What is the average recommended time to remove prints from build plate?

Do you guys remove them right away? What’s the longest you can leave a print on a build plate without having to remove it?

I was printing late last night and it finished up this morning. The bottom support, I believe you guys call them the rafts, were really stuck to my build plate. I wasn’t too sure if this was due to the fact that I waited maybe 3 hours to remove the print from the build plate.

I tend to do it as soon as the built plate comes out of the Form Wash and drains. Parts seem to come off easy then.

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It seems to be a bit different for everyone, I guess it also depends on the method of removal (tool used and force/angle applied).

For some parts, we remove them from the BP before washing, if possible as soon as they come out of the printer because then the parts and platform are still warm and I believe it makes it easier for some kinds of parts/resins combination. For us that’s mostly for parts printer directly on the BP (no raft), be it parts with small or large surface area in contact with the BP.

For small parts printed on rafts, we do as @Walter_Gillespie suggested and take them off after they got out of the Wash. I believe (not properly tested) that it doesn’t really matter whether you washed the parts or not, I believe the fact that the parts and BP are still “hot” (30-35°C) as opposed to the 20-21 after a long wait or after washing is what makes the most difference.

We have removed parts on Monday mornings that finished printing during the night from Friday to Saturday without issues though.

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Thanks for the feedback @Walter_Gillespie and @JohnHue

I think you guys have convinced me to get a Form wash :smile: .

It can depend on the resin and the temperature and the print and the raft and the state of the build platform and the tools and techniques you use, but I’ve had success with wait times ranging from “immediate” all the way to “a week later after I get back from a trip”.