Introduction: Warp-free 3D Printing With Adhesive Mesh
An issue common with 3D printing on many desktop 3D printers is warping along the bottom edges and corners of the print. I've seen many good ideas listed on the internet for mitigating this problem including tapes, glue, special or heated build plates, and even suggestions for editing your model to reduce warping.
An alternative that I've been experimenting with is to use fiber mesh tape (used mostly in drywall applications) to hold down the first layer. I now do this for every print and have not had a single warping issue.
Step 1: Instructions and Results
Instructions:
- Allow your 3D printer to complete the first layer of the print on the print bed.
- Pause your print job and apply fiberglass mesh drywall tape (found in most home improvement stores) directly over the first layer of your print as well as the remaining area of the print bed.
- resume your print job.
Results:
I'm using PLA with a non heated build plate.
I've found that, upon resuming the print job, the nozzle is not impacted by the thin layer of mesh tape and the extruded plastic is embeded in the space between the mesh fibers maintaining adheasion between layer 1 and layer 2 of the print job.
Post Printing:
some filaments are still transparent through the first layer so someone looking at the bottom of the print will notice the fiber tape. you will also need to trim off the edges of the fibers poking out of the print but this is an acceptable task for me knowing that my large prints will not warp! I would be interested to know the results from others using ABS or other types of build plates.