I got a PEI sheet and applied it to my glass build plate. At 70C, PLA isn't sticking to it. It just sort of peels right off, and printing circles and arcs is impossible as the extruded plastic just doesn't stick to the bed. I've wiped down the PEI with a lens wipe, so it should be clean. ' I've heard so many people laud PEI for not needing any additives, but for me it's performing worse than bare glass. Am I being dumb? Is PEI not for PLA? Is 70C to high (though others have reported that 70 is fine)? https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716273#msg-716273 Fri, 13 Mar 2026 12:54:10 -0400 Phorum 5.2.23 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,835400#msg-835400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,835400#msg-835400 BTW, I still have not solved the PLA issue with my PEI - but I haven't actively tried lately.]]> ruggb Printing Wed, 03 Oct 2018 08:55:09 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,827153#msg-827153 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,827153#msg-827153
I upgraded with a MIC6 plate and PEI sheet that came with the 3M already attached.
I do 3 point leveling and it is very flat.
bed level matrix
+1.000000 +0.000000 +0.000050
+0.000000 + 1.000000 + 0.000013
-0.000050 -0.000013 + 1.000000

I first ran ABS at 110°C and it worked almost perfectly. I did get a little warping on some prints, but it otherwise felt pretty stuck.
I tried PLA 2 days ago and a simple print with 100mm square contact area stuck well enough if I printed 1 but when I did 4 they got knocked over when the head went to a different piece.
A slight warp of the edge of a sphere caught the head. Printing one doesn't traverse the head across the edge so it made it to the end.
Then I tried a larger piece. More footing. came loose 1/2 way thru a 100 layer piece.
Cleaned the PEI with 91% isopropyl alcohol. BTW, the 70% rubbing alcohol contains glycerin so it is not good to use.
I added a 4mm brim.
I increased the bed temp to 70°C for first layer, 60 for the rest, and the filament temp to 210 from 205.
I ran the first layer at 20mm/sec.
I have cooling for the part.
I set the Z0 and from my measurements it is Z=0.00mm. I have a 0.1mm offset and when I raise Z 0.05mm after a Z home it measures 0.002" or 0.05mm
It is a piezo sensor and the repeatability STD DEV = 0.001718
I used babystepping to squash the first layer by up to 0.2mm.
nothing worked
I sanded the PEI with 600 paper and cleaned it. NADA.

When I printed a single layer test it seemed to stick. Maybe not enough.
What am I missing? I don't have any hair left to pull out!]]> ruggb Printing Wed, 27 Jun 2018 22:20:06 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,815247#msg-815247 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,815247#msg-815247 With PEI you should be able to heat around 50c and squish a first layer on quite nicely, even the 'fake' PEI sheets will work but may need more heat and clean the sheet with 99% isopropyl b4 every print.

50% or 70% will work but may leave some 'dew' on the bed that needs to dry b4 the first layer is squished in.

its also normal to have your first layer hotter than your standard print layers. around a 10c difference is common.
as with any filament, print your first layer slow.

Do a lot of first layer tests to figure out that sweet spot b4 you commit to hours of a print only to find it all goes for shit....

[3dprinting.com]]]> JustSumGuy Printing Tue, 20 Mar 2018 17:00:51 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,815212#msg-815212 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,815212#msg-815212 Gecko23 Printing Tue, 20 Mar 2018 10:46:37 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,814429#msg-814429 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,814429#msg-814429 www.amazon.com] it's a translucent auberge color. One side is glossy, the other matte. I'm printing on the matte, and I'm using a sheet of 3M adhesive to secure it to a glass sheet. I have to clean the bed every print with iso and crank the bed temperature to get a reliable adhesion. But I've seen a lot of reviews for gizmodork PEI, mentioning how it isn't the "PEI color." No idea which one is really PEI.]]> kenblu24 Printing Wed, 14 Mar 2018 23:35:07 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,814351#msg-814351 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,814351#msg-814351 cyclenut Printing Wed, 14 Mar 2018 11:08:27 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,721238#msg-721238 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,721238#msg-721238 GRAYWOLF Printing Mon, 07 Nov 2016 15:44:11 -0500 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,719784#msg-719784 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,719784#msg-719784 kenblu24 Printing Fri, 04 Nov 2016 18:43:44 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,717534#msg-717534 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,717534#msg-717534
PLA should stick to the clean PEI at any speed with a surface temperature around 60 degrees. I've had problems when the surface wasn't clean enough, and by clean enough I mean sanded.

Think about cleaning the surfaces of metal parts in preparation for epoxy: you don't use a hydrocarbon solvent, you use a mechanical abrasive.]]> n8bot Printing Wed, 26 Oct 2016 14:47:05 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,717283#msg-717283 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,717283#msg-717283
My advice: don't give up on PEI just yet - I recently got a sheet and it's the single best upgrade I've made to my i3, went from ~80% success with PLA and 20% success with ABS to >95% for both materials.]]> topbun Printing Tue, 25 Oct 2016 18:35:25 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716688#msg-716688 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716688#msg-716688 tmorris9 Printing Sun, 23 Oct 2016 21:51:16 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716468#msg-716468 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716468#msg-716468 elwood127 Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 23:20:39 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716444#msg-716444 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716444#msg-716444 the_digital_dentist Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 19:02:03 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716434#msg-716434 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716434#msg-716434 kenblu24 Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 18:31:19 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716410#msg-716410 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716410#msg-716410 the_digital_dentist Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 16:31:39 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716342#msg-716342 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716342#msg-716342
When turning corners however, the PLA doesn't stick.

I'm actually wondering if I was sold something other than PEI, because I have no idea what could cause this.]]> kenblu24 Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 11:40:04 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716314#msg-716314 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716314#msg-716314 the_digital_dentist Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 09:56:01 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716276#msg-716276 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716276#msg-716276 kenblu24 Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 08:08:41 -0400 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716273#msg-716273 https://reprap.org/forum/read.php?262,716273,716273#msg-716273
I've heard so many people laud PEI for not needing any additives, but for me it's performing worse than bare glass. Am I being dumb? Is PEI not for PLA? Is 70C to high (though others have reported that 70 is fine)?]]> kenblu24 Printing Sat, 22 Oct 2016 08:06:33 -0400