Be aware of the print bed cleaning

Zortrax M200 General Discussion
#1

Hello

I'm using my M200 for business, beside the small these and that, I love my printer. I start having problem with parts separating  from the print bed

half way of the print, the head knocking them over. After sanding it lightly, cleaning with acetone, the problem re occurred.

Decided to take the print bed apart, WOW, what I saw was an explanation of all of my problem. As the print head lay down the first layer,

force the ABS to the other side of the perforation, lifting up enough to create an air gap between the print bed and the black anodized aluminum plate.

That result to some heat loss on the top. After cleaning the perforated plate, my problem vanished. If you run in to similar situation, inspect your

build plate bottom.

Dr-J   

#2

This is an issue that everybody experiences.. Looking at the black plate an extra screw was planned for the center, but for some reason not applied. Does anybody have tried adding an extra screw in the middle? With succes?

Unscrew and clean periodically is the only solution I know for the time being.

Rob.

#3

The extra screw could solve the plate deformation...

#4

This is an interesting topic.

We could try to build custom plates there are solution such as buildtak that work great. There is also lexan wich is used on the Fortus systems of stratasys.

Those buildplates are solid aluminum and they have channels(about 3mm thick) like a grid grooved all along about 5 cm squares this helps to avoid deformation and get a more flat surface.

Lexan has a great addition but it workds bad in small printers because of the low temperature of buildplate, wuth zortrax that is not a problem I will give it a try.

#5

Lexan won’t work because it’s not conductive.

#6

The extra hole in the middle is that not where the temperature is read? Look at the bottom of the plate in that same area. Because I thought of adding a screw but then noticed that it reads temperature from there.

#7

Lexan gets heated by the platform wich in both cases is metal.

Yes it has something like a ceramic compund in there.

#8

Lexan gets heated by the platform wich in both cases is metal.

Yes it has something like a ceramic compund in there.

Before the print starts, the bed comes up and contacts the nozzle. This completes the electrical connection between nozzle and small connector on PCB bed. This is how it determines where Z zero is. If you have a Lexan bed, It will never know where Z zero is and drive bed up into nozzle. Might break some stuff.. :huh:

#9

Ohhh I didn't know that :o  Well I will leave the Lexan away from the machine.

#10

I'm making an experiment, I hired a shop to make a special glass plate for me.

As Kyle said,only the glass not good enough, because of the self calibration process.

The nozzle has to touch the center, and side to determine  the relation in between for level.

The special glass they making, going to have a 4 micron thick chemically etched metal layer squares as the

original perforated plate have, and will be connected in the same way with wires.

Just an Idea, we will see ,,,,,????

#11

Now this sounds interesting.  Going to be watching this with interest.  Hope Zortrax is too.

I like printing on glass.

Wonder how well the etched area will stand up to having abs scrapped off it.

#12

What is the point to print on glass when you have to use raft anyway? 

#13

i am hoping that that provide an option to turn the raft on and off .

if so then we can make pads or custom rafts where needed like the makerbot.

#14

I'm sorry to report disappointment. I have got my new glass build plate, same size, and conductive squares same location as the Zortrax build plate.

The first test have failed. I start printing small parts, that got knocked over about 15-20 % of the print. I use glue, I change the design, nothing was helping.

I believe, due to the glass mass, the temperature was not hot enough, and since I don't have the option to change the build plate temperature,

I did switch back to the original perforated plate. I had an Idea, I ordered woven ceramic strip insulator with adhesive on one side, and cover the bottom of the heath plate.

It's about 50 mm wide cut to the length of the plate, placed next to each other to cover the whole bottom.  Ever since, I have no more problem with curving first layer, 

I keep my finger crossed .......