For 3D printing, how often does the SM2 bed need to be leveled?
As I understand it, the leveling function creates a 3D map of the bed height and uses that info to adjust the Z-axis as it prints so that the print is level even if the bed isn’t.
I presume the SM2 applies this correction on the device itself, not through Luban. Is that correct?
Is the map saved on the SM2 such that when I turn the machine off and then on again, it uses the saved map? Or do I need to re-level every time I turn it off and then on? Every print? If I remove the magnetic print bed and replace it, do I need re-level then?
It’s saved.
Only need to calibrate when changing tool heads/beds. And even then you probably don’t have to. But just in case the toolhead is mounted slightly different or I’ve torqued the screws differently I do every change. Always with the bed preheated.
-S
Might be a contrarian opinion here, but I do the level calibration at the start of every single print. I mean I might abort and re-start one without if I have a really dumb oops (wrong file load, realize it really looks dirty and needs an alcohol wipe) and didn’t touch the bed otherwise, but basically I treat it as a one time only.
The print bed is a removable spring flex thingy. I remove it and spring flex it to help pop off my prints. I may flip it top to bottom as well, to reduce the need to wipe it down. I’m not sure I’m getting it back in the same position every time, or that it’s not keeping a tiny bit of memory of having been flexed. Or I might not clean the (now bottom) side perfectly and create an obstruction for it to suck down perfectly.
I’m tuning the position down to the nearest 0.05mm during that final adjustment step. That’s eensy. Do I trust that removing and replacing it is accurate to that level??
It doesn’t cost me much time to do, and it makes me feel better. Is it totally unnecessary? Perhaps. I may never know.
I don’t ever flip the sheet. If I did I would recalibrate.
I usually use glue stick and most prints I don’t even have to remove the bed.
When I don’t I’d rather be obsessive about wiping it down every time.
For me recalibrating every time adds one more variable. Once it’s locked in and printing well, why add another point where something can be messed up?
I always do a two layer skirt so I can see what it’s doing as far as offset and I can pretty much tell if the first layer is going to be good even before it starts the actual first layer.
If you actually needed to calibrate every time, then it would have the calibration routine as the start of every print.
-S
My old Solidoodle has a laser cut plywood support base for the actual print bed. With humidity changes that thing moves all over the place. I had to readjust level (no autolevel correction in it, three spring-compression adjustment screws that supported the actual build plate with my glass topper) for every single print just becasue of the weather. I guess it just sort of stuck with me.
Hello all. How do you manage to save your settings ? I calibrate the bed before every print. The setting is save if I don’t power off the machine. Once this is done, I’ll have to recalibrate every time I switch on the machine. Any advice ? Thanks.
OK, you mean what you have wrote in the post before.
May you connect to your machine with usb (serial) and Luban. Enter M503 and copy and paste the results elsewhere.
After restart of the machine do the same without calibration and have a look at the leveling data, or post it here.
What firmware do you run, I would suggest to update to 1.9 or 1.10.1 with usb stick.
Its a bit curious, never read in the forum about a lost calibration.
Thanks for your answer Chris (I’m already running the 1.10.1 version of the firmware). What line should I look to (I’m new to 3D printing). Here are the results =
Maybe I do something wrong. I just want to store the correct settings into my machine to avoid playing with auto levelling at every restart. Thanks a lot for your help.
It’s really an interesting machine, apart from the noise.
This forum may use some kind of magic. After posting my settings this morning. I’ve run 3 print without auto-levelling and it work like a charm. I’ll keep reading your advices. Thanks.
I wanted to look about your calibration grid points (Was guessing they where maybe deleted, or so?.)
They are there and there is not much movement from calibration to calibration.
They are
others < G29 W I0 J0 Z5.37750
others < G29 W I1 J0 Z5.06625
others < G29 W I2 J0 Z4.78000
others < G29 W I0 J1 Z5.11625
others < G29 W I1 J1 Z4.48250
others < G29 W I2 J1 Z4.65125
others < G29 W I0 J2 Z5.49625
others < G29 W I1 J2 Z5.22250
others < G29 W I2 J2 Z5.01750
Then
others < G29 W I0 J0 Z5.32375
others < G29 W I1 J0 Z4.99500
others < G29 W I2 J0 Z4.75000
others < G29 W I0 J1 Z5.08375
others < G29 W I1 J1 Z4.58750
others < G29 W I2 J1 Z4.66625
others < G29 W I0 J2 Z5.40875
others < G29 W I1 J2 Z5.16750
others < G29 W I2 J2 Z4.95625
After restart
others < G29 W I0 J0 Z5.32375
others < G29 W I1 J0 Z4.99500
others < G29 W I2 J0 Z4.75000
others < G29 W I0 J1 Z5.08375
others < G29 W I1 J1 Z4.58750
others < G29 W I2 J1 Z4.66625
others < G29 W I0 J2 Z5.40875
others < G29 W I1 J2 Z5.16750
others < G29 W I2 J2 Z4.95625
I don’t know your machine size now, if you have a A250 or A350, set the gridsize on the touchscreen in the settings to a bigger size than 3.
Hey Chris. I’m the lucky owner of the A250. I’ll set the grid size as advised. By the way, I lost 3 print of the same model at the same layer. Could it be linked to a bad stl file ? I’ll attached it if needed. Thanks for all.
