Flexible Build System Installation

 Step 1. Remove any prior plastic or glass build surfaces from your heated bed, and clean well to remove all residue, dirt or dust. 

Step 2. Your bed surface should be completely clean, smooth and flat. Check flatness by using a good quality steel ruler on edge and lay it in every direction against bed with eyes at the same level as the top of the surface and see if there are any gaps between ruler and heated bed. 

Step 3. As you will be covering your full bed surface and possibly bed leveling screws you may want to take the time to lock your screws in place using a counter nut, or Loctite threadlocker. 

Step 4. If no gaps proceed to step 5. If there are any gaps, use the WB Shims provided (removing the protective backing on the tape first) to try to flatten out the bed as best as possible. Try to keep the WB Shims well within the low points of your bed as not to build beyond the bed surface. Recheck with ruler after, and repeat until you have a perfectly flat bed. 

Step 5. Once your bed is flat and clean or once you have shimmed to perfection, it’s time to apply your WB Magnetic Base. First test fit to make sure it is a good match to your plate, it is easy to cut with a cutter knife if needed. Then peel back a 1” or 20mm strip of the paper backing from the adhesive being very careful not to attract dust or dirt to the glued surface. Keep the whole WB Magnetic Base elevated above the heated bed and only touch the far back side to line it up with the bed, then while keeping the side near you elevated begin to push down in the center rear while slowly working the WB Magnetic Base down against the heated bed. Pull the backing paper as you wipe from center outward. Continue working from back toward front and pushing from center and spreading outward till the whole sheet is down. Burnish down with a bit of pressure, you can put a sheet of paper on top and rub it hard. 

Step 6. Now it's time to mount your WB PEX Build Surface to the WB Flexi Plate, clean the WB Flexi Plate with alcohol and paper towel till there is no grease or dirt on the surface. Work in a clean area on a clean work surface. Begin by peeling just 1” or 20mm of the backing paper away from the WB PEX Build Surface on one edge. Apply this edge carefully to the rear edge of the WB Flexi Plate, working hard to get the alignment correct. Then with one hand on top of the WB PEX Build Surface in center and one hand under it holding the protective paper, slowly begin to pull the protective paper back toward you and spread pressure with top hand from center outward, move at about 1/2” at a time to ensure there are no air bubbles. Continue this process slowly and carefully until it is completely applied. If there are any air bubbles use a credit card to slowly coerce them out toward the nearest corner. 

Step 7. Remove the protective film from the top of the WB PEX Build Surface. Prepare the WB PEX Build Surface sheet surface using 000 steel wool and a bit of isopropyl alcohol (common high percentage rubbing alcohol from your pharmacy is fine). You can also use 400 grit sandpaper. Then clean the surface with fresh paper towel and alcohol. 

Step 8. You are ready to lay the WB Flexi Plate on top of the WB Magnetic Base, level, and begin printing!

Check out our YouTube playlist of maintenance videos for the Flexible Build System HERE.