We Are Learning 3D Printing Through Our Personal Experience…
One of the most troublesome thing with most 3D printers, or at least the ones using FDM/FFF technology or essentially extruding various kinds of thermoplastic to build the desired 3D print is the fact that you need to have the filament stick to something. In order for the first layer to stick to the build plate, so that the model will not warp during printing, we employ various tricks such as putting different tapes on the build platform. But we have to replace the painters tape, or the Kapton tape or reapply whatever else we might be using from time to time as these materials wear off and with that also comes the need to level the build plate again and again. GeckoTek might have the solution for this – an alternative build plate that has a permanent coating that provides enough adhesion for the materials to stick well and then be easily removable. Without the need to reapply something on the build plate and go through the process of leveling the build plate again and again, you would still have to, but probably less often. The only thing that the GeckoTek build plate apparently does not solve is the need to still have a heated build platform for printing ABS materials or when using other 3D printer filaments that need to have a hot bed in order to stick on.
The GeckoTek 3D printer build plate started as a Kickstarter project earlier this year and it has been successfully funded. The company has stated November shipping for the project backers and they are apparently already taking pre-orders from users that did not take part in the crowdfunding effort on Kickstarter for early 2015 delivery. You have the option to pre-order a GeckoTek build plate only or the plate along with a custom magnetic base for easier removal of the build plate from your 3D printer and there are models available for a variety of popular 3D printers. Kits are available for 3D printers by Makerbot, Ultimaker, RepRap, Printbot, Solidoodle, Blue Eagle Labs, Wanhao, Flash Forge, SeeMeCNC and Robo 3D. Depending on the size of the build plate it costs around $40 USD and if yuo get the GeckoTek 3D printer combo that includes a magnetic base and build plate you would need to pay about $85 USD for it, thought hat can vary based on the specific printer model. We have pre-ordered a combo kit for our MakerBot Replicator 2 3D printer and that one was $85 USD, though you would also need to include shipping cost that can vary depending on your location. Payments for the pre-order are done now via PayPal, so you are charged immediately and not when your order is ready to ship or is shipped.
– Visit the official GeckoTek website for more information about their 3D printer build plates…