Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
I just received a new "Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI" and installed it - redid my Z calibration, went through setting my first layer and the Bed Level Correction - all went well and looks good across the table.
However, when I printed my first part I noticed it left some marks on the bed. Also, you can just barely feel that the bed is now slightly raised in those areas if you run your finger over it. In the pictures below you can see the parts I was printing and then the bed after removing them. The parts popped off easily once the bed was cool, so I didn't expect any issues, but I saw and felt these marks.
This is my first time using the Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI, so I wanted to check this experience with others. Should I heat the bed back up before removing the parts? Is this a common issue with these steel sheets?
Thanks!
Jon
RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
Just flip it over for a few prints. Most of those small bubbles will work their way out when heated.
Be sure to let the bed cool completely before removing parts. Otherwise, you'll get bubbles like that when removing a part that is still sticking well.
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RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
@bobstro
Thank you! Does this mean that warping could also cause this? As a portion of the print starts to lift, instead of separating completely, it lifts the PEI causing a bubble to form as the it separates from the steel plate. Would that happen with this system?
RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
@jonpointer
Warping can absolutely cause this with some filaments. My first damage to a textured plate was caused by PC Blend warping. It bowed the plate like you would beleave and when it gave way, it pulled a small piece of the surface off. ABS can still this way as well with some brands. I have one roll of PETG that is also nasty adhesion but it does not warp.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
Looks familiar. Those bubbles are sign of pulling the part off of the bed without a release agent to assist in preventing the damage. As long as there are no holes or splits in the surface, heat the surface up and use a plastic spatula to "iron" the bubbles back onto the glue that is underneath of them.
Then, you're going to find a lot of advice here on PETG sticking too well, damaging the smooth PEI sheet. Some will advise you to use textured sheet instead of Smooth PEI. others will tell you to use a release agent like glue stick or hair spray to prevent the hard stick that causes what you see here. It takes some practice to make the hairspray not throw you the other way - no adhesion (hint = Live Z when you see the trace getting curly)
RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
@dan-rogers
Thank you! Do your comments about using a release agent apply to ABS? That's what I'm printing with and I didn't think that any release agent was needed, but would like to know. Thanks again!
RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
@jonpointer
I'll leave the "what's a good release agent for ABS" to the fine folks here - it's a question that is beyond my experience. I got those bubbles ... and eventually gaping craters in the PEI sheet, just with lowly PETG on the smooth sheet, until the nice people here taught me about release agents. Warning - with release agents come learnings in Just-in-time Live-Z
RE: Spring Steel Sheet With Smooth Double-sided PEI - Damage/Questions
@dan-rogers
I use Aquanet hair spray, Layerneer Bed Weld, and Magigoo.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog