Auto Leveling

Owned by Imagine That
Last updated: Jun 22, 2021
3 min read

Before you can Auto level your printers z-offset needs to be cailbrated and you also need to have the correct firmware for auto leveling installed on your printer. When it does a home all the Z should rise up then the X and Y should move into normal limit switches after such the extruder will move to the middle of the bed and preform a “safe homing” at the center of the bed it will rise then lower touching the bed with the probe or near the bed depending on the type of leveling system you have, in any case the nozzle should not crash into the bed.

Once the Firmware is operating correctly you can now level the probe this has to be done every time you change the nozzle and may need to be adjusted over time as your nozzle wears down to preform optimally.

The Z-offset is generally under settings but depending on the firmware you are using it may be called something different.

The following is an Advanced Guide to leveling your printer by using a computer with a command sent directly to your printer to force it’s behavior. To use this you will need a program such as Repetier Host connected to your computer via USB on your printer with the correct printer drivers installed these are typically found on your SD card you received with your printer.

  1. Home your 3D printer

  2. Reset Z0-Offset

    M851 Z0 

  3. Store setting to EEPROM

    M500

  4. Set active parameters

    M501

  5. Display Active Parameters

  6. Home your nozzle and show your Z-Axis

  7. Move the nozzle to true 0 offset

  8. Switch off soft end stops

  9. Get a piece of letter/A4 paper and place it under your nozzle
    Lower your nozzle towards bed slowly until the paper can barely move

  10. Take note of the Z on the printer display (take that number and add the measurement of the calibration sheet or device used)

  11. Set your z offset. Mine measured -2.7 so I used -2.71. 

  12. Enable Soft Endstops

  13. Save settings to Eeprom

  14. Set Active Parameters

  15. Display current settings

  16. Again, Tell the printer to go Home

  17. Move the nozzle to true zero offset to see your result

 

Start Code: G29 Explained

Auto Leveling is a process that allows a 3D Printer to create a digital map of the build plate by gathering data from key points in a Grid usually by a 3x3 or 9 Point grid system sometimes more depending on the build size.

The 3D Mesh generated looks something like this from a series of points the printer creates a map of points then bridges them together with flat faces allowing it to print on uneven surfaces as long as they are within tolerances. The Z will move up and down to account for these differences making the print come out normal.

 

To achieve this the printer requires a simple code entry along with a leveling sensor and the correct firmware.

If you have a probe correctly installed on your machine ensure that your Gcode Start up has the Following lines in this Order. The G28 command should already be in your start up code so you need only add the second line following it.

 

G28 ; Home The Nozzle

G29 ; Auto Level the bed