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Don't print PETG on smooth PEI

Don't print PETG on shiny smooth PEI for a premium bottom. It finishes. It will not come off. You flex. You pry. The PEI sheet peels up with the part. You glued plastic to your plate. Everyday PETG belongs on textured PEI. If smooth is all you've got, glue stick first as a release layer.

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How to print PETG without tearing the PEI sheet

  1. 1 A shiny bottom is how you glue PETG to the plate

    PETG finishes on shiny smooth PEI and will not come off. You flex. You pry. The PEI sheet peels up with the part. Congrats. The plate is the casualty.

  2. 2 PETG sticks harder than PLA

    That is the point of PETG for useful parts. It is also why Smooth PEI is the wrong everyday plate. PLA might pop off. PETG can take the coating with it.

  3. 3 Prusa says skip Smooth PEI for PETG

    Do not print PETG on the smooth PEI sheet. Adhesion can be too strong. Printing there might damage the sheet. They want textured or satin instead.

  4. 4 On Smooth PEI, only PLA skips glue

    Bambu is blunt. Other filaments need glue or you can tear the sheet. PETG is one of those other filaments. Do not treat Smooth like the stock textured plate.

  5. 5 Everyday PETG belongs on textured PEI

    That plate lets go when it cools. Flex the sheet. Keep the coating. The bottom is textured, not glossy. The plate survives the next print.

  6. 6 If Smooth is all you have, glue stick first

    Use the glue as a release layer, not extra stick. Ugly bottom. Intact plate. Don't skip the glue just this once. The shiny bottom is not worth a torn sheet.

FAQ

Can I print PETG on Smooth PEI at all?

Only if you put glue stick down first as a release layer. Ugly bottom. Intact plate. The everyday PETG plate is textured PEI, which lets go when it cools.

Why does PETG tear Smooth PEI when PLA does not?

PETG sticks harder than PLA. Prusa says adhesion on the smooth sheet can be too strong and can damage it. PLA is the filament Bambu lets skip glue on Smooth PEI. PETG is not.

Is satin PEI OK for PETG?

Prusa wants textured or satin instead of smooth. Textured is the set-and-forget everyday plate. Satin is the other Prusa option. Smooth is the one that peels.

Is this the same as picking the wrong plate in the slicer?

No. Wrong plate in Studio is the wrong heat and adhesion recipe. This clip is the physical weld: PETG on Smooth PEI can peel the sheet off the bed even when the slicer plate name is right.

Full transcript

PETG finishes on shiny smooth PEI and will not come off. You flex. You pry. The PEI sheet peels up with the part. You glued plastic to your plate for a shiny bottom. Congrats. The plate is the casualty. PETG sticks harder than PLA. Prusa says do not print it on the smooth PEI sheet. Adhesion can be too strong. Printing there might damage the sheet. They want textured or satin instead. Bambu: on Smooth PEI, only PLA skips glue. Other filaments need glue or you can tear the sheet. Here's the fix. Everyday PETG belongs on textured PEI. That plate lets go when it cools. If smooth is all you've got, glue stick first as a release layer. Ugly bottom. Intact plate. Don't skip the glue just this once. The shiny bottom is not worth a torn sheet. Use Obloid's Parametric model generator to build a CAD-style part at your size. Do check out the tool.

Sources

Your outdoor print will die from the heat Don't use PLA for useful prints Wrong build plate selected = instant fail Stop using a metal scraper on your PEI plate Why your prints won't stick (it's your dirty bed) Wet filament is ruining your prints (and you can't see it)