3D printing — Ditching the glue for the Windows Cleaner.
In the realm of 3D printing, the role of glue is multifaceted and indispensable. It serves as a solution to several challenges that can potentially disrupt the printing process. One such challenge is the warping and shifting of prints. Warping, a phenomenon where the edges of a print lift off the build plate, and shifting, where the print deviates from its original position, are often consequences of poor bed adhesion. These issues can lead to print failure. However, the application of a layer of glue on the build plate enhances adhesion, ensuring the print remains firmly in place throughout the process, thereby mitigating these issues.
So far, glue always been a good companion, but lately I started to have a problem with it. Everything started when I started to be a bit more picky about the quality of the bottom layer. Glue leave traces on the plate, which for us are tiny, but in the 0.2 mm world scale they can be huge as a flat. Moreover, glue tend to cost a lot, and finish quite quickly.
That’s when I started to research alternatives to the glue, and I came to know about the windows cleaner products. At first I was hesitant, didn’t make much sense, it is almost counter intuitive, but let me tell you. It works!
But how it works?
Window cleaners typically contain a form of alcohol such as ethanol or isopropanol, along with other grease-dissolving agents. These substances are excellent at removing dirt, grease, and other residues from surfaces, which is crucial for achieving good adhesion.
When you apply window cleaner to the print bed, it cleans the surface and leaves behind a thin layer of these substances. This layer can provide a level of adhesion similar to glue. [1]
As for PLA (Polylactic Acid), it is a thermoplastic polymer used in 3D printing[2][3]. It adheres well to surfaces that are clean and free of grease. The alcohol and other substances in the window cleaner can create a surface that PLA can adhere to effectively[1]. When the 3D printer extruder pushes out the hot PLA filament onto the bed, the temperature difference between the hot filament and the build plate is relatively small. As a result, the freshly extruded PLA plastic stays soft for a bit longer and sticks better to the heated bed
References
- Wevolver, (no date). Available at: https://www.wevolver.com/ (Accessed: 2 January 2024).
- Springer, (no date). Available at: https://link.springer.com/ (Accessed: 2 January 2024).
- MatterHackers, (no date). Available at: https://www.matterhackers.com/ (Accessed: 2 January 2024).
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