PrintBrite and i3 mk2  

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

...I really dislike the PEI sheet because the first layer quality is always awful and any large flat objects always detach from the sheet unless you use a large Brim.

i really can't confirm this. when the optimal value for the live z adjustment is found and you regulary clean the pei sheet with acetone, than everything (beside nylon and some exotic other stuff) sticks at the sheet as hell.

but now for the printbite sheet:

😕 hmmm... even so that i've very good adhesion with the pei sheet (sometimes to good) the advertisement of this printbyte stuff promises a lot.

❗ check it out and report how it's going
there is a lot of discussion about the printbed surface and the adhesion going on. but until now i haven't found any independend and objective comparision.

one thing you've to consider: the height of the printbyte sheet is 0.8mm, which is quite thick ... so it might be tricky to get the pinda and the nozzle adjusted.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Thanks. My Z height is a adjusted perfectly now... I can fill the entire bed with a singe line of PLA and it sticks and is the right width.

It doesn't change the fact the lines on the bottom of the print get blurred out and you get weird spider patterns. Also as many others have reported when printing large flat PLA surfaces, the edges always lift off the bed, no matter where on the bed I print them. It is also just the corners, not all the edges.

I have three printers with a mix of surfaces (tried glass, geckotek plate and buildtak) and the PEI is the worst performer of the lot.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

😛 then give the printbite a go and report how it performs at the mk42 heatbed... we're all curious, i think

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

I use printbite on my Ultimaker 2+. My genuine Prusa I3 Mk2 has damage in top right corner due to earlier issues. A gouge in the bed. Spare parts are a Prusa issue. I have a spare PEI sheet I bought elsewhere. Some others have genuine need for a new heated bed. Not available from Prusa. Printbite added to the Prusa heated bed would affect the Pinda levelling sensor and the hall effect it uses. It may be doable and need tuning ie heated bed temp and Z adjustment.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Having used printbite on a previous printer I'm going to hazard a guess it's going to be too thick for the MK2..
It's relatively inexpensive so by all means give it a whirl.
There were not many things I liked about Printbite but I have to say the one good thing is that it was REALLY durable. The PEI sheet is better for adhesion IMHO but is as week as a 2 hour old kitten.
If thickness isn't an issue and you get it to work on the MK 2 and knowing what a PITA changing the PEI is I would just about edge to Printbite. Having changed 2 sheets of PEI now I have just purchased some of the Filaprint surface from Germany. It's ridiculously expensive took a stupid amount of time to dispatch (almost cancelled order) but it is thinner than the Printbite so I suspect it has a better chance of working with the Pinda. I will fit it over the weekend and see how it goes.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

It's not too think but it is very close - you need to move the Pinda a lot lower to prevent the nozzle hitting the Printbite. I had mine 0.2mm (slip gauges) away from the bed when the nozzle was just touching the bed otherwise it would hit the Printbite during calibration. Highly recommend that you print a Pinda protector first as if you have any curling the Pinda will hit it.

I've removed mine after a about a month as it didn't last. Amazing when you first use it though. PLA just releases from the bed when it cools.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Having used printbite on a previous printer I'm going to hazard a guess it's going to be too thick for the MK2..
It's relatively inexpensive so by all means give it a whirl.
There were not many things I liked about Printbite but I have to say the one good thing is that it was REALLY durable. The PEI sheet is better for adhesion IMHO but is as week as a 2 hour old kitten.
If thickness isn't an issue and you get it to work on the MK 2 and knowing what a PITA changing the PEI is I would just about edge to Printbite. Having changed 2 sheets of PEI now I have just purchased some of the Filaprint surface from Germany. It's ridiculously expensive took a stupid amount of time to dispatch (almost cancelled order) but it is thinner than the Printbite so I suspect it has a better chance of working with the Pinda. I will fit it over the weekend and see how it goes.

Excellent, thanks for this information. I will await your results. I too have a spare PEI sheet, but I know the slight damage to my existing one is not causing the problems I see.

Out of interested, do people who state they are seeing no adhesion issues with large PLA prints, print in a warm room or use something on the surface like hairspray?

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

It's not too think but it is very close - you need to move the Pinda a lot lower to prevent the nozzle hitting the Printbite. I had mine 0.2mm (slip gauges) away from the bed when the nozzle was just touching the bed otherwise it would hit the Printbite during calibration. Highly recommend that you print a Pinda protector first as if you have any curling the Pinda will hit it.

I've removed mine after a about a month as it didn't last. Amazing when you first use it though. PLA just releases from the bed when it cools.

Thanks. I'll skip it in that case.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Here is an example of the first layer quality on the i3 mk2. This is about as good as it gets for me (and no there is no Z adjust issue here). That isn't acceptable to me:

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

most prints look good here:

but when i print over the scratch that i have at my pei sheet, it's going to be visible (of course):

ps. at the time i printed the raspberry cases, i haven't found the optimum of my z-live adjustment level.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

At the distance you have taken your photo from, mine would look ok to. If you look closely I can see the same issues on the red case as I see on mine with smudged out details and tiny scratches.

The top photo you are too far away, but I can see the same issues even there on the larger piece.

For example:

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

I've just discovered some of my larger parts not only peeled slightly at the edges, they also warped 🙁

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

My finished side, looks like you don't have the z adjusted low enough
Bob

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

couple more photo's

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Thanks Bob

I can't see any details on yours at all. It is totally smooth like you have the Z far to low and it is squashing out all the details.

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

....you have the Z far to low and it is squashing out all the details.
in my mind you sholdn't see any "details" when the live z adjustment is optimal, because then you'll get a perfectly smooth surface and a perfect 1st layer with 0.20mm thickness.

😕 at one hand you complain about the structures at the 1st layer (and that nothing would stick to the pei sheet), at the other hand you think the z is far to low when you see no details ???

➡ maybe, against your believe, you do have a live z adjustment problem that you won't admit yourself ?

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Thanks Bob

I can't see any details on yours at all. It is totally smooth like you have the Z far to low and it is squashing out all the details.

What details are you expecting to see it should be flat.

Live z adjust is just that.
If I was printing something I wanted to see the lines on the bottom I could just raise the z up a bit.

Before we had live z adjust we would set the height by the good old sheet of paper test, then adjust from there.

A lot of us came from printing on Kapton blue painters tape and glass and are used to those bed types, but this PEI sheet stuff while I feel is better is a different animal.

print a few boxes at different z heights, see what sticks, see where you get the sweet spot, sticking without smashing the first layer....

As much as a lot of people would like to think 3d printing is still an art form. temps/slicer settings/etc....
then you have to design for 3d printing look at printing an AR15 lower and you will quickly see how hard that can be.
try sliding a bearing in a tight fit with the layers in the wrong direction and you will split the part.
then what type of plastic are you going to use? pla? what about abs now your parts shrink dang now you have to build that in someway.

You have one of the best printers out there but you still should like to tinker a bit!!!

So adjust that live z!!! you can always raise it back up if you don't like it...

Bob

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Hi all,

I do not like the PEI either.
First and foremost, it is tedious to detach the parts. I never had problems with the quality of the first layer or the adhesion.

I exchanged the PEI against Filaprint. (E.g. Https://www.3dware.ch/Filaprint-260x-260mm-En.htm )

The thickness of the sheet is about 0.4mm which is easily adjustable via the z-Height.

Removing the parts is as easy as shown in

Jens

Re: PrintBrite and i3 mk2

Can you show me the first layer quality Jens you are getting from Filaprint?

The PEI shows every mark and scratch on the first layer. I am printing miniature parts with some details face down to the bed, and the PEI is making them look terrible.

I do think my bed is warped too, but it is hard for me to prove so I will probably have to live with it.