GeckoTek magnetic build plate

[alexbln01 2]

Does anybody know if the automatic calibration is still working on the Ultimaker 3 Extended?

https://www.geckotek.co/product/geckotek-magnetic-base-build-plate-for-ultimaker-2-and-ultimaker-3/

[exforma23 12]

I'm wondering this too...

Anyone?

[cjs 34]

I do not own this upgrade but in theory automatic calibration should still be working as this setup still provides a hard surface to probe against. 

After installing this upgrade you may want to change the PID values for the heated bed as this 5mm alu plate behaves different than glass. 

It's probably also recommended to warm up you build plate 5-10minutes before calibration/printing to minimize errors due to thermal expansion. 

 

I wonder why the plate (255mmx229mm) isn't as big as the Ultimaker heated bed (257mmx229mm).

Edited March 18, 2018 by cjs

[exforma23 12]

Cjs,

I have other non-glass build plates that are hard and active leveling does not work. So, hardness is not a determining factor. Also, aluminum is a far more thermally conductive than glass. Therefore, it takes less time to heat up not more than glass.

[cjs 34]

16 hours ago, exforma23 said:

other non-glass build plates that are hard and active leveling does not work

What other non-glass build plates do you have which don't work?  I've got a spring steel plate which just works as well as glass.

 

17 hours ago, exforma23 said:

Also, aluminum is a far more thermally conductive than glass. Therefore, it takes less time to heat up not more than glass.

You are correct that aluminium is thermally more conductive than glass but this doesn't mean that the heat up time for aluminium takes less time. Aluminium has a higher heat capacity and density compared to glass which means you need more energy to heat up an aluminium plate to the same temperature leading to longer heat up times.

Anyhow the plates behave different and therefore you may want to change PID values. 

[exforma23 12]

I have a garolite build plate bonded to glass. It's essentially phenolic resin (quite hard)

Active leveling does not work when I use the garolite buildplate.

 

The specific heat of glass is .84 J/gm and aluminum is .9 J/gm. So, it appears that you are correct. I never would have thought.

It turns out that they are actually extremely close.

[cjs 34]

9 minutes ago, exforma23 said:

Active leveling does not work when I use the garolite buildplate.

Hm  I can not think of any reason why it shouldn't work. Maybe someone from ultimaker will shim in. 

Did you have a look at this guide: https://ultimakernasupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005705806-Why-Isn-t-My-Active-Leveling-Working-

 

12 minutes ago, exforma23 said:

I have a garolite build plate bonded to glass.

A bit of topic. Your garolite build plate sounds quite awesome. Did you make the plate yourself or did you buy it? 

[exforma23 12]

9 minutes ago, cjs said:

Did you have a look at this guide: https://ultimakernasupport.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/115005705806-Why-Isn-t-My-Active-Leveling-Working-

I'll be sure to check this out when I get a chance.

 

10 minutes ago, cjs said:

A bit of topic. Your garolite build plate sounds quite awesome. Did you make the plate yourself or did you buy it? 

I bought the garolite from mcmaster carr (Part#9910T15)

and bonded it to a borosilicate plate using this adhesive

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CAO06FS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I have to give credit to youtuber "safety glasses required" for the idea.

 

Here is what I ended up with

 

It works a bit too well with Nylon. It can be pretty hard to pry the print off.

I just have to be careful with the razorblade and scuff the surface with some 600 grit sandpaper. 

This is why I'd like to experiment with Geckotek. I've heard mixed reviews.

 

 

[Anders Olsson 136]

As long as the surface of the build plate is at the right level, the automatic leveling should in theory work with any material.

Here is a printable tool to set the correct distance: https://www.youmagine.com/designs/um3-buildplate-distance-tool

 

That said, the automatic leveling measures the (changes in) capacitance between the print head sensor and the build plate and a metal build plate is likely to generate a much larger capacitance than the original glass plate.

Even though it should theoretically still detect when capacitance no longer changes because the nozzle hit the build plate it is possible that a metal surface simply creates out of range capacitance readings.

[exforma23 12]

 

6 hours ago, Anders Olsson said:

Here is a printable tool to set the correct distance

Anders,

I have a tool for already for that. I printed a part that is 14mm thick. This is the prescribed distance between the top of the Alu. deck and the bottom of the heated plate.

So, I can eliminate that from the equation.

Keep in mind that the deck aluminum deck is not even close to level. So, I set the 14mm at the front and the back is a about 1/8" thicker.

Also, I manually leveled it prior to using the garolite plate. So, I can eliminate that too.

 

I'll test it some more to see if I can get the active level to work.

 

 

[exforma23 12]

So, I installed the geckotek magnetic base on my UM3E. The total combined thickness of the aluminum and the steel plate is about is about 7.4mm. So, this is about 2x as thick as the stock glass. Active leveling does not work because it raises too high and hits the nozzles before the fine tuning even begins. Is there a way to reduce the initial raised height when it runs this process?

On 3/17/2018 at 2:00 PM, cjs said:

After installing this upgrade you may want to change the PID values

 cjs,

What are PID values and how do I change them? I am new to putty and only used it so far to adjust the e-steps for the bondtech DDG