Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
I'm going to be trying a bare BuildTak build plate with GeckoTek stick-on print surface for printing nylon.
More discussion here: https://shop.prusa3d.com/forum/general-discussion-announcements-and-releases-f61/geckotek-ez-stik-surface-on-flexplate-for-nylon--t24255.html
I have now received the new plate and the print surface...applied the print surface and measured it today with calipers. The double sided smooth (sticker) PEI sheet that came with my MK3 is about 1.12mm thick. This new build plate is 0.97mm thick with the GeckoTek attached. So it appears there is a 150µ difference.
What's the best way to deal with the different plate thicknesses when switching back and forth? Can I just handle this with a Z-offset in my nylon profile in Slic3r or will I have to adjust the live Z whenever I switch plates?
Re: Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
I would think just the Z offset should be ok. it might just be a higher number.
I have a Prusa,therefore I research.
Re: Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
So after a few test prints it was easy to dial in the Z-height using the Z-offset in the Slic3R profile...which means I will not have to adjust my Z-height when moving back and forth between the two plates.
The only odd part was that it required a positive Z-offset of 0.15mm...which is the opposite of what I expected based on reading the Slic3r manual. I was assuming the thinner plate would require a negative value to move the nozzle closer to the bed.
Re: Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
nice to hear. makes sense with the +.15 it's .15 higher then normal. I might have to do a few slicer profiles for odd things 😀
wait.. was the +.15 for the geko plate?
I have a Prusa,therefore I research.
Re: Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
Yes...I had to add +0.15 Z-offset to my nylon profile to get good looking first layers.
Since the Buildtak plate + GeckoTek surface is actually 150µ thinner than the original Prusa smooth/sticker PEI plate I expected this to be a negative value (the Slic3r manual mentions that a negative setting gets you closer to the bed).
I'm not sure if the mesh bed leveling is a factor...maybe the pinda is giving different readings with this plate/sticker combo and the 0.15 setting working out is just a coincidence? I don't know...but it's working perfectly.
Thankfully I tried 0-offset for the first run (which resulted in a Z-height that was too low)...had I tried a negative value first I might have damaged the surface before figuring it out.
Re: Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
I use Slic3r PE and in the printer tab you can set it up to give an offset as if it were a different printer. I just use this it add or subtract for the Z height difference of the build plate. Using the live Z set up i just alter the height for the different plate. Then this difference is set in the printer offset. Dont forget to set the live Z height back to the first Z height before changeing the build plate as that it your base setting
Re: Compensating for different build plate thicknesses?
Hi Robin....I'm not sure I'm following you. I also use Slic3r and I'm specifying a Z-offset in the printer settings to compensate for the different plate thickness (which sounds like what you're doing as well). Once I had the offset value dialed in the for the second plate it did not require any live Z adjustment (I basically accomplished the same thing with the offset). Since I did not change the live Z setting I dialed in with the original Prusa plate....I do not have to change live Z when I switch back and forth between plates (which was my goal).