Flex board, usage guidelines

General Discussion
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1

Hi!

Is there any information about how to use the flex board?

In the first test I did I selected flex board, but it still printed a raft. It was easy to remove the part, but the remaining of the raft in the flex board are very difficult clean.

Then I tried to print raft-less, but I noticed that the first layer was not sticking everywhere and started creating a ball of plastic on the nozzle, so I cancelled.

I am not sure if the flex board was too far or what. The printer is working perfectly with perf-board, but I am also not sure if the same settings for perf-board are valid or I need to change calibration or anything else.

I have search around, but I cant find any general information about how to use the flexboard, that perhaps is what I need.

How do you use the flex board?

2

Hi there, I cannot help as I am asking the same question…2 years later!
So I am bumping this in the hope that there is an explanation.

3

I have an UPBOX + and have used the flexboard and also a new perf-board with a flex sheet on it, which I prefer. I found that abs and pla would stick fairly well to it as long as I upped the bed temperature to 10 degrees C higher than recommended. I used a temperature gun on the bed after it was at the set temperature for a while and found that the temperatures were 10 degrees C lower than the setting.

1 Like
4

I am a research writer. I recently searched on this topic and Here are a few tips on how to use a flex board with your Robo 3D R1+ printer:

  1. Bed leveling and calibration: Make sure that your bed is level and properly calibrated. This is especially important with flexible build plates, as an uneven bed can cause the extruder to drag on one side and cause inconsistencies in the print.
  2. Adhesion: Flexible filaments may have a harder time sticking to the build plate, so it is important to ensure good adhesion. Try using a glue stick or blue tape on the build plate, or a special adhesive solution.
  3. Temperature: Flexible filaments may require a lower bed temperature for proper adhesion. The temperature should be between 40-60°C, but it’s important to check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the specific filament you’re using.
  4. No raft: As you noted, rafts are difficult to remove from a flex board and may cause damage to the build plate. Try printing raft-less or with a very minimal raft.
  5. Speed and flow: Flexible filaments may require slower print speeds and a lower flow rate to avoid stringing or other issues.
  6. Retraction: Retraction settings in the slicer software can affect the consistency of the walls. Try adjusting the retraction distance and speed to see if that improves the wall quality.
  7. Calibration: Flexible filaments may require different calibration settings compared to rigid filaments, so it is important to check the manufacturer’s recommendations for the specific filament you’re using.
  8. Experiment: It’s important to experiment with different settings and techniques to find what works best for your specific filament and build plate.

according to my study, It’s worth noting that even if you are using the flexboard, it may still be necessary to adjust the printer’s settings and even the slicer software settings. Also, for some filaments, the first layer should be printed with a higher temperature and slower speed to get a better adhesion.