Method for producing mechanical engagement between a build platform and additive manufacturing prints

A method for fabricating an article of manufacture from layers of a material extruded by an additive manufacturing machine nozzle, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. positioning a platform body having features extending outward from said body and defining protrusive areas and recessive areas of said body, where the protrusive areas overhang the recessive areas when viewed from a nozzle central axis direction, in a build area that is accessible by the nozzle;
• b. extruding one or more initial layers of material with the nozzle across the protrusive areas and recessive areas at a first traverse speed such that at least one of the one or more initial layers at least partially fills the recessive areas and is mechanically engaged by the extending features;
• c. extruding additional layers of material with the nozzle on top of the one or more initial layers at a second traverse speed such that the additional layers are thermally bonded to the one or more initial layers and the article of manufacture is engaged with the platform body;
• and
• d. disengaging the article of manufacture from the platform.