Calibrating the X, Y and Z Step-mm
Calibrating the XYZ is easier than calibrating the extruder, although the process is similar, it disassembling anything.
To begin, you will need the calibration piece, there are thousands of models available, but i have made one aiming for speed and filament saving. you can download it here
This tool is designed with an 100mm arm for X and Y axis, and 50mm arm for the Z axis, Print one part with the following settings:
-Layer height: 0,1mm
-Shells – 3
-Lower and upper layers – 3
-Infill: between 20-40% (not more!)
-nozzle: smaller is better (0,4 is just fine)
Calibrating the XYZ steps
After the printing finish, open the firmware configuration (steps are described on the previous guide) and find the X, Y and Z steps/mm, put they on the calculator and measure the printing with the caliper, try to measure the part without the deformation on the beginning, like the image below
Use the step/mm calculator provided to calculate the corrected value and replace it on the firmware. Remember to save everything and make a backup of the new values.
Now, to be sure that everything worked as it should, print this part again, it all the measurements are within 0.05 of the expected value, you are good to go! Congratulations
Final notes and considerations
Please note!
This guide is not intended to fix bed leveling issues or bad quality filaments! those are requirements for this calibration to work. You might want to take a look in this guide for bed leveling if you are having issues
If you have any questions, suggestions, or know another good method to calibrate a 3d Printer calibration, please comment below! I’d love to hear more
Take a look on our other posts for improving your 3DPrinter
The ultimate 3D Printer bed leveling guide
Calibration the XYZ-steps/mm with printing parts and measuring them is wrong. You did write up fine for Extruder, but XYZ have to be calculated not measured. This article has to get reworked otherwise it is just wrong.
That’s complicated. I have readed some other guides that condemn this too, and i’m not saying its right or wrong, simply that it works. When calculating the steps/mm (i’ll use my example – using 1.8º motor + 20teeth pully ) i will get exactly 80mm. But when i print an part with (for example) 100x100x100mm, i get less or more than 100mm. In a perfect system, using really rigid 3dprinter and high quality pulley/belt/stepper, maybe this could work, but that is not the case for most of the 3dprinters on the market (specially the DIY style).
Thats why i use this method, and all my printing are within 0,1 mm for the nomimal value (including interior measurements, i’ve corrected them using the horizontal compensation, but that is for another post).
A great guide for calibration!! Respect!
Lots of info here! Now to just make sense of it…
Great guide will help when I get win this 3d printer
Right now my head is spinning a little after reading this but that’s just because I don’t have my 3D printer yet. It will be here in a couple of weeks (I think). I’ve bookmarked this article to go back over and use when I get my printer. I know that when I start working with it all this will come easier to me. Thanks for posting this! I knew there was a lot that went into 3D-printing so I’m not surprised. But I’m amazed at all the different software out there! G-CODE, EEPROM, the slicer stuff, firmware…I have a LOT to learn! But, I’m fine with that. I can’t wait until I’m able to print exactly what I want! FUN!