Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?  

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

I use the powder-coated sheets and do not have a problem. I find it VERY important to let the sheet cool to room temperature before attempting removal. The plastic object and the build sheet do not contract the same amount with cooling and this causes stress that will release the print.

Printing with ASA is different. It will actually melt into the power-coated sheet. You need to use a thin coat of glue stick to the build surface.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

@louis-j

"I find it VERY important to let the sheet cool to room temperature before attempting removal. The plastic object and the build sheet do not contract the same amount with cooling and this causes stress that will release the print." 

Does this apply only when printing PETG on the powder-coated sheet or both powder-coated sheet and smooth sheet?

Yes, it seems that using the powder-coated sheets is the easiest as no preparation is required before and after printing. However, does the base of the resulting printed objects look ugly due to the coarse build plate surfaces?

It seems to be either hassle-free printing using powder-coated sheets with ugly surface or smooth surface but extra work before and after the printing.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

I used the stick on sheets for over a year and they work but will not last very long. They eventually become weak and the surface will bubble and break. This happens especially with PETG.

I find the coated sheets from FilamentOne to be very good quality. About the same price as Prusa but much less shipping since they are here in the USA.

https://www.filamentone.com/collections/ultistik-flexplate/products/ultistik-premium-powder-coated-ultem-pei-build-plate-254-x-241-prusa-mk3-mk3s

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

regarding the 'ugly surface' - actually, I like the surface. I find it much more appealing than the smooth surface. Also, the 'smooth surface' is never uniformly smooth, it always has some defects.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

Wipe the smooth PEI sheet with a thin layer of windows cleaner before each PETG print and the part will be easy to remove. I have done that for years on the same PEI sheet and it is still in good condition. The same method can be used before printing TPU filaments.

When switching back to PLA the PEI sheet needs to be cleaned and that is best done with warm water and dish wash - make a quick dry afterwards to avoid rust.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

@area51

Thanks for the tips. Am I correct that both sides of the smooth PEI sheet and also the powder coated sheet can be used? If that is the case, perhaps I use one side of the smooth PEI for PLA printing and the other side for PETG printing.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

@peter-c20

Yes, both sides of both PEI sheets can be used.
That is exactly what I did to the smooth PEI, write PETG on one side and PLA on the other with a permanent sharpie.

Remember to handle the sheet with your hands by the sheet edge only to avoid hand grease on the printing area.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

My first time printing PETG on the smooth sheet I did not use a release agent like window cleaner or glue. My sheet is now missing a small piece of PEI. After that, I started using a thin layer of glue and it worked fine. I have since gotten a powder coated sheet. Mine works wonderfully with PETG. I also prefer the bottom layer that comes from the textured sheet. It ends up looking more uniform than the smooth sheet.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

PLA on the smooth sheet takes very thorough cleaning to remove any trace of skin oils or other contaminants, and and I still sometimes have first layer issues or parts popping loose mid-print even with brims. PETG just takes a wipe with Windex before each print, and parts separate when you flex it. I did end up putting a strip of Kapton tape at the startup purge line...for some reason I had a PETG purge line that nearly took the PEI off the sheet. It comes right off the Kapton.

I haven't tried the textured sheet with PLA, but just occasionally wipe it clean with a damp paper towel for PETG. Again, flex it and the parts pop off, especially when they've cooled (sometimes they separate on their own as they cool), but stay put while you're printing.

RE: Is it easy to remove PETG from the build plate?

I really haven't done much PETG printing before the COVID-19 crisis, but have been printing a lot of PETG headbands recently on my smooth sheet. I treat my bed with windex before every print and haven't had a problem yet with prints coming off wile printing nor sticking too hard after I've let the bed cool down before flexing. (I usually carefully pull the sheet off the printer right after printing and put it down on a good heat-sink surface like a metal desk or my granite kitchen countertop to get the sheet to cool off quickly.)

Another technique that I've found printing the same thing over and over again is I flip the sheet over between each print. This helps the recently printed-on surface to heal a little bit while being evenly pressed against the heated bed while printing on the other side.