In August 2014, we covered the launch of the Fleks3D Build Plate, which provided a simple solution to one of the most frustratingly common problems in 3D printing. The plates, which were funded via a Kickstarter campaign, promised to eliminate the difficulties of getting the first layer of a print to stick to the build platform and of removing the print without damage upon completion. According to Fleks3D, the plates have attracted over 500 users in the year since they were introduced.
When an entirely new product is invented, the year following its release tends to be an extended testing period, with customers evaluating how well the product works outside the testing lab and in the real world.
So far, the Fleks3D Build Plate has passed with flying colors. It has shown itself to work with a wide range of filaments, including ABS, PLA, Ninja Flex and Nylon, just to name a few, and it can be used with or without a heating plate up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. It has also stood up to 18 months’ worth of flexing, heating, and other 3D printer-related abuse without significant damage. Now founders Victor Jondal and Peter T. Regonetti have returned with a new Kickstarter intended to expand the Build Plate product line.
The initial Build Plate came in three standard sizes: small (6″x 6″), medium (8″ x 8″), and large (10″x 10″). Two additional sizes were offered specifically for MakerBot Replicator 2 and Replicator 5th Generation printers. With the new campaign, Fleks3D is offering a host of new sizes, including customized plates for Delta WASP and Flashforge printers. Customized plates for Ultimaker and Cobblebot printers were also introduced since the first campaign ended.
Fleks3D is also introducing the Fleks3D “Simple” option, which, as you may gather from its name, is a simplified version of the plates that comes without a frame and attaches to the printer bed with clips. A single Simple plate can be purchased for $15, unlike the other plates which are all sold in quantities of two.
The current Kickstarter campaign aims to raise $9,999 by December 11th. Considering that the campaign is already well over halfway to its goal in its first full day, it seems highly probable that it will be a success. Rewards for backers include a variety of the new plates for $5-$10 less than their expected retail prices. The company also notes that if you have a printer that does not work with any of the currently offered sizes, feel free to contact them and they will see about adding it to their inventory.
The first reward shipments are estimated to be delivered in February 2016, shipping to anywhere in the world. So far, the company says, they have shipped their products to all 50 states and 37 countries, proving that a solution to build platform issues is universally desired by makers everywhere. Will you be contributing to this new Kickstarter campaign? Let us know in the Fleks3D forum thread on 3DPB.com.
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