If you have ever had to apply adhesive to a dozen print beds before a production run, you will know it is far from enjoyable. Between glue sticks and small applicator pens, the whole experience can be frustrating. Additionally, as flexible and coated surfaces like PEI, PC, and satin sheets become standard, the industry needs a fresh take on adhesion — one engineered for these new textures.
Magigoo, a brand by Thought3D, a company decided to address this issue with the Magigoo Glide Kit and the Magigoo Supergrip. We previously discovered its bed adhesive solutions through this partnership with Fiberthree.
The Magigoo Glide Kit
Ideal for high-throughput print farms or anyone printing frequently on multiple machines or large-format printers, the kit is made up of a large bottle and a roller, that help to improve the user experience.
The team tested several bottle types and cap mechanisms to ensure smooth dispensing without leaks or mess. The roller also plays a crucial role. Although it may look like any other, its material and surface finish directly affect how the adhesive spreads. Not all rollers perform the same. Finding the right one was essential to achieving a smooth, even application.
While some users try to avoid using adhesives altogether, and you can sometimes get away with it, adhesives are still essential for reliable printing. They make sure that the first layer of your print is securely in place, help prevent warping, make part removal easier, and extend the lifetime of your build surface. The Glide Kit streamlines the application process. It is faster, easier, and more cost-effective than anything else out there.
A smooth application saves time and avoids the common pitfalls of uneven adhesion. The Glide Kit does not just save time, it saves money. One 250ml bottle provides over 1200 print applications (235 by 235mm), making it a significantly more economical choice compared to glue sticks or sprays.
The Magigoo Supergrip
The team at Thought3D observed that:
- Even with today’s more accurate self levelling, it still happens that on occasion the levelling is slightly off. Adhesives help keep the print in place or aid in release when this happens.
- Not all PEI coated sheets are the same. Filaments might react differently to sheets from different manufacturers. The same filament might stick too well to a plate from one manufacturer and not stick at all to another. Adhesives help even out the playing field.
- Sometimes the forces are so big that the adhesion to the print plate does not fail but the plate itself detaches from the magnets.
- At high speeds printing a multitude of small parts might be tricky without some adhesion.
The Magigoo Supergrip came to address this issue. Stress-tested on 15 different printer models and 12 build surface types, with over 1,500 hours of printing, the solution performs reliably across a wide range of materials, including PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, and TPU, the company promises.
Supergrip is especially effective on modern flexible and coated build plates, where traditional adhesives often fall short.
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