<p>Warping is caused by a heat differential within the aluminium. Not really dependent on it's thickness. If it's heated uniformly it will expand uniformly. So I assume manufacturers are suiting their aluminium plates to their heating systems.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-21T12:23:07.617Z
Ok i see. Thats good to know then. We were intending to use (9) separate heaters to heat only the area of the bed that would be used for each print assuming different print sizing's. So now im wondering if thats such a good idea?
Aqua1
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-21T22:35:10.463Z
I don't know, logically it seems a risky idea. What if you had you aluminium in 9 sections? I'm assuming you're going to put a sheet of glass or something down to actually print on.
Kilisi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-22T03:07:24.067Z
Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to answer. We are a Hackerspace and its a group project, but nobody is proficient on larger heatbeds. The idea to have aluminium in smaller sections is interesting. Im not sure where to source the borocillicate glass 1m x 1m.?The biggest i can find is 500. We are in Australia.
Aqua1
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-22T05:30:52.417Z
Sorry I have no idea, I'm in Samoa, the biggest we have here is nil by nil... hehe... I'm using a piece of louvre I cut to size. Also I have no experience with large beds. My aluminium knowledge is just general engineering knowledge. Sounds like a really interesting project. Hope it all works out.
Kilisi
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-22T13:01:25.580Z
Hi Kilisi, ah i see haha.....yes well thats a small size. I think now maybe the reason for the larger thickness (16mm) is to lessen any warpage effect from heating in different areas...ie the center only for smaller prints. We can cover the aluminium with stick on 0.2mm PEI sheets and join them carefully. We,ve managed to build the printer ok and use Duet to run it. The bed is stationary. So far so good. Thanks for the input.
Aqua1
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-22T13:01:50.267Z
Take care in Samoa.
Aqua1
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-26T19:02:06.923Z
I think you'd need a Duet and the other components for monitoring and controlling a multizone heated build plate.
user77232
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-01T13:06:13.923Z
Hi user77232, yes thank you, im using Duet. The printer works very well with it and its an excellent program. I think now that we will just use a single zone heater and heat the bed uniformally. Thanks for your input. Im still a little unsure about the bed makeup. I think we will use 12mm aluminium plate and a 2.5kW heater. I have no idea how long it will take to heat up. Will use PEI stick on sheets i guess.
Aqua1
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-01-12T13:12:06.453Z
You can print directly onto aluminium, did that for many years, I do/did use 3DLAC for adhesion.
0scar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-04-21T11:23:59.020Z
2022-04-21T11:23:59.020Z
Kilisi
<p>I'm building a larger format printer with a heated bed. The bed size will be 1080 x 1080 mm. It will be mounted on a 40 x 40 mm aluminum T-slot frame. I was thinking of using an Aluminium Precision Tooling Plate something like 5083. I'm not sure what thickness I should go for. I was thinking 10 mm but maybe I should go up to 12 mm to avoid warping at higher temps? I've seen some manufacturers go up to 16 mm but isn't that overkill perhaps? Does it seem like it's a balance between heating times and warping?</p>

<heated-bed><build-plate>
Large format heated bed
Aqua1
# Large format heated bed

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-04-21)

I'm building a larger format printer with a heated bed. The bed size will be 1080 x 1080 mm. It will be mounted on a 40 x 40 mm aluminum T-slot frame. I was thinking of using an Aluminium Precision Tooling Plate something like 5083. I'm not sure what thickness I should go for. I was thinking 10 mm but maybe I should go up to 12 mm to avoid warping at higher temps? I've seen some manufacturers go up to 16 mm but isn't that overkill perhaps? Does it seem like it's a balance between heating times and warping?

**Tags:** heated-bed, build-plate


---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2022-04-21. Score: 0

Warping is caused by a heat differential within the aluminium. Not really dependent on it's thickness. If it's heated uniformly it will expand uniformly. So I assume manufacturers are suiting their aluminium plates to their heating systems.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Ok i see. Thats good to know then. We were intending to use (9) separate heaters to heat only the area of the bed that would be used for each print assuming different print sizing's. So now im wondering if thats such a good idea?  
> **username_1**: I don't know, logically it seems a risky idea. What if you had you aluminium in 9 sections? I'm assuming you're going to put a sheet of glass or something down to actually print on.  
> **username_0**: Hi, thanks so much for taking the time to answer. We are a Hackerspace and its a group project, but nobody is proficient on larger heatbeds. The idea to have aluminium in smaller sections is interesting. Im not sure where to source the borocillicate glass 1m x 1m.?The biggest i can find is 500. We are in Australia.  
> **username_1**: Sorry I have no idea, I'm in Samoa, the biggest we have here is nil by nil... hehe... I'm using a piece of louvre I cut to size. Also I have no experience with large beds. My aluminium knowledge is just general engineering knowledge. Sounds like a really interesting project. Hope it all works out.  
> **username_0**: Hi username_1, ah i see haha.....yes well thats a small size. I think now maybe the reason for the larger thickness (16mm) is to lessen any warpage effect from heating in different areas...ie the center only for smaller prints. We can cover the aluminium with stick on 0.2mm PEI sheets and join them carefully. We,ve managed to build the printer ok and use Duet to run it. The bed is stationary. So far so good. Thanks for the input.  
> **username_0**: Take care in Samoa.  
> **username_2**: I think you'd need a Duet and the other components for monitoring and controlling a multizone heated build plate.  
> **username_0**: Hi username_2, yes thank you, im using Duet. The printer works very well with it and its an excellent program. I think now that we will just use a single zone heater and heat the bed uniformally. Thanks for your input. Im still a little unsure about the bed makeup. I think we will use 12mm aluminium plate and a 2.5kW heater. I have no idea how long it will take to heat up. Will use PEI stick on sheets i guess.  
> **username_3**: You can print directly onto aluminium, did that for many years, I do/did use 3DLAC for adhesion.  

---

