PRINTING

The first layer of every print is often the most critical, with the fate of the whole print literally resting on its shoulders. Fortunately, it’s the first layer to be printed, so spotting failures is easy.

Polycarbonate is a high temperature thermoplastic which allows it to operate in demanding applications where other plastics would soften and deform. Getting a successful 3D printed part largely depends on the first layer which attaches the 3D printed part to the 3D printing platform, providing a solid base to lay down layers. As polycarbonate has a high Tg the build platform needs to recreate this environment to ensure a good adhesion to the 3D printer, for Polycarbonate this is usually in the range of 100-110°C. Most printer manufacturers have addressed this issue directly by installing custom made heated bed which can reach the temperatures necessary for polycarbonate. However, if you are coming into adhesion issues on your first layer, choosing the right surface to lay your first layer onto is important. Here are some of the methods that provide a good adhesion on the first layer.

Magigoo Pro PC

MagigooPC is a liquid adhesive which is applied to the build plate prior to printing which achieves a very strong bond to polycarbonate locking the printed part to the build platform when then bed is hot. One of the best aspects of MagigooPC is that the 3D print is released from the build platform once the print has finished and the bed cools down. For printing larger parts in polycarbonate this feature becomes invaluable to avoid possible damage to your printer caused from removing parts and expediting your workflow. Of all our recommended platform adhesion solutions MagigooPC is the most practical, however there are some other options available.

BuildTak™

This is a tough sheet which itself is produced with polycarboanate, the textured surface provides a very good adhesion for printing polycarbonate as the material sticks very well to itself. While the Buildtak™ sheet provides a very clean surface to print on, we still recommend printing a raft, as often the adhesion between the printed part and the Buildtak™ can be too strong and cause issues when removing the print. Printing with a raft on top of Buildtak™ will produce the most reliable results without destroying the Buildtak™ after one print. The Buildtak™ sheet comes in various sizes with a high quality 3M sticky back that won’t leave residue on your printbed when you come to change the sheet.

Blue Painters Tape

Polycarbonate will lay down well on blue painters tape well, providing a quick disposable solution for platform adhesion. Try and align your tape joins underneath the middle bulk of the printed part and keep the edges of your print in the middle of the tape where possible. In some cases the tack of the tape can lift from the heated bed. This can make removing large printed objects from the bed much easier, so the size of your part is worth considering when choosing the right platform adhesion.