Over time the Kapton tape can start to develop bubbles or get worn out and will need to be replaced. The Kapton should also be replaced if something crashes into the bed.
- Remove the old Kapton tape by peeling it off from the print bed.
- Wash the bare print bed with isopropyl alcohol to remove and left over adhesive and dust from the surface.
- Remove the plastic protecting the adhesive side so that about 10 mm of the adhesive side is exposed and align it to the edge of the print surface (as seen in green).
- Slowly remove the plastic from the adhesive as the Kapton is laid flat against the bed. Move slowly and apply pressure to ensure that no air bubbles remain underneath the bed.
- If a bubble does happen to appear, slowly life the Kapton tape back up over the bubble and reapply while smoothing out the area where the bubble appeared.
- Once fully applied, it helps to take fine grit sandpaper to the surface of the bed and gently moving in circular motions. This improves adhesion significantly.
- Clean with acetone and place bed back on to the printer.
If the bed was damaged by the nozzle printing into the bed, it is advisable to double check the z offset for the tool. (See 3.2 Setting Tool Length Offsets)