Troubleshooting Adhesion Issues
FDM 3D printing is not for the faint of heart, and all the variables can make it hard to troubleshoot. Thankfully, with over 2 years of selling Fula-Flex, we’ve picked up on some problematic slicer settings and useful tips! If you are having trouble with a certain material sticking, check out our printing materials guide!
The Wonder Settings
In our two years of selling PEI Fula-Flex plates, the following slicer settings have fixed 95% of adhesion issues any Fula-Flex users were having.
- 0.30mm first layer height
- 125% first layer width
- Heatbed temperature for PLA: 70°
- Heatbed temperature for PETG: 90°
If these settings didn’t do the trick, try the following:
- Ensure the part cooling fan is off for the first 5 layers
- PEI grips parts when heated and releases when cool. Some printers direct part cooling airflow directly onto the bed, which can cause the PEI to cool and release the part.
- Slow down your first layer!
- We recommend a first layer speed between 15 and 25mm/s depending on the complexity of your part.
- Increase your nozzle temperatures
- We recommend anywhere between 210-220 for PLA, and 230-245 for PETG
Smooth PEI Troubleshooting
If you’ve tried the above settings with no luck. There are a couple more steps you can take to improve adhesion on the Smooth PEI sheet.
- Clean with dishwasher soap
- While this sounds ridiculous, it genuinely works when IPA fails.
- Clean the plate, however, DO NOT, submerge it in water.
- Wipe down the surface with Acetone
- This is a great method to refresh the adhesive properties of PEI
- Only perform this task once a month, as long exposure to Acetone causes PEI to become brittle.
- DO NOT use acetone on the textured sheet. This will immediately deteriorate the surface.