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

Large flat objects will warp. Seems silly on a flat part - but add a brim. It helps.

And scrub your plate with Dawn again. No IPA this time, and never touch the print surface.

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

PETG warping sometimes points to a low bed temp. Agree with the suggestion for brim too.

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

I had the same problem at the beginning with the textured bed.

After increasing bed to 65C + cleaning the bed with isopropil alcohol everything is fine.

But I haven't printed so big objects.

Do you have octoprint to checkout the level of warping of the bed? BTW there is a way to dump this info when plugged with the USB - 2 commands but you need to search for them. If severly warped you could use the nylon nut bed levelling

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

Thanks for the responses so far.

For the small PETG parts I'll try re-Dawning it, but without IPA this time. And, if that doesn't work, upping the temp.

Re: the flat PLA parts, those parts print just fine on a PEI bed, there is plenty of adhesion to naturally resist the warp. Same exact g-code as before:

I understand methods for reducing warp generally speaking. But my question was specifically about whether reduced bed adhesion is normal on the Textured bed, and whether there's ways of mitigating it.

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

Reduced bed adhesion is normal on the textured bed. It gets better with use.

Stick a brim on your parts...

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

Definitely PEI has better adhesion

 It gets better with use.

I feel the same way, but didn't mention it as I though I was making it up 🙂

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

I Bought 2 a little while before Christmas and kind of getting to the point of giving up on them. Up till now I have been printing on a variety of genuine and third party smooth and cheapo PEI textured imports. Thought I'd buy some genuine now they were readily available and wishing I hadn't.

I have no trouble with any other surface, and I have a few, but these sheets are better than Teflon for not sticking. I've tried a whole range of materials and layer heights all to no effect.

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

If you are at the point of giving up on them - try scouring one side only with a Scotchbrite pad.

Repeat the Dawn scrub.

Use a bed temp of 80.

Get your Z calibration right. Maybe post a calibration square.

Let us know how that goes.

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

@robert-rmm200

I'll have another play with them tomorrow. I have 5 machines but the sheets only can be used on three of them realistically, one genuine and two home brews both based on Mk3's one with a Bear frame and extruder.  All give me issues. I have to calibrate the Bear frame using the custom firmware then switch to Prusa for the layer cal. All give me good even results but they just don't stick. Tried 4 different brands of PLA including Prusament, 3 brands of PETG and 3types of PLA+.

I have a day off tomorrow so I'll spend some time but really shouldn't be this hard. My Aliexpress cheapos work fine out the bag.

Cheers

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

One thing I forgot to mention is that even the silk screening wont adhere to the bed. A couple of PLA prints on this sheet and the PLA lifts the screen.

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

Checked bed to rail height at 9 points with caliper and all within +/- 0.02mm apart from front right corner which for some reason is low by 0.1mm ? Probably leaned on it at some point.

Cleaned sheet with Fairy, which is same as Dawn with low abrasive Scotch Brite 7447 pad. Interesting how the PEI doesn't wet almost like it's water repellent. Re-calibrated and no joy. Anything more than below and I am over squashing (it's to low below anyway) and I end up dragging .

The test below (PLA @ 230°C & 65°C) fell off whole I was moving it to take pictures. Tried PLA @ 230°C & 85°C and corners of outer squares lifted. The lack of wetting bothers me, not being a chemist I don't know how PEI should behave when washed but I will get a stronger degreaser later today and try cleaning with that. Will try and get someone on the chat line as well as it's bugging me now.

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

Clean PEI should have water bead off it just like a freshly waxed car or non-stick baking sheet. Otherwise, it has contaminants on it.

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

Think I've got to the bottom of the problem. A friend sent me a spare sheet and it arrived this morning. Test print sticks like the proverbial snot to a chickens lip. What is quite obvious is that they are not the same. Comparing his on the left with mine on the right. Both with similar very light usage history. Going to email Prusa about replacing mine. Could go a long way to explaining why there is so much disparity between users on results with these sheets.

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

Good luck with support. I have one of the bad ones and was told by support that "it's a consumable" even if defective out of the packaging. There is definitely some variability in the quality of these things. 

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

I haven't had too many problems with mine although I usually use it with PETG to avoid having to clean the you know what out of it for PLA.. But I just got a textured sheet for my CR-10S and OMG everything sticks to that like a dream.. I wonder what the difference is?

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

@kevin-a11

You confirm my suspect , not all powder pei are the same . My sheet have the same colours of yours and don't stick , 50 euros wasted and Prusa don't admit this fact .

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

@kevin-a11

What are the lot numbers of the bad ones?

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

@charles-h13

Hi

Not sure there are lot numbers, seems to be luck of the draw. Managed to get a replacement from  Prusa but despite asking for a dark one they sent me a a lighter one and nowhere as good as the dark one. Recently acquired a 'second hand' dark one and adhesion is good. I've given up on the lighter coloured ones and now just use Dimafix spray on them which seems to work. That said even the Dimafix doesn't last as long on the suspect sheets as it does on every other print surface I have including cheap knock offs.

Have to say it has been a bit of a disappointment that it isn't being recognised as an issue.

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

Hi I have the same issue with mine which arrived about month-and-a-half ago I've played with first layer calibration multiple number of times and when it comes to Prints longer than 3 hours and taller in this case I was printing x-axis parts for prusa they all end up warped at the end of the print but adhesion  seems to be okay.. still don't get it why? Everything seems normal on Pei sheet