Products
Acetate
Alcohol
Ketone
Product Description
Isopropyl Alcohol and Acetone are effective in cleaning the 3D printer building board, built in parts and printed objects. Isopropyl alcohol and acetone are powerful cleaning agent, which dissolves the residue deposits on 3D printers. They are easy to use and leave no traces or residues behind. Isopropyl alcohol cleans 3d printer perfectly and also have rapid evaporation rate & they dry quickly. Using IPA or Acetone to clean 3D printers not only helps to get rid of the residue deposits from the printer, they also help to ensure high quality results and also prolong the life span of the printer.
The 3D printer bed is one of the many important components to be taken care of for smooth and perfect end results. Before we get into cleaning it lets check the different type of beds. As far as 3D printer beds are concerned there are different kinds,of which, the most popular ones are
- Glass
- PEI (Polyetherimide)
- Adhesive Tape
The glass bed is very popular as the distribution of heat is even and maintenance is much easier. The effective chemical is IPA for cleaning resin prints.All you have to do to maintain the surface without resin prints is damp a cloth with IPA and clean the bed before each print.
PEI (Polyetherimide) is used for its chemical stability & heat resistance. The cost of PEI sheets is much less and can be attached to built plate which also do a favour by lasting long. Use acetone for removing 3D print gunk once a month or more frequently depending upon the usage to keep it clean. Another handy cleaner is isopropyl alcohol for 3d printing, this can be used alternatively. Also clean hard resin spills on 3D printer using isopropyl alcohol in higher concentration like 90% or more.
Adhesive Tapes are used for beds which do not have heated bed, though there are second thoughts about the appearance of the tape; it works well. Use IPA or acetone to clean the 3D printer bed underneath as glue residue builds up hindering perfection.
There is also this constant doubt if cleaning with acetone for 3D prints PLA works? but actually it works well for ABS. Using acetone leaves a rubbery finish which is not desirable.
FAQ
Its best to use 70%-99% isopropyl alcohol to clean 3d printer. Have some discretion in deciding depending on the material used to print.
Yes, used isopropyl alcohol from 3D printing can be reused. Just make sure to follow the best filtering process. Repeated reuse can also bring down the efficiency of IPA, so make sure you reuse with discretion.
Yes, you can. Acetone is used to clean 3D printer bed. Acetone has the ability to dissolve the left-over resin deposits or plastic on the 3D printer bed. You can clean the 3d printer bed by dampening a soft cloth with acetone and then wipe the surface to get rid of deposits.
Acetone can degrade PLA, however using acetone on PLA prints makes it rubbery or sticky rather than fully dissolving it. This ruins the strength and surface finish of the prints. So acetone is not very effective in smoothening pla 3d prints.
When it comes to 3d printing, acetone is used to clean residue deposits from the printers. Also acetone is used for smoothening 3D prints. Acetone vapor baths are used in cleaning the printing smudges on ABS-printed 3D objects.
Isopropyl alcohol or IPA with the chemical formula C3H8O is effective in cleaning 3D printers without damaging the printer. Isopropyl Alcohol can clean the remains of liquid resin deposited on the surface of the piece made in a resin 3D printer. Thus, IPA is preferred by many for cleaning resin prints.
