Afinia H479 3D - Manual (Page 12)

Afinia H-Series 3D Printer User’s Manual
12
Preparing the Platform
Before you start printing, the platform must be prepared so that the model adheres to the platform
enough to be printed without the model moving. At the same time, you will want the model to be
easy to remove from the platform after printing. There are several options for preparing the
platform:
FR-4 Board (Glass-reinforced Epoxy Laminate)
Many users have reported excellent results by using a piece of FR-4 Board to cover the build
platform. FR-4 Board is a perforated, glass-reinforced epoxy laminate sheet.
When using FR-4 Board, the first layer of the raft pushes
plastic into all the perforations, and this provides a strong
mechanical bond with the surface that prevents it from later
lifting. The FR-4 Board can be either taped down (with
masking tape or double-sided tape), or clipped to the
platform as shown in the picture to the right. Make sure the
clips are on the front and back of the platform only to avoid
interfering with the platform movement!
It can be easier to remove the model from the FR-4 Board
after the model has cooled down. As the plastic cools, it
shrinks away from the perforations, which make it easier to
pull out.
Some FR-4 Boards may work better than others. For consistent printing, it is recommended that
you use the FR-4 Board included with the Printer.
Borofloat Glass
Many users have reported success using Borofloat glass as the print surface. In this method, an
ABS and acetone slurry is made in advance, which is lightly brushed onto the glass and allowed to
dry into a thin film of ABS.
The ABS film will hold the model to the heated glass, and will release from the glass as the glass
cools. If the model does not easily release, spray a small amount of an ammonia-based glass
cleaner around the model.
The same glass cleaner can be used to easily clean the film from the glass.
You will need to clean and recoat the print surface after each print if you will be printing the next
model in the same location. Allow the slurry to dry fully before placing the glass on the print
platform!
Whichever platform preparation method you use, the two factors that most reduce the risk of
warping on large prints are ensuring that the platform is well leveled and well pre-heated.