Damage to PEI
Greetings forum;
I'm brand new to 3d printing. I ordered my Prusa I3 MK2 in April, recived it in July, and due to various circumstances only just finished assembly this past weekend.
Since completion I've been printing like crazy. I've nearly completed all the prints that come with the printer and am thrilled at the quality of my prints.
I do have one problem however, ther is a triangular peice of the PEI that is starting to lift which is very near the center of the print are. It appeared immediately after my first print (Batman) and I initially thought it was some filament that got seriously stuck to the bed, but now I can see it's a cut through the PEI as if by a knife.
I'm guessing that this is probably not covered under warranty as I did my own assembly (I wanted to know how it went together as there are no repair shops near me 😉 and I can't prove it's a defect. Is it possible to buu a spare heat bed? I know I can biu PEI but as my printer is brand new I don't want it out of commission for as long as it would take to replace the PEI, with a new bed I can just swap out and fix the failed PEI at my leisure.
Thanks
-Bob
Prusa I3 Mk2 kit upgraded to Mk2.5s, Ender3 with many mods, Prusa Mini kit with Bondtech heat break, Prusa I3 Mk3s+ kit
Re: Damage to PEI
Hello Bob!
You can buy a heat bed from Prusa - just ask the helpful personnel on the chat function that you want access to the spare parts side.
/Henrik
Re: Damage to PEI
Heatbed is about £74.00 not cheap...
PEI SHEET is About £9.00
I understand the PEI can be changed quite quickly...
Never done it myself yet.
regards Joan
I try to make safe suggestions,You should understand the context and ensure you are happy that they are safe before attempting to apply my suggestions, what you do, is YOUR responsibility. Location Halifax UK
Re: Damage to PEI
I looked at the instructions to change the PEI and it looks pretty involved. After removing the bed you have to put it in the freezer for a time to peel off the PEI, then you have to soak the remaining glue to remove it, and then lay the new stuff down. I'd be concerned about air bubbles.
Now, if this is easier than it looks perhaps it's the better choice, but I'm a bit intimidated by it.
-Bob
Prusa I3 Mk2 kit upgraded to Mk2.5s, Ender3 with many mods, Prusa Mini kit with Bondtech heat break, Prusa I3 Mk3s+ kit
Re: Damage to PEI
Now, if this is easier than it looks perhaps it's the better choice, but I'm a bit intimidated by it.
-Bob
Yes, it's a lot easier than it sounds. It really is extremely simple, and the chance of air bubbles is minimal (or less).
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: Damage to PEI
It's just a time-consuming procedure. The video and written instructions are right on the money. Just go slowly and be as accuratel as you can in positioning the new layer. Don't forget to calibrate, as per the instructions.
Re: Damage to PEI
I've replaced my PEI twice and I left the machine assembled both times. The whole thing took only about 1/2 hour using 3M spray decal remover and by carefully, slowly peeling back the sheet. It took a little elbow grease but it was pretty painless. Just be careful not to spray the remover all over the rest of the printer, easily prevented by the use of a few rags. The whole sheet won't come off as one piece but that's to be expected.
That said, the fact that I damaged my PEI sheet twice doesn't speak well about my printing wizardry so follow my advice with caution. Also, I strongly suggest you order multiple sheets at one time. That saves money on shipping and allows you to get back to printing more quickly if you damage the PEI sheet again.
Nothing to fear.
Re: Damage to PEI
I've only replaced my PEI once and seeing the official instructions, I started to get upset at how unfriendly the design is to PEI replacement. So, much like Thomas, I just hit it with elbow grease. No, not synovial fluid, CO2 as in a flipped over air can.
What I did and what I learned:
1. About a quarter can will peal the whole bed, comes off like ice off a freezer element in big chunks. Only remove if easy to and leave damaged areas to the end, it will slow you down. Spray more where you plan to remove...and this is important, NO metal scraping tools! You ruin a the PCB or sensor patch, you're in for another $100 USD (€83) on top of $20 USD (€17) for the PEI sheet you just got.
2. Now for removing the 3M goo, use D-Limonene or maybe Googone but use at least two layers of paper towels since you won't be putting the entire bed in a sealed bag but rather cover with plastic food wrap.
3. Applying the PEI is straight forward, go slow, an inch...er 25.4mm at a time? I've heard spritzing alcohol as you go does wonders for bubble mitigation but wasn't sure if it would mess with 3M stick'm so I'll live with the microbubbles until I hear from a member on this forum.
4. Trim with a new surgically sharp blade at a near perpendicular angle to the bed slightly scraping (but not gouging) the PCB.
Congratulations, I hope you like the smell of fresh oranges. And, if you bought a fully built MK2 or MK2S, you now are considered a kit owner as far as firmware. Run all the Kit tests and calibrations.
Took about a couple hours, including waiting for goo to melt. Can be done, but am designing a removable bed system just because of the mess.
MK2S kit owner since 8/15/2017