Hardware
Heated bed
Also known as: cama caliente · heated bed · heatbed · base caliente · plataforma calefactada
Short definition
The heated bed is the heated surface you print on; keeping the first layer above a certain temperature stops the part from contracting and lifting.
Full definition
When freshly deposited plastic cools it shrinks; if the bottom cools much faster than the rest, the part curls upwards at the edges. A heated bed reduces that temperature difference. Each material asks for its own: around 40–60 °C for PLA, 70–90 °C for PETG, 80–110 °C for ABS and 100–115 °C for ASA. Materials such as ABS or polycarbonate are not viable without one. The bed is also a burn hazard: at 110 °C it burns on contact instantly.
Related terms
- WarpingWarping is the deformation where the part's corners lift off the bed because the material contracts unevenly as it cools.
- First layerThe first layer is the one deposited directly onto the bed and it determines whether the part stays put for the whole print.
- Automatic bed levellingAutomatic bed levelling is the process where the printer probes several points on the bed and compensates for height differences in software during the first layer.
Hardware
Updated