Sunday, December 10, 2017

Desktop FDM 3D printer bed leveling

In this post I propose a simple and smart method to level the bed or build plate of most desktop FDM 3D printers (like CReality CR-10S 3D printer). It comes as an alternative to the traditional A4 paper tightness method.

The method simply uses a digital multi-meter (a cheap one can work fine) and aluminum tape of known thickness. First of all, the build plate is cleaned and four pieces of aluminum tape will be placed at the corners of the build plate with no wrinkles or trapped air beneath. Then, the digital multi-meter will be set on electric continuity tester (buzzer) which will beep when the resistance is lower than certain small value. One probe -let's say the red one- of this multi-meter will be connected to the hot end heater block (which is electrically conductive) and the probe can be placed in the hole of the NTC sensor to be clamped using the set screw.  After that, the user will configure the printer to enter the step-by-step bed leveling mode and the extruder moves to the first point. At this instant, the other probe -the black one- will be connected to the piece of aluminum tape at the corner at which adjustment is being done. Bed level adjustment screw will be tuned until the buzzer sound is heard and so this point is calibrated. The same process will be done for the rest of points and the whole build plate is leveled.

If the entire area of the build plate will not be used in the future prints, you can leave aluminum tape pieces in their places for future bed leveling.



 

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