Since their invention, 3D printers have proven to be much more efficient in printing many objects than conventional manufacturing techniques. However, for optimal performance when printing your 3D parts, calibration is essential. This procedure seems tedious and time-consuming to many 3D printer owners. However, it is much simpler than it seems if you know the right tips to do it. Cults3D presents the different steps to follow for a successful calibration of your printer.
To give yourself the best chance of success when calibrating your 3D printer, it is necessary to take certain precautions beforehand. Printer calibration is indeed an operation that requires rigor, but not only. You must also make sure that your 3D printer is perfectly clean.
To calibrate your 3D printer easily, it is important to take the time necessary to clean the printer plate and the nozzles present. Calibration can be distorted when filament residue or print marks are present on your platen or nozzle. Cleaning the 3D printer's nozzle has the effect of limiting the effects of under-extrusion and the often recurring problems when changing materials.
Also, to ensure that the calibration of your 3D printer goes smoothly, to check that the retaining screws are properly tightened. In fact, on some 3D printer models, the screws can become loose. Hence the importance of taking a few minutes to ensure that there is no play between the various parts of your 3D printer. When you do this, you are putting all the chances on your side that your future prints will go well. When this is the case, don't hesitate to visit our site. You'll find the best STL files to print to get started with your 3D printer with complete peace of mind.
Calibrating the 3D printer plate is the first step in this maintenance procedure. Like the steps that follow, it must be carried out properly to ensure excellent printing quality for your 3D printer. The calibration of the plate guarantees the success of the first print layer. To ensure this, the platen must be perfectly levelled. In other words, the printer platen must be flat in relation to the nozzle movements. Adjusting the distance between your platen and your nozzle is also important.
The calibration of the platen that s the 3D printer can be manual or automatic. This procedure differs slightly depending on the printer model. The manual calibration of the printer is carried out using 4 screws placed at the four corners of the plate of your machine. The objective is to find the optimal height ratio between these four screws to level the 3D printer plate. To do this, be sure to repeat the following steps at least once in the center and in the four corners of the 3D printer tray.
First, place a piece of paper between the nozzle and the printer platen. Then move the tray up or down, making sure that the paper does not get stuck under the nozzle. As soon as the paper can move by rubbing lightly against the nozzle, you can to the next checkpoint. Some 3D printers, such as the Raise3D E2, have automatic tray leveling systems.
The printing temperature of the 3D printer is essential for the manufacture of your parts. However, it is relatively complex depending on the material you want to print. And for good reason, the printing temperature of standard PLA filament varies between brands of 3D printers. The temperature range to be respected for printing is usually indicated by each manufacturer on its filament spools. The temperature of the 3D printer's platen is also an important parameter to consider. It helps to eliminate the risk of repetitive peeling on certain technical materials such as ABS filament.
The 3D printer's extruder is the part that spits out the hot filament. It can be subject to two main problems. Over-extrusion when the filament is in use and under-extrusion when it is not used much. The thickness of the filament that es through the nozzle of 3D printers must also be taken into consideration. However, it is relatively easy to correct if it is not good. In order to know if your 3D printer is under-extruding or over-extruding, you will need a ruler, a tape measure or a set of comes. Then start by making two marks 100mm apart on the filament, then align the bottom mark with the top of the extruder. Then set the extrusion length value to 100 in the 3D printer software and run the extrusion command.
Calibrating 3D printers also requires ing the accuracy of their measurements. To do this, you can use a piece of tape to mark the two 100 mm apart areas on the printer's base plate. On one of them, position the nozzle and have the printer move 100 mm in the right direction. Then check to see if your device is exactly on the ribbon.
Measurements are rarely right on the first attempt. Even a difference of a tenth of a millimeter is likely to have a big impact on the quality of your subsequent prints. 3D printers are precision machines and it is essential to calibrate their motors to ensure accurate measurements. For the X and Y axes, adjust the M92 values until you note displacements of exactly 100 mm.
For the Z motor calibration of the 3D printers, the use of a ruler is required. Place the ruler vertically on the print bed and move the Z axis by 100 mm. Then, as with the X and Y motors, change the M92 values so that the movement is always 100 mm.
After these different steps, the calibration of your 3D printer is complete. However, to be sure, we recommend that you perform a print test. For example, you can test the first layers with the 3D printer. The first layer is the most important layer of your 3D print. Unsurprisingly, problems with this layer tend to create complications for the rest of your 3D printing.
Ultimately, calibration of your 3D printer is necessary to ensure excellent print quality. The procedures differ slightly from one printer model to another. This procedure may therefore vary slightly. Do not hesitate to consult the manual of your 3D printer.
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