The hot bed of a 3D printer is a crucial accessory in FDM (fused stack) printers, whose main function is to prevent warping during the printing process. This article will explore how to improve the hot bed of a 3D printer to improve printing quality and efficiency.
The role and necessity of a hot bed
The main purpose of the hot bed is to reduce the warping phenomenon during 3D printing, which is caused by material cooling contraction. Different materials have different contraction rates, so the degree of warping is also different, but warping is inevitable and can only reduce its impact.
Hot bed materials and performance analysis
The material and design of the hot bed directly affect its performance. Currently, there are several types of hot bed materials on the market:
- Polyimide heating sheet: uneven heating, easy to damage, need to add 3M tape to fix to the aluminum plate, need to be customized.
- Heating rod & aluminum plate: heating is uneven, aluminum plate needs to be very thick.
- PCB hot bed: is currently the best 3D printing hot bed, heating evenly, can not add an aluminum plate, can increase manual leveling, stable work, not easy to damage.
Methods for improving hot beds
Fix the issue of 3D printer hot bed not heating
- Line problem: check whether the hot bed line is broken or desoldered, and re-plug the wiring or weld.
- Heating module/relay problem: check whether the power indicator light of the hot bed heating module is on, if there is no voltage, replace the new module.
- Main board problem: test the output voltage of the hot bed, if there is no voltage, it may be a main board problem, it is recommended to replace the new main board.
- Line loosening or breakage detection problem: check whether the main board hot bed line is loose, or whether the breakage detection switch is normal.
- Hot bed board damage: If the thermal display is normal room temperature, there is no problem elsewhere, it may be that the hot bed board itself is damaged, and the new hot bed board can be replaced.
Increase and improve the hot bed temperature
- Preheat: Preheat the bed before starting printing to ensure a smooth printing process.
- PID parameter adjustment: adjust the PID parameters to make the temperature of the hot bed more stable and accurate.
- Increase insulation pad: add a layer of insulation pad on the hot bed or use a glass plate as the hot bed surface to reduce the heat dissipation of the hot bed.
- Aluminum foil wrapping: use aluminum foil wrapping to increase the insulation effect of the hot bed.
Steps to calibrate PID parameters
Preheating hot bed: The hot bed is heated to the target temperature and kept for a period of time to observe temperature stability.
Use PID calibration commands: Send PID calibration commands through the control software or firmware of the 3D printer. For example, in Repetier-Host or similar software, you can enter the M303 E-1 S60 C10 command to calibrate the hot bed PID, where E-1 represents the hot bed, S60 is the target temperature, and C10 represents the number of tests.
Record and save PID parameters: After calibration, record the obtained PID parameters and use the M304 Pxxx Ixxx Dxxx command (xxx represents the actual value) to set the PID parameters of the hot bed, and then use the M500 command to save these settings.
Testing and adjustment: After calibration, perform a print test to observe whether the hot bed temperature is stable. If necessary, repeat the calibration process and fine-tune the PID parameters until the best printing effect is achieved.
Solve the adhesion problem of 3D printer heating bed
- Increase the base area: increase the base area of the model through slicing software, provide a good foundation, and effectively solve the problem of model shedding.
- Platform surface treatment: use adhesive tape or solid glue and other adhesives to improve the adhesion between the hot bed board and consumables.
- Reduce the first layer printing speed: reduce the speed to make the consumables better stick to the platform and reduce the warping and shedding.
- Level and Z-axis starting position: Ensure that the hot bed level and nozzle starting position are appropriate to obtain sufficient adhesion.
- Temperature or Cooling Settings: Adjust the hot bed temperature and fan settings to match the conditions required for printing supplies.
After the hot bed stops supplying power, it will still maintain a high temperature, so safety should be taken into account and be careful not to burn your hands. At the same time, regularly check whether the surface of the hot bed is flat. If it is not flat, it will affect the printing quality.
Conclusion
Improving the hot bed of 3D printers can not only improve printing quality, but also enhance the stability of the printing process. By selecting high-performance hot bed materials, implementing automatic leveling function, adjusting PID parameters, improving hot bed surface treatment, and paying attention to safety and maintenance, the performance of 3D printer hot beds can be effectively improved.
