Anybody using a textured build plate?

[leliep 28]

Has anybody used any kind of alternative, textured build plate with an Ultimaker printer (like the “Double-sided Textured PEI Powder-coated Spring Steel Sheet” from Prusa)? Not sure if there is something like this for the Ultimakers…

The glass plate is fine for most print jobs, but sometimes a slightly textured surface looks better.

 

Thanks for any feedback, -pl

 

 

[Smithy 1,141]

I don't use it personally, but I like the textured surface from Prusa. 

I use on one of my printers a Filafarm Switch Plate, and recently I have seen that they now also provide a textured Filaprint plate. But I don't know if it is comparable to the Prusa one.

 

 

[leliep 28]

On 10/27/2021 at 2:24 PM, Smithy said:

I don't use it personally, but I like the textured surface from Prusa. 

I use on one of my printers a Filafarm Switch Plate, and recently I have seen that they now also provide a textured Filaprint plate. But I don't know if it is comparable to the Prusa one.

 

 

Thanks, I will look into the Filafarm stuff, didn't know them until now.

[jsw 19]

On 10/26/2021 at 3:10 PM, leliep said:

Has anybody used any kind of alternative, textured build plate with an Ultimaker printer (like the “Double-sided Textured PEI Powder-coated Spring Steel Sheet” from Prusa)? Not sure if there is something like this for the Ultimakers…

The glass plate is fine for most print jobs, but sometimes a slightly textured surface looks better.

 

Thanks for any feedback, -pl

 

 

 

I am looking for one as well.

[Smithy 1,141]

I have ordered a Filafarm textured plate last week.  So I can give some experiences as soon as I get it.

[jsw 19]

2 hours ago, Smithy said:

I have ordered a Filafarm textured plate last week.  So I can give some experiences as soon as I get it.

 

Thanks, please let us know.

 

I've seen some advertised as allegedly for the S5, but when looking at the dimensions, they would require some cutting-down to properly fit.

[gauthier 0]

I am using a Prima Creator plate. Here are some pictures of the measuring and mounting.

 

I made small squares, which I placed in Cura on the very edges of the print area, to see where to place the magnetic stick sheet. I was worried that I'd lose much print area, but as you can see, there quite much of the original glass that wasn't actually accessible to print on.

 

Edited January 10, 2022 by gauthier

[jsw 19]

Gauthier, do you have the exact model of that plate, or at least the dimensions?

[gauthier 0]

PrimaCreator FlexPlate-Powder Coated PEI 220 x 220 mm

[K3Dds 0]

I'm using the Ziflex high temp flex plate and is great for bed adhesion. I used UHU sticks for awhile but had some failed prints but since getting the Ziflex, no issues. There is some texture to it, not as noticeable as the Prima plate but enough.

 

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by K3Dds

[leliep 28]

Gauthier, are you satisfied with the plate and the print results?
(I just ordered one anyway 😉)

 

Edited January 11, 2022 by leliep

[jsw 19]

9 hours ago, gauthier said:

PrimaCreator FlexPlate-Powder Coated PEI 220 x 220 mm

 

Thanks.

 

I have the S5 and I'm looking for something larger.

 

I can't seem to find anything on line WRT sizes available for Prima Creator.

 

I have found some larger plates, but those would require some shear work to get them to fit on top of a standard S5 glass plate.

 

Still looking, I guess ...

[Smithy 1,141]

44 minutes ago, jsw said:

I have found some larger plates, but those would require some shear work to get them to fit on top of a standard S5 glass plate.

 

As already said, I have currently the Filafarm for my S3, but ordered one for the S5 as well. Should fit out of the box, but I will report when it is here.

[jsw 19]

Thanks Smithy.

 

Please let us know when you receive it.

[gauthier 0]

20 hours ago, leliep said:

Gauthier, are you satisfied with the plate and the print results?
(I just ordered one anyway 😉)

Sure! Only printed PLA on it, but got better adhesion than PLA on my Prusa stock textured sheet. Many other factors could be playing in of course.

 

I've had paper glue on it once for a print that took most of the area, otherwise bare.

 

You can choose to put the stick magnetic sheet on the glass bed like @K3Dds and I. The advantage is that you don't butcher the aluminium plate, and apparently you can temporarily flip the glass bed, would you ever want to print on glass again (in that case you need to use other clamps because of added thickness). I use the side of the glass that had a little damage (caused by me putting it in the freezer to free a stuck print).

 

Someone here told me that the magnetic sheet could be unglued a couple of times, I don't remember how. Since I want to avoid replacing the aluminum plate, I went the glass route. It works.

 

Here is a thread that describes how I installed it.

[leliep 28]

Today I received my plate (PrimaCreator FlexPlate-Powder Coated PEI 220 x 220 mm) and installed it on one of my glass plates.
 

I cut away the magnetic plate where the front clips are. Because the magnetic plate is slightly thicker than the clamps, the print plate fits perfectly. It works. 🙂
 

Thanks for your support, I really appreciate it!

 

Edited January 14, 2022 by leliep
correction in text

[AndersK 59]

Anybody know if just the sheet can be bought without the magnetic base?

 

Already have Build-Tak magnetic plate so just the sheet needed. 

Not looked recently but I don't think Build-Tak has the textured sheet.

[Smithy 1,141]

@jsw

I've received the Filafarm Switch plate yesterday and it fits perfectly on the S5. For the S5 I have ordered the normal Filaprint plate, not the textured one.

 

The content of the package, a thinner glass, magnetic plate, spring steel and the Filaprint plate:

 

The Filaprint has an adhesive tape on the back. Here mounted on the print steel:

 

Also the magnetic plate is adhesive on one side and you have to stick on the glass.

 

Here the base in the printer:

 

And here complete, with the spring steel on it.

 

 

But I also ordered a Switch plate for the S3 and there I selected the Filaprint RS textured plate. Currently printing a test object to see how the surface comes out with the textured plate. It is less textured than the Prusa one, so I am curious how it will be.

 

Will post a picture when the print is finished.

 

[Smithy 1,141]

Ok, so the Filafarm Switch plate general is great. I have one for the UM3 for a year or so and never had problems. The new one for the S5 fits also perfectly and I am happy that I don't need to apply UHU stick, spray or whatever to get a good adhesion and that I don't have to fear that I chip my glass with ABS, PETG or ToughPLA.

 

But the textured Filaprint RS is a joke 🙂 In reality is a bit more visible than on the picture, but not what I have expected.

 

The print is maybe not so shiny than with the normal plate or with glass. Maybe someone can see a but of a texture on the surface, but nothing what we know from the Prusa plate. 

 

So in my opinion, the RS is not bad, but is has not the expected texture I though. Very small difference between the normal and the RS one.

[AndersK 59]

Did you try squishing a bit more yet?

Had to fiddle a bit with that on the Prusa textured plate to get the texture at full.

[Smithy 1,141]

Not yet, but good idea, will try it.

The plate itself is also not so "rough" (hope that's the right word) as the Prusa one. So I was expecting a little less texture than with the Prusa plate, but a bit more would be nice 🙂

 

As far as I can remember (I sold my Prusa again), the surface was very nice, without any extrusion lines. But you are right, maybe I leveled the Prusa much closer to the plate and it was much more squishing.

[AndersK 59]

Yes they can indeed be very nice looking.

This is from today, just a simple router template so not necessary to be pretty but I do like the texture. Just like it came from an etched injection moulding tool

 

[Smithy 1,141]

Yes, that's nice!

Maybe I can play a little bit more with it in the next days. If it is not working, also not a big issue, the plate is working like the normal one, and the price tag is also the same.

[Nosybottle 9]

How are the flexplates working with print core offset measuring and autoleveling? Especially when measuring the cores, hot nozzle is pushed into the buildplate quite hard. Does it make a dent/hole?

 

We've got PAX buildplate from WhamBam and.. yeah, it's a big issue, especially for higher temperature materials. We've taken to putting a feeler gauge underneath the nozzles for offset measuring, else it just fails. Autoleveling is fine since the nozzle has cooled down a bit and it's not applying as much force.

[Smithy 1,141]

With the Filafarm it is working fine, they also mention that on their website and they are also using the S5.

 

I haven't seen yet any holes, the plate is very hard and not a soft thing like the buildtak.

 

But I am wondering that it is not working with the WhamBam. I heard it should be really good, but it is not available in Europe or not easy to get, that's the reason I bought again the Filafarm. On the other hand I have no issues with the Filafarm, so never change a winning team.