Cleaning the build plate  

Re: Cleaning the build plate

Prusa made beds are ok with acetone.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

John:

I like your idea and will offer my procedure for powder coated sheets. I do not know if Prusa will sticky a post about it, because they address it in the Knowledge Base articles already. However, it is a common topic and I am not sure a lot of people know about the Knowledge Base articles, I just happened to stumble upon them when reading before I got my printer so it is a good reminder of the Knowledge base articles.

See the topics here: https://help.prusa3d.com/l/en/category/A6PvLnaCoU-maintenance

For PLA, I use a fresh plain clean paper towel cut into 4ths or 6ths and 91% Iso alcohol after every second / third print and after a dish soap wash of the sheet. For PETG, I use the same procedure but with Windex instead of alcohol.

If there is any issue with adhesion or I notice a corner is curling on a print, I use a piece of paper towel and plain or regular Dawn or Palmolive dish soap to wash the sheet at the sink. A couple of drops of dish soap on the paper towel, wash both sides of the sheet and only touch the edges of the sheet. Rinse the soap off, and dry with paper towels or a clean new microfiber cloth. Then either an Iso or windex wipe on the side of the sheet I am using.

For removal of objects I either let the build sheet cool and the prints self pop off on their own. You can hear it cracking and popping as the sheet cools and the part separates from the plate. I have a silicone spatula that I also clean with Iso alcohol / Windex (depending on what is printed) and use to remove the purge line and print border strip thing if the print is removed immediately from the plate and I want to start a second print.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

PLA cleaning is simple and routine; but I now wait until I see a film on the bed. I'll use a splash of Windex followed by alcohol rather than a sink wash. My water is too soft to remove the detergent completely, and nothing sticks to Dawn Dish Soap. And once in a while if a part comes off too easily as I am removing it, I'll do an acetone swab after the alcohol.

PETG is a different story. It's more a question of how to keep it from sticking. I'm always afraid of tearing up the PEI when I pop parts off. Especially if they are even luke warm. I'll intentionally rub my hands over the plate trying to deliver some oils... and sometimes that isn't enough.

ABS - no experience. But I've heard it is as aggressive as PETG, or more.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

For PETG on the PEI sheet MK2S bed, I spray windex and leave it to dry on the bed, so there is an even film of windex over the whole bed I occasionally use the soft side of a kitchen sponge to spread the spray. PETG comes off easily once the bed temperature has fallen by 10 - 15 degrees. If it sits and gets cold I reheat the bed to 60 degrees and the print comes off easily.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

I have one PEI sticker sheet that is all roughed up from ABS and PETG printing. I had to sand some stuck on bits.

I now use a little windex with ever PETG print.

I clean every time with IPA 98%. Once every 1-2 weeks with Acetone.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

leave it to dry on the bed

Ah - that's the trick. I've been wiping it off.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

Great stuff. I have also found that many of these cleaning tips to include Windex help with BuildTak and other non-PRUSA surfaces,

Re: Cleaning the build plate

PLA I use isopropyl alcohol 99.9% everytime before I start and after. I have always used Windex with PETG but I accidently forgot before work one day and only used the alcohol. After reading about all the horror stories about PEI being ripped off the spring sheet I was ready to buy a replacement but I didn'y need to worry as after it had cooled down the parts, which were very large, popped right off with pretty much no damage to the PEI. I can see a small scratch but I can say for sure it wasn't there before. I still use windex but I know now I dont have to worry too much if I forget.
I have only recently used acertone and will only use it if prints stop sticking and no more than once a week.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

I have used the PEI sheet that came with the MK2s originally with all the safeguards and maintenance that Prusa recommends with good results. I have migrated away from PLA into the PETG arena and found the adhesion between the PETG and the PEI sheet a bit too much to deal with so I traded off the PEI plate for the coated plate. This combination worked well for a while until the extruder upgrade with cooling fan tilt. PETG was becoming difficult to stick to the bed. After all the recommended cleaning methods failed to give me a satisfactory result I ventured outside the box thinking and thru the coated plate in the dishwasher on a pot and pan setting with heated wash with my regular dish load. Low and behold, it worked. Normal maintenance works (IPA, glass cleaner and plain dish soap without fragrance} and when it doesn't I use the dishwasher. This process of rejuvenating the coated plate seems to last for a week or so just like using acetone on the PEI plate occasionally. This seems to work for my application. I would be interested if someone else would try this approach to see if it would work in other applications as well 💡 😀

Re: Cleaning the build plate

I have a pre-assembled MK3 with PEI bed. It arrived with a sample print on the bed. Since then I have done mostly PETG through the printer. It is great. Now I want to print PLA but it does not stick. The bed has several layers of windex to make PETG removal semi-easy. Regardless, though, printing in different areas of the print bed with PLA is useless. Nothing sticks, big mess. I've used 99% ISO to clean and it has no affect..

Is it OK to put a layer of blue tape on top of the PEI? That would be the easiest solution for me. I layer smash to the point the extruder clicks and the filament still lifts up or doesn't stick. Amazing how PETG works and lays down so nice.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

For the PLA you should have a completely clean bed. Windex is good for PETG but definitely not PLA.
Wash the bed with detergent and water, wipe with paper.
Then you get a good surface to print the PLA. Alcohol can be used between prints, if needed.

Re: Cleaning the build plate

You will also most likely have to lower the "Live-Z" setting

Peter

Re: Cleaning the build plate

I tried the dish wsher tonight and it seems to work on my coted plate.

check to see if it needs cleaning

You can check to see if it needs cleaning instead of a fixed schedule.  Just hold the sheet at a small angle to the eye with a light source on the sheet.  You can see grease, dirt, and plastic easily.  Sometimes I need it every print and sometimes after 3 or 4 prints.  It depends on how clumsy I am when removing prints.

RE: Not cleaning every print

I’m very careful with finger prints and for PLA on Smooth PEI I have run many prints 10+ between dishwash cleans.