new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.  

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

That's really bad luck.  I'm guessing it wouldn't be covered.  The glue stick also works too.

But yeah for future reference a layer of windex original formulay wiped onto the smooth plate before your print and it will stick but will come off easily at the end of the print.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

https://help.prusa3d.com/en/article/flexible-steel-sheets_2195

Might want to bookmark this.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

@ssill2

I did clean it with windex right before starting the print...I guess I should have used glue too.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

you generally want to clean with dish soap(I use dawn platinum) with a dish sponge.  After drying I do the windex thing.  If it's a large print, a lot of bed surface area, I sometimes do the glue instead.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

Posted by: @dawson

I ordered and received the prusa spring steel sheet (smooth) and on my first print the material on the surface came off with the print and destroyed one side. I did not use glue, and I cleaned it before I started the print. I also put it in the freezer for an hour before trying to remove the print as it wasn't popping loose fully just by flexing the sheet. 

 

What could I have done to avoid this and is this a warranty issue?  It was a factory second because they always seem to be out of stock on the regular ones.

I did not think petg could stick this well as most of my prints with any small surface areas tend to fail when I used the textured sheet that came with my printer kit...glue or no glue.

 

 IMG_20210501_172115.jpg

Do not put the printing plate in the freezer, allow it to cool at room temperature and try to carefully loosen the printing part by bending the plate. Extreme cold is bad for the adhesive and it loses its adhesive strength, which can easily destroy the PEI foil.

To prevent extreme adhesion with PETG, there are also some release agents such as hairspray or special glue.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

Freezer is step one is removing the damaged PEI.  Look in spare parts in the store when logged in with your customer creds - then you'll see you can buy new PEI. 

I learned that same lesson.  Now I'm pretty religious with PETG.   Let it totally cool before you try and remove it.  Windex and wipe before you start the print.  Flex the plate to un-bond it.  It won't pop off easy even with the windex, and if you are too agressive you can still tear the PEI.  Be gentle.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

PETG on a smooth sheet is tricky. Some PETG sticks like superglue, other PETG falls off. Small test coupons needed to see which type of PETG you have. 

Windex is sprayed on, then left to dry. You do not wipe it off when using it as a release agent for PETG. Use a paint brush to wipe it around for more even coverage.

Glue stick is the other release agent of choice. Rub it on and use a brush with alcohol or water (depend on brand of glue) to smooth it out.  Most of the time I just rub it on then print.

Removing PETG from a smooth sheet - when it is the sticky stuff - patience is key.  You can very very slowly work the sheet to separate the part from the PEI. Plastic razor blades help. The freezer trick may help, but the PEI gets brittle. If the part doesn't pop off by itself, you never want to force it. Back to that patience thing.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

Posted by: @dawson

I ordered and received the prusa spring steel sheet (smooth) and on my first print the material on the surface came off with the print and destroyed one side. I did not use glue, and I cleaned it before I started the print. I also put it in the freezer for an hour before trying to remove the print as it wasn't popping loose fully just by flexing the sheet. 

 

What could I have done to avoid this and is this a warranty issue?  It was a factory second because they always seem to be out of stock on the regular ones.

I did not think petg could stick this well as most of my prints with any small surface areas tend to fail when I used the textured sheet that came with my printer kit...glue or no glue.

 

 IMG_20210501_172115.jpg

You have learned a lesson on print number one.  Sorry about the sheet.  I think we all learn this leasing the hard way.  

As said above:

1. Never put it in the freezer and try to remove prints without coming to room temperature.  
2. Use a release agent with PETG
3. Consider starting with a very small print when trying new filament to test adhesion on the print surface.  

The print surface is not ruined.  You just need to move the print to another area.  I would suggest saving this sheet for use with new filaments.  Then if they stick too much, you will not ruin another sheet.  

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

I actually use the freezer trick all the time. With the non-Prusa textured sheet I have it simply works. However, with the Prusa smooth sheet it only helps: it stiffens the PEI so that flexing is more effective at breaking the edge of the part loose enough to get a razor under it.

https://www.amazon.com/Plastic-Razor-Scraper-Blades-Double/dp/B0046ZUNY8   
or
https://www.amazon.com/Single-Edge-Plastic-Razor-Blades/dp/B0165N8JLC

Regardless: if you happen to print the sticky PETG on the smooth sheet without a release agent you have good odds the sheet is damaged in some way. Scratching it with a razor blade isn't the biggest concern, but plastic ones do not do as much damage as steel blades.

RE: new prusa heat heatbed steel sheet ruined, first print.

IMO, freezer is a great step to remove the PEI sheet - since it stiffens the 3M adhesive to the point where it doesn't stick to the PEI.