Lower BuildTak adhesion

Question

I'm having a similar issue to this one: I have retrofitted my printer with a BuildTak sticker. I'm printing PLA at 60°C bed temperature - currently using a 0.3 mm nozzle, but I had similar issues with the 0.4mm nozzle before.

If I bring the nozzle close enough to the print surface to get a reasonable first layer, I need excessive force to remove the parts afterwards - so much force that I already have damaged the BuildTak in one or two places. If I lower the bed (the physical bed using the screws, not the temperature!) so that the parts come off easier, the first layer is very uneven and it takes 5-6 layers until the layers start to stack onto one another the way they are supposed to. What can I do to influence the adhesion of the printed parts to the BuildTak surface - especially to lower it in a controlled manner without changing the nozzle height?

Answer 1

Try printing with the heated printbed off. Heat makes the pla stick more to buildtak

Answer 2

When I was using BuildTac on a Monoprice Select Mini, I had to print with a hot bed (50 C or so) and then wait until it was cooled before attempting to remove the parts.

I used a set of very thin removal tools and a lot of patience to remove my parts. I would be careful to push only parallel to the BuildTac with one of the sharper tools. Once I was under the part, I could usually slide the tool under the part like a knife to separate the part from the BuildTac.

I was only using BuildTac on that machine because I damaged it's original yellow surface when I removed my first Benchy from that machine. Since then the BuildTac has lasted for months.

Answer 3

These are more like backups for when the part gets stuck, but you could try spraying that part where it meets the bed with liquid computer duster. The shrinkage from cooling usually helps to release the part from the bed. You could also try heating the bed very hot to save the bed at the expense of the part.