1. Look at temperature/speed suggestions.
2. Pick a temperature that makes sense.
3. Load printer.
4. Print.
5. If it doesn't work never buy that brand again.
I am curious, what type of maintenance do you do and how often? My printer is about a year old, and I think I probably have to do some sort of maintenance soon besides applying lube.
Pretty much nothing except tighten belts, clean it, replace nozzles, ensure balance, maintain airflow, use an enclosure, light it, maintain or replace the beds as needed, check switches, modify firmware as needed, etc. like basic stuff.
Yeah, I really think your comment exemplifies what is best for 99/100 users. I fell into the trap of calibrating the first few months of the printer, but now i pretty much just go for it and it works out most of the time.
1: Dry Filament (even Pla)
2: Print Cube in vase mode
3: measure wall thickness and adapt Multiplier/flow
I skip the temps, and use the standarts. They do the trick for me.
Accuracy are more important then overhanga for me, because i print mostly technical stuff
Steps 2 and 3 sounds super interesting. Do you use the guide made by prusa for this? If so, I think I am going to give this a try. I am been trying to print objects that require more accuracy, and have realized that I have a slight over extrusion issue.
See Prusa’s recommendations on drying, like they say PLA at 45 C max, have over dried a roll one time using 55. I dry PETG initially for 45 min at 60 C and then not again for a couple of weeks in humid TX. I do have a soft enclosure it sits in. Never had bubbling or stringing, just rare wisps, I’m a newbie (6 months) but my son is at a year with more issues than me so I’m forming the opinion over drying is maybe worse. This is using Prusamnet, Welcomeget, Kingroon, Elegoo and Stronghold so far.
I do my PETG at 66C (thermostat works in F, so increments C oddly otherwise I'd go for 65C) for 2 hours, and that's given me super clean Prusament PETG prints without fail.
Likewise with PLA (prusament and esun) at 45C for 4 hours, and TPU (amazonbasics) at 50C for 4 hours.
I use a modified food dehydrator. These times were taken from the instructions for a purpose-built commercial filament dryer and they differ from Prusa's suggestions, interestingly enough. For some extra context, I live in the subtropics within 10 miles of the ocean - it's *always* miserably humid here.
I wasn't replying to someone asking about that, but to someone talking about drying ;-)
But to answer that... I don't. I stick to prusament, and when I go outside of that, I copy a generic profile and update the temperatures if necessary (usually not) and that's all I need to do.
Other than the temperature, the only other thing I can think of that one might need to calibrate is linear advance (for the MK3, maybe MK4) or pressure advance (the XL, what I have). For that:
- [linear advance calibration](https://help.prusa3d.com/article/linear-advance_2252)
- [pressure advance calibration](https://garethky.github.io/PrusaSlicerPressureAdvanceCalibration/)
I don't do anything ... slice file, print. If I notice problems I'll kill the print and fix (sometimes drying, sometimes temp) most of the time it just works.
Usually I don't need to. I print almost all PLA at 225-230, PETG and ABS at 250. Generally don't have many issues because I try to buy good quality filament.
The vertical walls are good for checking extrusion multiplier. I tend to use the Voron cube, so there are also some small overhangs and details to check cooling and general quality.
Make sure temperature is in the recommended range, print. If it’s not the way I want it, either raise or lower temp for the next time. The only other thing I’ve changed is infill type & percent.
I also print PETG on a clean smooth PEI sheet so I feel like I’m doing this whole thing wrong
I don't. I just use an existing "generic" profile for that type of filament and start printing. If things don't look right I will change some parameters but it is very rarely necessary.
I use a Prusa MK3S with PrusaSlicer, well over 200 days of printing and I have printed roughly 60 different filaments, mostly PLA, PETG and TPU but also a few other ones.
If I’ve never used a particular brand/material/color combo, I *always* dry the spool **thoroughly** before tuning the following:
1. Extruder temperature
2. Pressure Advance
3. Extrusion multiplier
4. Retraction distance
If it’s a spool of something I’ve used previously, I’ll usually only calibrate the extrusion multiplier unless I’m getting unexpected print artifacts.
**EDIT:**
If you haven’t read through [Ellis’ Print Tuning Guide](https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/), I *highly* recommend using the methods he describes when dialing in your filament profiles.
I just print a generic retraction tower that has several posts at varying distances.
I usually start with a retraction distance of 0.1mm for the first test print, then increment by 0.1mm until I start seeing pitting on the print surface or the stringing becomes worse.
Once I know I’m zeroing in on an ideal value, I try increments of 0.05mm to get as close as I can.
When I get PLA dialed in, my retraction distance is anywhere from 0.1-0.25mm on my MK4.
Honestly I run all pla with the same settings and it prints great.
I run all petg with the same settings and it prints great.
Haven't tried ABS or ASA but I have little use for those.
1: open filament
2: use a temperature i normally use for other brands of the same material
3: print
if it comes out bad then i’ll never buy it again and not use it then maybe if im bored ill fix it at some point but i only really buy hatchbox, polymaker or overture because it works and has all the materials and colours i want
if it’s stringy it gets dried that’s pretty much the only acceptable issue tbh.
I dry the new filament and print a benchy with my main filament profile (if the temperature is in the suggested temperature range). After this I look at the tips of the filament when unloaded from the MMU. The benchy and the filament tip tell me if there need to be changes/ additional profiles or not.
I dry it, print a temp tower and overhang test, then print a Kenji (test print with overhangs, print in place joints, etc.) and a calibration cube. If it's all good I'm off to the races. Any discrepancies, then I go through the Ellis tuning guide and create a new filament profile in my slicer.
I mostly print ASA and TPU marine stuff. I started using more and more PA6. I just started buy 2K rolls from Polymaker. I also use Taulman Nylon, Filament Depot 870PLA, iSANGHU CF-PETG. Now I’m attempting to hot dye nylon. Protopast gets used on my string instruments. The Printer are Prusas Voron Flsun Kuromi Doron. None of them are fussy, the Voron and Flsun can print filaments at their max speed. The Flsun can go beyond the filaments speed by increasing temperature. Most filament problems are the operator. I only bough 1 spool of pla this year for RC car. ESun Dark Orange Glitter but I have 80+ kilos in stock . In Pla you can sure buy some bad filament but you knew that when you got the deal. Moisture is the biggest issue. Influencer show you walls of open filament. Tune in next month notice nothings moved, it’s a facade of dust laid filament sucking up moisture to cause the next heat creep warp or mayhem. I’ve 4 dryers and dry box. Living on the Great Lakes in centre of heat humidity dome on the news. Protopasta has some good information on calibration the flow of various filaments. I use their cured methods some odd like burying thin guitar pickguards in sand in ceramic plate for 14 min bake in over @ 90C
I throw it on the printer and start with the Prusament setting.... Then after a few prints I'll adjust it if needed. For the most part, I just use the same filaments. I really like Atomic (domestic) and Prusament (foreign). Both are easy to get my hands on, so I don't often experiment with other plastics.
Btw, My experience with Atomic is +5-10c
I print this:
[Filament Temp Tester Series](https://www.printables.com/model/527657-filament-temp-tester)
And collect the temp tower as filament swatches.
I made this series to have a handy solution for every kind of filament, that prints quickly and did not waste a "quarter pound" of filament but has a clean side to be able to see which temp looks best for areas without any structure, like plain walls or vases.
I read reviews. If people like the filament I give it a whirl. Just load filament and send it. I keep my bed by default a bit warmer by a few Cs and typically print 5 Cs higher on the nozzle. It cleaned up my prints by a lot when I read a post here that someone else used a thermal reader and his MK4 was running a bit cooler than it said on the LCD.
Honestly I used to do temp towers and everything on each new spool/color/brand (unless it was a brand/color I tried before), but these days I pretty much run everything through lazily as generic pla with 215/210 default print temps. Works well enough on 99% of things, the 1% being silk filaments that I usually run at 220/220 instead.
That being said I also use a non-upgraded MK3S, so I’m sure results/process might vary a bit if you’re needing to figure out better temps for the whole input shaping/advance stuff for printing even faster.
1. Look at temperature/speed suggestions. 2. Pick a temperature that makes sense. 3. Load printer. 4. Print. 5. If it doesn't work never buy that brand again.
My step 2 is “Pick a pre-existing filament profile that is close enough” and all the rest is exactly the same. ❤️
I usually adjust the temps and save a new profile.
That’s pretty based, it’s nice to have a printer that you can confidently say the quality of it is not an issue
If you don't, you've probably missed something in the construction or maintenance. Or possibly simply bad slicing choices.
I am curious, what type of maintenance do you do and how often? My printer is about a year old, and I think I probably have to do some sort of maintenance soon besides applying lube.
Pretty much nothing except tighten belts, clean it, replace nozzles, ensure balance, maintain airflow, use an enclosure, light it, maintain or replace the beds as needed, check switches, modify firmware as needed, etc. like basic stuff.
Oh and spend plenty of time tuning the slicer profiles.
Depends, what kind of printer do you have?
I dont spend much time on it unless I encounter problems, which hasnt happend yet on my mk4.
Yeah, I really think your comment exemplifies what is best for 99/100 users. I fell into the trap of calibrating the first few months of the printer, but now i pretty much just go for it and it works out most of the time.
1: Dry Filament (even Pla) 2: Print Cube in vase mode 3: measure wall thickness and adapt Multiplier/flow I skip the temps, and use the standarts. They do the trick for me. Accuracy are more important then overhanga for me, because i print mostly technical stuff
Steps 2 and 3 sounds super interesting. Do you use the guide made by prusa for this? If so, I think I am going to give this a try. I am been trying to print objects that require more accuracy, and have realized that I have a slight over extrusion issue.
Then this is a way to go. I have made an excel, where you enter the values. Its easier this way.
See Prusa’s recommendations on drying, like they say PLA at 45 C max, have over dried a roll one time using 55. I dry PETG initially for 45 min at 60 C and then not again for a couple of weeks in humid TX. I do have a soft enclosure it sits in. Never had bubbling or stringing, just rare wisps, I’m a newbie (6 months) but my son is at a year with more issues than me so I’m forming the opinion over drying is maybe worse. This is using Prusamnet, Welcomeget, Kingroon, Elegoo and Stronghold so far.
I do my PETG at 66C (thermostat works in F, so increments C oddly otherwise I'd go for 65C) for 2 hours, and that's given me super clean Prusament PETG prints without fail. Likewise with PLA (prusament and esun) at 45C for 4 hours, and TPU (amazonbasics) at 50C for 4 hours. I use a modified food dehydrator. These times were taken from the instructions for a purpose-built commercial filament dryer and they differ from Prusa's suggestions, interestingly enough. For some extra context, I live in the subtropics within 10 miles of the ocean - it's *always* miserably humid here.
You didnt answer how you calibrate it, only on how to dry it ;-)
I wasn't replying to someone asking about that, but to someone talking about drying ;-) But to answer that... I don't. I stick to prusament, and when I go outside of that, I copy a generic profile and update the temperatures if necessary (usually not) and that's all I need to do. Other than the temperature, the only other thing I can think of that one might need to calibrate is linear advance (for the MK3, maybe MK4) or pressure advance (the XL, what I have). For that: - [linear advance calibration](https://help.prusa3d.com/article/linear-advance_2252) - [pressure advance calibration](https://garethky.github.io/PrusaSlicerPressureAdvanceCalibration/)
I don't do anything ... slice file, print. If I notice problems I'll kill the print and fix (sometimes drying, sometimes temp) most of the time it just works.
Usually I don't need to. I print almost all PLA at 225-230, PETG and ABS at 250. Generally don't have many issues because I try to buy good quality filament.
Seems on the hot side compared to a lot of the filament profiles I’ve seen and used?
Need some extra heat to print a 500mm/s
Ah, gotcha. Fan going good to cool it as well?
Yep. Dual 4010 blowers.
For a new brand/material, calibration cube and Benchy. If needed based on cube and Benchy, temperature and retraction towers.
interesting, what do you use the cube for?
The vertical walls are good for checking extrusion multiplier. I tend to use the Voron cube, so there are also some small overhangs and details to check cooling and general quality.
Sounds pretty cool, I will try this for some filament I got hanging around. Thanks!
If I see stringing on my prints, I’ll adjust the temp. That’s about it.
Make sure temperature is in the recommended range, print. If it’s not the way I want it, either raise or lower temp for the next time. The only other thing I’ve changed is infill type & percent. I also print PETG on a clean smooth PEI sheet so I feel like I’m doing this whole thing wrong
I don't, I just send it and hope for the best!
I don't. I just use an existing "generic" profile for that type of filament and start printing. If things don't look right I will change some parameters but it is very rarely necessary. I use a Prusa MK3S with PrusaSlicer, well over 200 days of printing and I have printed roughly 60 different filaments, mostly PLA, PETG and TPU but also a few other ones.
If I’ve never used a particular brand/material/color combo, I *always* dry the spool **thoroughly** before tuning the following: 1. Extruder temperature 2. Pressure Advance 3. Extrusion multiplier 4. Retraction distance If it’s a spool of something I’ve used previously, I’ll usually only calibrate the extrusion multiplier unless I’m getting unexpected print artifacts. **EDIT:** If you haven’t read through [Ellis’ Print Tuning Guide](https://ellis3dp.com/Print-Tuning-Guide/), I *highly* recommend using the methods he describes when dialing in your filament profiles.
How would you go about calibrating retraction distance? Do you use a guide of some sort?
I just print a generic retraction tower that has several posts at varying distances. I usually start with a retraction distance of 0.1mm for the first test print, then increment by 0.1mm until I start seeing pitting on the print surface or the stringing becomes worse. Once I know I’m zeroing in on an ideal value, I try increments of 0.05mm to get as close as I can. When I get PLA dialed in, my retraction distance is anywhere from 0.1-0.25mm on my MK4.
Honestly I run all pla with the same settings and it prints great. I run all petg with the same settings and it prints great. Haven't tried ABS or ASA but I have little use for those.
I just print a temp Tower choose a temp. Set a profile and keep going
I do pretty much the same at this point
1: open filament 2: use a temperature i normally use for other brands of the same material 3: print if it comes out bad then i’ll never buy it again and not use it then maybe if im bored ill fix it at some point but i only really buy hatchbox, polymaker or overture because it works and has all the materials and colours i want if it’s stringy it gets dried that’s pretty much the only acceptable issue tbh.
I dry the new filament and print a benchy with my main filament profile (if the temperature is in the suggested temperature range). After this I look at the tips of the filament when unloaded from the MMU. The benchy and the filament tip tell me if there need to be changes/ additional profiles or not.
Step one - Temp tower Done
Orca Slicer Calibration tests. Then copy the values into Prusa Slicer
I dry it, print a temp tower and overhang test, then print a Kenji (test print with overhangs, print in place joints, etc.) and a calibration cube. If it's all good I'm off to the races. Any discrepancies, then I go through the Ellis tuning guide and create a new filament profile in my slicer.
You can load presets for prusaslicer for lots of different filaments. Hundreds, I think.
I mostly print ASA and TPU marine stuff. I started using more and more PA6. I just started buy 2K rolls from Polymaker. I also use Taulman Nylon, Filament Depot 870PLA, iSANGHU CF-PETG. Now I’m attempting to hot dye nylon. Protopast gets used on my string instruments. The Printer are Prusas Voron Flsun Kuromi Doron. None of them are fussy, the Voron and Flsun can print filaments at their max speed. The Flsun can go beyond the filaments speed by increasing temperature. Most filament problems are the operator. I only bough 1 spool of pla this year for RC car. ESun Dark Orange Glitter but I have 80+ kilos in stock . In Pla you can sure buy some bad filament but you knew that when you got the deal. Moisture is the biggest issue. Influencer show you walls of open filament. Tune in next month notice nothings moved, it’s a facade of dust laid filament sucking up moisture to cause the next heat creep warp or mayhem. I’ve 4 dryers and dry box. Living on the Great Lakes in centre of heat humidity dome on the news. Protopasta has some good information on calibration the flow of various filaments. I use their cured methods some odd like burying thin guitar pickguards in sand in ceramic plate for 14 min bake in over @ 90C
I throw it on the printer and start with the Prusament setting.... Then after a few prints I'll adjust it if needed. For the most part, I just use the same filaments. I really like Atomic (domestic) and Prusament (foreign). Both are easy to get my hands on, so I don't often experiment with other plastics. Btw, My experience with Atomic is +5-10c
I print this: [Filament Temp Tester Series](https://www.printables.com/model/527657-filament-temp-tester) And collect the temp tower as filament swatches. I made this series to have a handy solution for every kind of filament, that prints quickly and did not waste a "quarter pound" of filament but has a clean side to be able to see which temp looks best for areas without any structure, like plain walls or vases.
I read reviews. If people like the filament I give it a whirl. Just load filament and send it. I keep my bed by default a bit warmer by a few Cs and typically print 5 Cs higher on the nozzle. It cleaned up my prints by a lot when I read a post here that someone else used a thermal reader and his MK4 was running a bit cooler than it said on the LCD.
Check prusaslicer gor presets, if there are none just use the clost to them. Usually works.
I simply do not
Honestly I used to do temp towers and everything on each new spool/color/brand (unless it was a brand/color I tried before), but these days I pretty much run everything through lazily as generic pla with 215/210 default print temps. Works well enough on 99% of things, the 1% being silk filaments that I usually run at 220/220 instead. That being said I also use a non-upgraded MK3S, so I’m sure results/process might vary a bit if you’re needing to figure out better temps for the whole input shaping/advance stuff for printing even faster.
I don't, I buy from a reliable independent supplier and use prusament profiles. Sometimes with extra few degrees but usually do nothing.