Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed  

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

Are you guys using 7x7 Mesh bed levelling? 

Have you tried the larger first layer square 

https://forum.prusa3d.com/forum/original-prusa-i3-mk3s-mk3-assembly-and-first-prints-troubleshooting/life-adjust-z-my-way/

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

Yes pretty much tried everything. I'm on my second MK3 s but I always used smooth Pei so I'm never really had that issue before. I tried both 7 by 7 and 3 by 3 with no change to end result... again I don't have problems with Adhesion and most Parts up to about millimeter or two and height are okay only Parts it's that didn't work for me are x-axis idler and motor holder and Z Motor mounts all warped some more than the others as there were reprinted several times with different settings.. couple months ago I bought an Ender just for shitz and giggles and using 3D maker engineering powder coated sheet and a highly modified Ender produced no warping but of course quality wasn't quite there as I'm still on my stock hotend and no matter what you do it's not prusa LOL Although I'm planning on printing prusa extruder to be used on Ender

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

I have had some filaments just not stick, some stick too much, and each filament and bed are different.  Have you tried Layerneer Bed Weld?  It will make just about anything stick.  I am on my second bottle and use it with tough to get to stick surfaces and filaments.  

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

I strictly use prusa polymers only. I mostly print in petg rarely in Pla. The only other pla that I use is made by Esun and it works really well. As far as ABS I use again prusa and sometimes Kodak

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

For people having problems with the powder coated test bed, as I was.  I must have done 30 first layer calibrations without success.  The print would always detach at some point.  I tried everything, including cleaning it with dawn.  I found the secret, you have to scrub it, and when I say scrub I mean SCRUB.  Scrub the absolute snot out of it with a scouring pad and dawn.  Scrub in every direction, in circles, then every direction again.  You will see the semi gloss finish from the factory come off, a distinct color change.  Then it will work flawlessly.  On the prusa store site, it says that they are using multiple manufacturers for these, and apparently one or more of them are coating these in something that basically acts like teflon.

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

Posted by: @cwbullet

I have had some filaments just not stick, some stick too much, and each filament and bed are different.  Have you tried Layerneer Bed Weld?  It will make just about anything stick.  I am on my second bottle and use it with tough to get to stick surfaces and filaments.  

I use it and it works great.  I quit suggesting it as much as I did since one user here started getting on my case about it.

It's not an alternative to having a clean build plate, but it sure helps, particularly with PLA filaments with small footprints on the plate and/or support footings.

I am still on my first bottle.  A little goes a long way.  I have a second bottle but have not opened it yet.

It applies with a much thinner coat than glue stick and works quite well as both a release agent and an adhesion booster.

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

@turbotrix

This is to anyone.  I bought a powder coated spring sheet when they were finally available to all.   It worked great and I loved it.  But after a while it was wearing down smooth in the middle.  I bought a new one about 2 months ago and I am finding that NOTHING STICKS TO IT.  PETG, nor PLA nor ASA.  I have not gotten one print to work on it yet.  It is like I am printing on Teflon.  For now I have gone back to my old bed that is still working.  Has anyone else had this problem with new powder coated sheets?

Scrub it

Posted by: @cj31100

For people having problems with the powder coated test bed, as I was.  I must have done 30 first layer calibrations without success.  The print would always detach at some point.  I tried everything, including cleaning it with dawn.  I found the secret, you have to scrub it, and when I say scrub I mean SCRUB.  Scrub the absolute snot out of it with a scouring pad and dawn.  Scrub in every direction, in circles, then every direction again.  You will see the semi gloss finish from the factory come off, a distinct color change.  Then it will work flawlessly.  On the prusa store site, it says that they are using multiple manufacturers for these, and apparently one or more of them are coating these in something that basically acts like teflon.

Thank you @CJ31100 !

I had the exact same problem and was getting desperate. Literally like printing on teflon or something. The sheet is shiny, highly hydrophobic and seems to repel everything, I couldn't even print some really sticky flex, slowly, and at a high temperature after calibrating again and again.

I gave this advice a try as a last resort. I scrubbed it a lot with the scrubby side of a kitchen sponge, comparing the scrubbed side to the other one from time to time. It's gotten less shiny but is still as textured. And, miracle, now the sheet sticks exactly as expected.

At this point I'm pretty sure it's a manufacturing defect, I'm a bit disappointed because by I had high expectations buying some official Prusa stuff (I love Prusament). I'll keep the other side unscrubbed for comparison and try to figure this out.

Change

Good news.  I wonder if they have changed something 

Posted by: @etienne

Posted by: @cj31100

For people having problems with the powder coated test bed, as I was.  I must have done 30 first layer calibrations without success.  The print would always detach at some point.  I tried everything, including cleaning it with dawn.  I found the secret, you have to scrub it, and when I say scrub I mean SCRUB.  Scrub the absolute snot out of it with a scouring pad and dawn.  Scrub in every direction, in circles, then every direction again.  You will see the semi gloss finish from the factory come off, a distinct color change.  Then it will work flawlessly.  On the prusa store site, it says that they are using multiple manufacturers for these, and apparently one or more of them are coating these in something that basically acts like teflon.

Thank you @CJ31100 !

I had the exact same problem and was getting desperate. Literally like printing on teflon or something. The sheet is shiny, highly hydrophobic and seems to repel everything, I couldn't even print some really sticky flex, slowly, and at a high temperature after calibrating again and again.

I gave this advice a try as a last resort. I scrubbed it a lot with the scrubby side of a kitchen sponge, comparing the scrubbed side to the other one from time to time. It's gotten less shiny but is still as textured. And, miracle, now the sheet sticks exactly as expected.

At this point I'm pretty sure it's a manufacturing defect, I'm a bit disappointed because by I had high expectations buying some official Prusa stuff (I love Prusament). I'll keep the other side unscrubbed for comparison and try to figure this out.

I'm very happy with textured sheet

I bough textured powder coated sheet (for Mini) in May this year and all I can say is, it's a Godsend. Prusament PETG sticks perfectly (bed temp 85C) and part can be easy removed when bed cools down (say, below 55C). I don't use any glue or whatsoever (only wiping with IPA now and then).
Having such good experience, I also bough same sheet for MK3S a week ago -but haven't tried it yet (need to assemble printer first).

As someone mentioned, could there be differences in quality because Prusa uses two suppliers? I hope I won't findout that with sheet I just bough for MK3S 🤨 

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

I bought a new textured sheet for my Prusa Bear MK3S. Had cleaned it with isopropyl alcohol, dishwash soap, window cleaner - nothing helped, calibrated the hell out of the first layer and it was not sticking at all. Then I wiped it a few times with acetone and everything sticks now.

Keep in mind that acetone may damage the surface. I don't know what happened, maybe acetone damaged a surface a bit so it became sticky or maybe it removed some kind of manufacturing coating which was resistant to alcohol. It worked for me so it may work for you.

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

Damage?  One time with acetone will not significantly damage the bed.  I think It will reset the surface if there are problems.

RE: Can't get anything to stick to textured print bed

Just want to leave this here in the thread for future reference as I searched google to get here.

My textured sheet also had a teflon-like feel to it no matter how many times I washed it with dawn, degreaser, isopropyl.

I completely solved the issue by scrubbing it with a green Scotchbrite pad and Comet, a powdered dish/kitchen cleaner that contains bleach.

Acetone is an aggressive solvent but if you do some research on cleaning when it comes to polar/non polar cleaning detergents/contaminants, acetone is actually not that great as a cleaner, it cannot cut organic compounds. Bleach on the other hand is extremely effective.

If you're focused on passing a water-bead test, nothing else compares to a cleaner like comet. It gets things so clean that once the surface is rinsed and dry the surface is so clean that its unpleasant to touch with your bare skin, like fingernails on a chalkboard. 

My prints now stick better to this bed than my PEI sheet, will update with longevity results after I've had a chance to abuse it for a while, but I feel really good about this fix.