This article applies to any of the Ultimaker models with a heated bed (Ultimaker Original+, Original with heated bed kit, Ultimaker 2, Ultimaker 2 Extended, Ultimaker 2+, Ultimaker 2+ Extended). If your printer does not have a heated bed (Ultimaker Original, Ultimaker 2Go), we recommend using Painter's Tape or Build Tak for good bed adhesion.
For PLA, the heat of the bed is usually sufficient to keep your print in place (it’s why the side fans don’t turn on during the initial layer). However, glue may be helpful for long, thin prints that don’t have very much surface area to stick them to the bed, or prints with lots of disconnected parts on the first layer. Depending on the geometry of your print, the material you are using, or the environment you're printing in, you may find yourself needing or wanting to add something to the bed to help the print adhere better.
If this is your first print, and you're having trouble with bed adhesion, I recommend trying out alternate leveling method, rather than glue.
Using Glue
If you choose to use glue, here are some helpful tips:
- Use only a very little—one or two swipes with the glue stick across the bed should do it, then take a wet paper towel and wipe it down. This should leave a thin, practically invisible film on the bed. If you have clumps, your print will not go down correctly.
- Cleaning glue off the bed—water and a paper towel will clean glue off of the bed between prints.
- Dried glue that comes off the glass bed can get inside important parts of your printer and cause problems. While canned air is generally good for cleaning printers, if you have dried on bits of glue inside your frame and spray in with canned air, the glue can get caught in the Z-screw, extruder, pulleys, or timing belts and have a negative impact on your printing.
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