I notice from the feature list that the new k8400 is capable of PLA and ABS printing and does not have an option for a heated bed.
The heated bed will help in sticking the ABS to the platform as well as prevent warping by keeping the environment temperature
higher in the build area.
Are there any plans for a heated bed as an option, and is this already supported by the electronics?
The BuildTak sheet (black sheet on top of the glass) replaces the heated bed. It makes the PLA or ABS stick to the bed without needing a heated bed. It sticks extremely well, I think the complaints on the forum will now be, “I can’t get my object off the BuildTak”
Best Regards,
VEL337
Correct distance between Buildtak and nozzle is the key factor.
Print too close and it will damage the Buildtak, print too far from the sheet and the object will release.
Once you have found the sweet spot, it is a delight to work with…
The buildtak layer ensures that in case of ABS the object wil stick to the platform and therefore will not warp at the corners.
Is a heated bed in the plannning?
Heating the object during printing will create a more even temperature gradient and therefore prevent warping and prevent layers seperating. What is the phylosophy on this subject when designing this printer?
We did not experience any warping during ABS printing.
Anyway, the control board is equipped with an output for a heated bed and the power supply is rated at 150W.
a 150W supply seems to be insufficient for a heated bed, as a hotend typically uses a 30W. Double that for a dual hotend (60W)
The motors can draw up to 1.8A each (20W) of which there are 4 or 5 installed.
The heated bed draws between 7.5 - 10A (90-120W).
If you add this all up you will find out that a 150W supply is just powerfull enough for the dual hotend and motor/electronics, but
will have no spare capacity for e.g. a heated bed
I’ve ordered a BuildTak sheet and will test this on the K8200 with and without heating the bed.
I’ll let you know the results.
However: In the BuildTak forum the users seems very happy with this bed surface without heating the bed.
[quote=“Deskstar”]I’ve ordered a BuildTak sheet and will test this on the K8200 with and without heating the bed.
I’ll let you know the results.[/quote]
Top!
[quote=“Deskstar”]I’ve ordered a BuildTak sheet and will test this on the K8200 with and without heating the bed.
I’ll let you know the results.
However: In the BuildTak forum the users seems very happy with this bed surface without heating the bed.[/quote]
Thanks!
[quote=“Deskstar”]I’ve ordered a BuildTak sheet and will test this on the K8200 with and without heating the bed.
I’ll let you know the results.[/quote]
I have done that at home with heated bed and objects that are 195mm wide stay flat on the bed and don’t curve
[quote=“VEL337”][quote=“Deskstar”]I’ve ordered a BuildTak sheet and will test this on the K8200 with and without heating the bed.
I’ll let you know the results.[/quote]
I have done that at home with heated bed and objects that are 195mm wide stay flat on the bed and don’t curve[/quote]
Im not buying the printer as long as there is no heated bed. This might be shortsighted, but its such an easy way to print. Heated glass with kapton for abs or heated glass with hairspray for pla. No expensive sheets to buy… You already mentioned that it sticks hard to the buildtak which means it Will be damaged quite fast while trying to remove prints with a sharp object. This is a disapointment, I really hoped there would be a heated bed…
With the correct tool, it is fairly easy to remove the objects from the bed.
It is also nice that you do not have to wait for the bed to heat.
If desired, you can add a third-party heated bed.
I don’t know which electronics is used by the Vertex, but shouldn’t it be easy to add a heatbed?
I assume the must be a heatbed support on the board already.
Just get a heatbed and make one yourself.
It’s not that hard. 
Yes, the board is equipped with a heated bed output.
I’m not convinced it’s a easy sollution. You will have to replace the buildtak quite often if I read the reviews on the internet. And allot of users still use buildtak in combination with a heated bed. So I’m a bit confused why the k8200 was equiped with a heated bed from the start, and now a heated bed has become a standard on most printers. And then velleman walks away from the whole heated bed idea? I get the price aspect of this decision, but I would still give the user the choice to buy a heated bed as an extra.
Besides this, the vertex looks like a promising printer. For me the lack of a heated bed is a dealbreaker and won’t be buying it untill someone found a good working heatbed that easily can be fitted on the vertex with a nice tutorial on how to do it 
Maybe allot of beginners will look over this issue since they are new to the market. But expierenced users are probably going to skip this printer because of this (or buy it and fit a heated bed once a good one is found for the vertex)
I think the really experienced users would simply make it work instead of complaining.
Or build a printer themselves that fits their personal needs.
What is the big deal to by one of the wide available heatbed pcbs and fit it to the printer yourself?
That way you can have it exactly as you like.
The power you want, the mounting you want …
p.s. i bought the K8200 myself deliberatly, but knowing is’s not the most highend one.
I did this to learn about the Technology while using and improving it.
Just putting my opinion out there I know that the buildtak is not the wonder sollution velleman is claiming. That’s all what I’m saying. For reliable printing you will still need a heated bed. Especially when you print allot like me… I’m a good builder, but I don’t know allot about electronics etc (I’m a chemical engineer), so for me it’s a bigger challenge to gather the correct parts, choose the right power supply etc without burning things up. That’s why this is a bigger issue for me than for other more electronic-experienced people. I also put a mosfet with an external power supply on my k8200, but only because someone did it and explained it on the internet, so I was sure I was buying/installing the right parts.
So if I want to buy this printer (I’m looking at other options too), I will wait to see how other people solve this (which beds they installed and what modifications are needed to make it work).
The board has all we need to adapt a heat bed.
And a heat bed is a cheap part: http://www.banggood.com/MK2B-Heat-Bed-PCB-Heatbed-For-3D-Printer-RepRap-Mendel-p-937404.html
I can understand why there is no more heat bed in the K8400. If you read the K8200 forum, you’ll see many printing problems and issues with the print bead: not flat, object stick not, difficulties to print ABS, long time to heat… But, Velleman, it would beau a great option, if you could propose the heat bed as an option (not to expensive…), as the second extruder!
Indeed, that was what I was aiming at. You don’t have to release it with a heated bed, but a option to buy it would be nice… As well for the second extruder, but that one will be comng soon I assume, since it is promoted as a dual extruder machine (optional)
KLuck13, i didn’t mean to offend you.
It’s my opinion, that i would make the heatbed myself, as the bord already supports it, like most of the do.
[quote=“Edurobot”]The board has all we need to adapt a heat bed.
And a heat bed is a cheap part: http://www.banggood.com/MK2B-Heat-Bed-PCB-Heatbed-For-3D-Printer-RepRap-Mendel-p-937404.html
I can understand why there is no more heat bed in the K8400. If you read the K8200 forum, you’ll see many printing problems and issues with the print bead: not flat, object stick not, difficulties to print ABS, long time to heat… But, Velleman, it would beau a great option, if you could propose the heat bed as an option (not to expensive…), as the second extruder![/quote]
The main reason for the reported problems with the k8200 heatbed are
warping and too less power.
Warping is fixed by using a glass plateon the heatbed easily. (althogh there are better hetbeds available (Reprap MKII etc.)
Power problem can be fixed by using a 24v supply directly to the board or (as i did on my k8200)
connected only to the heazbed pcb via a simple realy as driver.
Parts for that will be max 5€ i think, aside from the heatbed and the power supply.
There is a good chance that there will be parts for a heatbed upgrade to the K8400 on thingiverse soon.
