Heat Spreader- Is it really needed?

Hey all

Just as the title states really...

Is it really necessary to have it, or can I just put the glass straight on top?

I removed it and have not seen any ill effects. I think the heat bed heats evenly enough that the glass is by itself sufficient.

Dave

then i shall not bother with one then...

I've read that Davids sensor board can give false readings with a shiny surface, so not having the heat spreader with kapton taped glass would that be OK?

If you need a heat spreader depends on your setup. For example I would strongly recommend one if you need ordinary glass and no borosilcate glass. Ordinary glass is not designed to withstand the heat which is created by the heated bed. As you may have hotspot it could break easier. If you use borosilicate glass instead you have not the urgent need of an heat spreader as borosilicate glass can resist the high temperature and spreads the heat by itself. However it cannot spread the heat as good as aluminium. So you still may have temperature hotspots. I strongly recommend using a heat spreader or a MK3 heated bed.

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Slicer: Simplify3D 4.0; sometimes CraftWare 1.14 or Cura 2.7
Delta with Duet-WiFi, FW: 1.20.1RC2; mini-sensor board by dc42 for auto-leveling
Ormerod common modifications: Mini-sensor board by dc42, aluminum X-arm, 0.4 mm nozzle E3D like, 2nd fan, Z stepper nut M5 x 15, Herringbone gears, Z-axis bearing at top, spring loaded extruder with pneumatic fitting, Y belt axis tensioner
Ormerod 2: FW: 1.19-dc42 on Duet-WiFi. own build, modifications: GT2-belts, silicone heat-bed, different motors and so on. Printed parts: bed support, (PSU holder) and Y-feet.
Ormerod 1: FW: 1.15c-dc42 on 1k Duet-Board. Modifications: Aluminium bed-support, (nearly) all parts reprinted in PLA/ ABS, and so on.

I think it's safe to manage without the heat spreader up to 65C or so for printing PLA, but wise to keep it if you want to go up to 100C for printing ABS and not using borosilicate glass.

My IR sensor was working reasonably well despite the reflection from the aluminium, but a month ago I finally got round to painting it. I used matt black spray-on barbecue/stove paint and cured it in a domestic oven. The trigger height increased significantly.

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Large delta printer [miscsolutions.wordpress.com], E3D tool changer, Robotdigg SCARA printer, Crane Quad and Ormerod

Disclosure: I design Duet electronics and work on RepRapFirmware, [duet3d.com].

Quote
dc42
I think it's safe to manage without the heat spreader up to 65C or so for printing PLA, but wise to keep it if you want to go up to 100C for printing ABS and not using borosilicate glass.

Me think you guys worry too much - I always print ABS on ordinary 4mm glass with kapton or buildtak at bed temp. 110C and no heat spreader

Erik

Hello Erik,

You can be lucky and nothing happens. But there are situations where something can happen. Only because nothing happened doesn't mean that you are safe and don't risk your healthy. For example it strongly depends on the manufacturing process of the glass. And I prefer not to be nearby the glass if it breaks. Only because you have driven with more than 200km/h through a village doesn't mean that you are safe, right? I would be careful.

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Slicer: Simplify3D 4.0; sometimes CraftWare 1.14 or Cura 2.7
Delta with Duet-WiFi, FW: 1.20.1RC2; mini-sensor board by dc42 for auto-leveling
Ormerod common modifications: Mini-sensor board by dc42, aluminum X-arm, 0.4 mm nozzle E3D like, 2nd fan, Z stepper nut M5 x 15, Herringbone gears, Z-axis bearing at top, spring loaded extruder with pneumatic fitting, Y belt axis tensioner
Ormerod 2: FW: 1.19-dc42 on Duet-WiFi. own build, modifications: GT2-belts, silicone heat-bed, different motors and so on. Printed parts: bed support, (PSU holder) and Y-feet.
Ormerod 1: FW: 1.15c-dc42 on 1k Duet-Board. Modifications: Aluminium bed-support, (nearly) all parts reprinted in PLA/ ABS, and so on.

Quote
dc42
I think it's safe to manage without the heat spreader up to 65C or so for printing PLA, but wise to keep it if you want to go up to 100C for printing ABS and not using borosilicate glass.

My IR sensor was working reasonably well despite the reflection from the aluminium, but a month ago I finally got round to painting it. I used matt black spray-on barbecue/stove paint and cured it in a domestic oven. The trigger height increased significantly.

I'll give that a go when I start building my second printer. I am starting to collate parts to begin assembly