Project Dashboard Maintenance and Repairs Calibration Single Extruder Calibration Workflow

1 Getting Started

Items Needed

2 Expose the Filament

Extruder calibration will be easier using the TAZ 3D printer while it's connected through USB while using Pronterface than using your Graphical LCD controller.

  • Lift the filament feed guide up to expose the filament entering the extruder.

  • You should be able to see approximately 150mm of filament.

Lift the Feed Tube
Expose the Filament

3 Mark the Filament

  • Place the ruler on the extruder body, directly against the filament.

  • Use the marker to mark the filament at the 120mm point.

Ruler in Place
Mark the filament at 120mm

4 Change Settings in Pronterface

  • Connect to the TAZ 3D printer to your computer using the USB cable.
  • Launch Pronterface.
  • Connect to the TAZ 3D printer in Pronterface.

  • Once connected, in the lower left hand side of Pronterface, change the following:

    • Extrusion Length: 100
    • Extrusion Speed: 100

  • Turn on your hot end to the appropriate extrusion temperature:

    • ABS (230-240)
    • PLA (180-190)

5 Manually Extrude Filament

  • Press the Extrude button.

  • Once the filament has stopped entering the extruder body,
    use the ruler to measure the height of the mark on the filament.

  • Measure the lenght of the filament from the top of the
    extruder body to the mark on the filament.

  • Subtract the measured height of the filament, from the initial
    measured height of 120mm. That will give us the length of filament
    that entered the hot end.

For example:

If the mark is 25mm above the extruder body, then the filament traveled 95mm.

If the mark on the filament is 20mm above the extruder body when measured
with the same method, then the filament traveled 100mm.

  • If that's the case, then your extruder steps per unit are already calibrated.

  • If that's not the case, then we need to do a little math.

    • Multiply your current extruder steps per unit (for example) 800 by the
      desired extrusion length. In this example,
      100mm, so 800(esteps) x 100mm = 80000.

    • Now divide that number (80,000) by the filament movement length noted above (95mm) to get the new steps per unit, in this example: 80,000/95=842.1

    • Note this number.

Measure Distance

6 Enter The New Steps Per Unit

If your TAZ 3D printer does not have an LCD controller or you prefer to use a different method, skit this step and continue to the next step.

  • In the GLCD controller (TAZ3+):
    • Push the rotary encoder to navigate to:
      • Configuration
      • Motion
      • Esteps/mm:
      • Use the rotary encoder to enter the new steps per unit by rotating the dial.
      • Press on the rotary encoder to save and exit to the menu.
    • Once the Esteps have been updated, navigate to the top of the menu to return to the Configuration screen.
    • Scroll down to Store Memory and press on the rotary encoder to select.
    • You can perform the extrude, measure, calculate steps, update steps as many times as you wish to further dial in the extruder calibration.

Once happy with the results, you're done!

GLCD Controller: Extruder Steps Per Unit

7 Enter The New Steps Per Unit through the Cura console

If the following steps do not work skip this step and proceed to the next step.

  • In Pronterface (TAZ2+ or if EEPROM is enabled:
    • Send the M501 command in the Pronterface terminal to view the current Esteps/EEPROM settings.
    • Update the Esteps to the desired value by sending the M92 E_ _ _ command.
    • Save the current settings by sending the M500 command.

You can perform this calibration as many times as desired, until you are happy with the results. Once dialed in, you're done!

Console ESteps

8 Enter The New Steps Per Unit (Flashing Firmware))

If the previous two methods did not work, you'll need to reflash your TAZ 3D printer firmware. Instructions on doing so can be found on LulzBot.com

Done! Take me home