December 13, 2024
Description
This started off as a simple idea to reinforce the adhesive holding the cork insulation on the underside of my Ender 3v2 bed and blossomed into it's own beast.
The DC heated beds on Enders (and numerous clones of) are woefully inefficient compared to an AC bed. Insulation can make a significant difference to the running costs of the machine, especially if you live somewhere where electricity is expensive.
My testing showed a >20% drop in kW⋅h on a PLA (60°C bed). Hotter bed materials extend the advantage even more. PC at 105°C bed was ~30% less power consumed.
It needs to be printed out of materials that are both heat resistant and cold creep resistant (ABS, ASA, PET, PPA, PPS).
Carbon fibre infused filament helps to make the plates lighter and more rigid.
Underside sockets are sized for Amazon sourced silicone mounts. I strongly recommend you use a M4 nut and penny washer to secure the insulation to the bed screws.
This part has very close tolerances to the metal bed & screw holes. You will have to have your machine and filament shrinkage very well calibrated or it won't fit.
Also note that the CAD models are solid - all the trickery for light weight and strength is in the slicer settings per part.
License:
Standard Digital File License