Getting Polycarbonate to Stick

So, I have some 1.75 mm polycarbonate from ProtoParadigm that I am running through an all-metal hot end from E3D.

The extrusion of the polycarbonate comes out nice and clean without any stripping or skipping of the extruder.

I can't for the life of me get it to stick to my heated bed. I am using a Kapton covered piece of glass on a custom aluminum heated bed. I've tried a range of temperatures both of the hot end and heated bed. I've tried the bed from 60*C all the way up to 120*C, and tried printing from 260*C to about 300*C. I've tried an ABS/acetone slurry as well, although the ABS becomes almost granulated in the acetone. Is that normal?

It kind of sticks for the first couple layers, then readily detaches from the bed with virtually no force. I'm trying to print a fairly small object (15x15 mm) so I don't think that warping is the problem.

Does anyone have success getting polycarbonate to stick?

---

Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

I *think you need a higher temp on your heated bed for polycarbonate.

Yup...From wikipedia, the heat deflection temperature for polycarbonate is between 128-138C, and additionally that would be the actual temp, not that simply measured by a thermistor taped to the underside off the heater itself.

xiando Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I *think you need a higher temp on your heated bed
> for polycarbonate.
>
> Yup...From wikipedia, the heat deflection
> temperature for polycarbonate is between 128-138C,
> and additionally that would be the actual temp,
> not that simply measured by a thermistor taped to
> the underside off the heater itself.

I will try that then, although richrap reported being able to print on Kapton at 85*C.

---

Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

Fair enough. Personally, I tend towards reliable scientific info over word of mouth, almost no matter whose mouth it is..

Hope you at least clicked the first link and read up a little, so you're aware of the general issue of heat deflection temperature as an issue that's nothing "new". Might help you as other materials are introduced...

xiando Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Hope you at least clicked the first link and read
> up a little, so you're aware of the general issue
> of heat deflection temperature as an issue that's
> nothing "new". Might help you as other materials
> are introduced...

I had actually read that article before, but it is a good one. I guess I didn't consider that the heated bed would need to be above the heat deflection temperature, but it makes perfect sense. I will definitely try the higher temperature, especially since my heated bed is capable of it.

---

Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

I have been printing quite a bit of polycarbonate recently (it's a different brand though, from Orbi-Tech) and here's how I have gotten best results:

* Kapton or PET tape
* Bed cleaned well from grease (several rounds with electronics cleaner)
* 120 C bed temperature (don't know whether even more would be better, my current setup won't go higher than that)
* Bed smeared with medium thickness ABS juice while cold
* Brim added to the object when slicing

I will try some thinker ABS juice. I did manage to get polycarbonate to stick at a bed temp of 140 C, which is about the hottest I can get my bed. I had problems with my PLA carriage softening though, so I printed a new one in ABS. We shall see how it goes now.

---

Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

If you're going to be printing polycarbonate, you may want to consider moving away from plastic carriages altogether to aluminum.
(fwiw)

xiando Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If you're going to be printing polycarbonate, you
> may want to consider moving away from plastic
> carriages altogether to aluminum.
> (fwiw)

That would be ideal of course. I may grab some SC8UU's and some aluminum sheet and make a carriage, which should work well. A metal extruder would be ideal as well.

---

Help improve the RepRap wiki! Just click "Edit" in the top-right corner of the page and start typing. Anyone can edit the wiki!

"A metal extruder would be ideal as well."

Heh, well yeah...but considerably more difficult to produce than a few drill holes and a cutout in aluminum plate. One thing at a time.