Nozzle temperature:
245 - 265 °C
Bed temperature:
90 - 100 °C. (a larger object requires a higher temperature)
Heatbed:
Make sure the surface is clean, as described in 10.1 Flexible steel sheet surface preparation
chapter
9.4 Flex
Flex is a very strong and elastic material. In many cases, classic hard plastics may not be suitable
for printing a specific model. Whether you are printing a phone cover, an action camera case, or an
RC car wheel, it is better to use a flexible material.
Before you print from Flex, clean the nozzle from any previous material. Start by preheating to the
highest temperature you’ve recently printed at. Then load PLA into the extruder to push out any
previous material. When inserting Flex, loosen the pressure on the idler as much as possible.
Advantages
Disadvantages
•
Flexibility and elasticity
•
Minimal warping
•
Good layer adhesion
•
Abrasion resistance
•
It requires extra steps to load the filament
•
More demanding to prepare and print
•
Must be printed slowly
•
Higher price
•
Must be stored in a dry environment
Nozzle temperature:
230 - 260 °C
Bed temperature:
45 - 65 °C (a larger object requires a higher temperature)
Heatbed:
Make sure the surface is clean, as described in 10.1 Flexible steel sheet surface preparation
chapter. WARNING: Some very soft materials can adhere very strongly to the smooth PEI sheet and
require the use of a glue stick as a separator to avoid damaging the PEI surface. This is not necessary
with the textured powder-coated PEI.
10 Regular Maintenance
We have designed the MINI as a reliable 3D printing workhorse, however, it’s still a machine with
moving parts, which means it requires maintenance from time to time. Following the instructions
below will ensure that your 3D printer will remain in good shape for a long time.
10.1 Steel sheets
If the printed objects have trouble adhering to the steel sheet surface, you need to wipe the sheet
clean. Choose the right cleaning product for your sheet (see below), pour a small amount of it onto an
unscented paper towel and wipe the print surface. The bed should be cleaned while cold to achieve
the best results - cleaning the bed when hot can lead to potential injury, either from the heatbed
or from the nozzle. When cleaning at higher temperatures, the alcohol will evaporate before it can
clean anything. More details can be found in the
Your First Print
chapter at the beginning of this
handbook.
The surface does not have to be cleaned before every print! It is just important not to touch the
steel sheet with your hands or dirty tools.
Recommended cleaning products for different types of sheets are listed below:
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