textured PEI sheet with the rough side of a dish washing sponge to roughen up the surface a bit.. Thats a good idea that I will try. I would really like a way to clean textured PEI sheet fast between prints and not having to Hot Water it with soap and let it dry before being ready for printing.

Do we know what Prusa does to clean the print beds? Do they place beds in a dishwasher or something after a certain number of prints? I might try that sometime, to see if the aggressive soap maybe etches the surface a bit helping with better adhesion.

Can someone also explain maybe why cleaning a bed with IPA gives such bed results while cleaning it with hot water + soap gives a very positive result?

Just today, I was printing again on the textured sheet that I washed last time with hot water and soap. I noticed some of the details not sticking, so I stopped the print, gave the textured sheet a good whipe with Ethanol 98%. But instead of better adhesion, I could not even lay down the outer skirt anymore!

As I thought my Ethanol might have become a bit old I had orderd IPA  bottles.

RE: Nothing sticks to textured sheet, not even PETG!

What materials are you printing with on each type of sheet (smooth, textured)?  I found that PLA works well for me on the smooth sheet, but not really at all on the textured sheet.  Similarly, I found PETG stuck too hard to the smooth sheet, but worked well on the textured AFTER I adjusted my SuperPINDA.  Initially I had to set Z to basically -2.000 to get PETG to begin to stick.  Went through the SuperPINDA adjustment process, and get it to where PETG worked well on the textured plate at about -1.450.

RE: Nothing sticks to textured sheet, not even PETG!

I am having a similar problem in one of my fifteen printers.  I had a jamming problem with one roll of PETG.  I switched rolls and now I cannot get PETG to stick.  Oddly, it is a dried roll of Prusament Orange PETG.`

RE: Nothing sticks to textured sheet, not even PETG!

The info in this forum saved me many headaches.  I'm totally new to printing, just finished the build of I3 printer, and printed some PLA on the steel sheet, and didn't have too many problems.  When I printed PETG on the textured sheet Nothing would stick and I wasted quite a bit of material as sometimes my prints would go to 90% or more, then come lose.

Here is what I tried, which is what a few have said and it really worked for me, nothing has come lose since I did this.  None of this is new, I guess just confirming that it works.  I started to wear gloves, not sure how much difference that makes, but I took the textured sheet and washed it in dawn liquid soap with hot water.  I used a New scour pad, a gentle one that you might use to clean a non-stick frying pan, I didn't use steel wool as others have tried as I didn't want to remove any of the texture, at least not now as this is my first try.  Then when the sheet is at room temperature on the printer I poured a puddle of 99% IPA on the sheet and cleaned the sheet with paper towels.  Before I was just putting some on a towel and cleaning, but this puts more on the sheet to really clean it.  I have been cleaning with IPA now between every print and I have not had anything come lose yet since doing this as I am printing all the parts for a prusabox enclosure and everything now printing great.  This all seems so simple I wasn't sure it was going to do anything, but I didn't change any temperatures from the Prusa defaults, now everything is working great. As soon as the bed cools down then the parts come off easily off the sheet.