Originally shared by Adam Steinmark
Anyone with a @Printrbot use a removable build plate? I tried the @PRINTinZ Zebra Plate but the distance between the copper layer and the surface is too thick. I’m looking at the @GeckoTek build plate now, has anyone used it? I’m worried the removable part might be too thick.
http://www.geckotek3d.com/products/simple-metal-magnetic-base-build-plate
I’m guessing you’re not using a heated bed?
No I have a heated bed. The Zebra plate actually did decently with heat transfer, it just took a little while longer to get to temp. I just couldn’t properly home Z.
I use PrintInZ plate and it’s very handy. Just ordered 2nd gen. plate as the original (pinkish one) is quite scratched after test prints with changed hot end. :) – Tip: Each side of plate has different thickness to Z settings via M212 command, so if I am going to change the side, I use previously written down values for each side. It is still less painless then kapton foil, glues and hair sprays etc.
@Tomas_Vit Really? Mine is too thick.
@Adam_Steinmark The layer detected by the probe is in the plate, so the thickness of whole plate doesn’t matter (if you have proper plate for PrintrBot). You can set almost any Z correction for auto levelling by M212, so the only problem is to find proper value for each plate side. (Same process like during the 1st setup of probe on PrintrBot.)
@Tomas_Vit I know but the distance between the copper layer and the surface of the PRINTinZ plate is too thick, my nozzle goes into the plate before the inductive sensor is triggered. I set the offset with the M212 command for the sensor to move back up but it still slams into the plate first.
BTW, @Wayne_Huthmaker from PrintInZ is here on G+ and as I remember he have bought also PrintrBot Simple Metal for tests.
@Adam_Steinmark I see. That’s weird. Conductive layer is missing in the plate or the probe is too far (above) the nozzle. Maybe try to lower the probe manually and use another compensation settings? Just thinking, never had this problem (even after changing hot end and probe height completely). I will see with newer plate.
@Tomas_Vit I’ll try lowering the probe as much as I can without it causing problems. Let me know how the new plate works for you. I find the material is a little porous and PLA sticks too well.
@Adam_Steinmark If the lower layer is printed from proper height and with adequate filament flow, the surface looks very nice. You are right, PLA sticks well – but it is more plus for me (the plate can be bended, no rafts needed even for small prints) and with another Z compensation it can be weakened. Biggest problem is that surface of pinkish version is loosing glossy surface quite fast. And scratches (or grainy surface) are very visible on the prints then.
@Tomas_Vit let me know how you feel about the newer one. Are you using a heated bed?
@Adam_Steinmark @Tomas_Vit
Adam, sorry you are having trouble with the set up - I’m not quite sure why though. Is the problem happening on both the white and black sides? It’s possible one of these outer layers could get too thick for the sensor to work (that is, you have to move your sensor down too close to the level of the nozzle tip), but it’s very unlikely it would happen with both the white and black side on the same plate. What is the over all thickness of your plate? This will tell me if the outer layers are thicker than normal.
I was printing a tricky ABS part on my Simple Metal yesterday and it was working great.
@Wayne_Huthmaker 4.5mm measured with a digital caliper.
That’s right at the nominal. Do the black and white layers look close to the same?
@Wayne_Huthmaker Yes. I’ll try lowering the Z probe more and try using it again.
@Adam_Steinmark
I’ll get a measurement on mine this afternoon and let you know how close I have them.
Common distance of probe from nozzle works for me on PrintrBot. (Official setup on PrintrBot.com.)
@Tomas_Vit so if you remove the plate you wouldn’t have to re-level the bed to print?
@Adam_Steinmark @Tomas_Vit
Adam, When I first set up my Simple using blue tape (per the PB website) I determined a Z offset that worked. Then I clipped on the plate and fully expected that offset to change by about a mm, but oddly enough it worked without adjustment.