PEI build plate. Something to expect for future upgrades to the i3? 🙂
I saw this thread on Reddit today: https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/460e2n/started_using_pei_today_i_have_never_gotten_my/
So as a summary, PEI (polyetherimide) is a material that seems to have really good properties for the print surface. From what I can read, it doesn't require any surface preparation, and people don't even need to use brims/rafts for ABS. It sticks well and is at the same time easy to remove the parts from.
This sounds too good to be true. Please tell me that Joseph is having this in his pipeline for future Prusa i3 upgrades 
/Sascha
Re: PEI build plate. Something to expect for future upgrades to the i3? 🙂
Yeah, PEI has been available for some time now, but I would consider this to be a mod that users can make, should they so desire, and not something that would be shipped with this printer because of the additional cost.
Peter
Please note: I do not have any affiliation with Prusa Research. Any advices given are offered in good faith. It is your responsibility to ensure that by following my advice you do not suffer or cause injury, damage…
Re: PEI build plate. Something to expect for future upgrades to the i3? 🙂
Yeah, I'm looking at some sheets on Ebay and Amazon already. I'll probably do this on a second glass plate, just to be sure that I can go back to to good old gluestick method if I want 😉
/Sascha
Re: PEI build plate. Something to expect for future upgrades to the i3? 🙂
hehe, I was also thinking about buying such pads, but I am also printing with PETG a lot which sticks like a charm on an 80°C heated glass plate (no glue or Juice needed). And the best part: as the buildplate cools down it automatically disconnects due to different thermal coefficient of the materials :))) (I have the PETG from extrudr, 2.85mm, so far just awesome material)
Re: PEI build plate. Something to expect for future upgrades to the i3? 🙂
Did this mod last night.
Although I only did a quick small print, I had excellent results. The part practically fell off after the bed cooled a bit. No messy ABS juice to worry about and clean part bottoms.
This is a keeper.
Some notes:
- I used the original 3mm glass and just added the adhesive and PEI on top. I prepped the glue and PEI sandwich first, then applied it to the glass afterwards.To cut the sandwich to size (before applying to the glass), just score the PEI side with knife 4-5 times then carefully snap it with a straight edge. I covered the whole glass surface. Whole process took 30 minutes.
- Clean the glass well, use Acetone to free any remaining ABS. Then glass cleaner afterwards. Keep your fingers off the top glass surface.
- If your glass is not flat, I'd recommend using the glass so that the center is a low point. This way, you could easily put tape in the middle under the glass to raise it the center. (You'll have a more difficult time if the center is a high point)
- You'll need to raise your Z stop switch initially about 1mm so that you don't crash the nozzle into the bed on initial calibration.