Introduction

Maintaining a clean build platform is essential for print success. Contamination or damage to the build platform can result in:

Here are some of the ways a dirty build plate can affect your success rate and how to prevent them:

Thin layers of cured resin on the build plate surface can lead to improper homing. You may need to use a scraper, wood chisel, or razor blade to scrape off thin layers. To best avoid this, make sure your build plate is free of any excess wet resin before putting it in a curing station or leaving it out in a UV exposed area. Confirm also there are no burrs on the build plate, and if found, the should be scraped or filed flush.
Small chunks of cured resin (likely broke off when removing the part or support in the previous print) can get stuck in between the slots of the build plate. If they are not removed, the can dislodge and get between the workpiece and the membrane. This can result in delamination (increased layer gap due to LCD deflection), or membrane damage. Contamination is certain to occur with high resolution materials (xPRO410, KeyModel Ultra, xMODEL2505) if the build plate is not fully cleaned between builds. If you suspect contamination, remove and filter the resin before the next print. Slivers of material stick to the walls of the slots and are not visible during inspection. After dislodging cured resin with a thin tool, use a brush and compressed air blast to ensure the slots are clean.
Resin can cure on the mating surface of the build plate with the z-axis arms. If a thin layer cures there, it will likely lead to build plate misalignment.