Printer Calibration; What Does The Calibration Do; Physically Leveling The Build Plate. (Semi-Automatic); Calibrating The Z-Probe Height Offset. (Semi-Automatic) - Felix printers Tec 4 User Manual

Printer calibration

7 Printer calibration
For 3d printing, the first layer is the most important layer. It is the basis of a print job (which can take more than 70
hours in some cases). An improperly printed first layer is mostly the cause of a failed print. With the semi-automatic
calibration features properly executed, the chance of failure will be minimized.
The calibration mechanism is dependent upon the inductive sensor. Located in front of the print-heads.

What does the calibration do?

For the FELIX Tec 4 to properly operate, the calibrations described in this chapter need to be performed when
commissioning the machine.
7.1.1

Physically leveling the build plate. (semi-automatic)

To ensure the distance between the bed and the nozzles is the same over the whole build plate. The bed needs to be
adjusted with the two thumbscrews. Please run the calibration routine via the display interface according to the quick
start manual.
When to do this calibration?
When changing to a new bed plate.
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When you see that the lines on the first layer, significantly differ in thickness from one side to the other side of
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the build plate.
After transporting the printer.
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When the auto bed leveling routine is started. The following steps are performed.
1. The bed will heat up to 55 ˚C.
2. The probe sensor will probe 3 positions, to determine how level the bed is. Depending on how level the bed is,
the screen will display how much you need to turn the 2 leveling wheels.
3. When level-ness is within a certain tolerance, the calibration routine goes to the next step.
4. The hot-ends heat up to 120 ˚C, and the probe sensor will probe the bed in a grid of 5x5 measurement
points. This will determine the curvature of the surface and is required to ensure good first layer adhesion, the
printer will compensate for bed curvature deviations for the first 3mm. The compensation gradually goes to 0
when the z-height is at 3mm.
7.1.2

Calibrating the z-probe height offset. (semi-automatic)

After doing the bed calibration it is important to do the z-probe height calibration. This will determine the distance
between the nozzle and the bed surface for the first layer. Use the supplied calibration card with the printer. (the
thickness is 0.4mm)
If the height calibration is not done correctly, the printed object will be either squashed and might potentially clog the
nozzle or the distance is too far away and the object will not stick to the bed surface.
FELIX Tec 4
User Manual
18 December 2017
www.FELIXprinters.com
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