Mastodawn

Stark Mar 31, 2023

So the 0.4mm vs 0.6mm nozzle debate is nothing new in #3dprinting, but it is something I've lived in denial about.

I have used different nozzle sizes before, especially when printing larger enclosures for some of my projects. I can easily use anything from a 0.6mm all the way to a 1.2mm nozzle. It can easily reduce a print by 4 to 6 hours.

But I always find myself switching back to my "default" 0.4mm nozzle as soon as I am done with such a project.

This debate is nothing new and with #Aracne in #prusaslicer you might not even notice the difference switching 0.6mm.

But I have found myself at an impasse.

My 0.4mm profiles are just so well tuned after years of printing. Perfect first and top layers. Excellent strength, long bridges and no stringing. I couldn't ask for better!

But now switching to my 0.6mm nozzle, I can see I have a lot of work cut out before I'll be cutting any printing time.

@3dprinting #3dprinting

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Stark Mar 31, 2023

My first steps will need to be #LinearAdvanced tuning with the K-test.

Linear Advance is a technique for controlling the pressure in the nozzle, especially around corners and tight spots. It simulates the filament like a spring, using a K factor.

Something many don't realise, is that this not only helps with corners, curves and turns, but also layers.

You might have noticed that your first layers and infill is good, until the printed reaches the edge perimeters. You then find these blobs and almost over extrusion as the printer slows down, but keeps on extruding the same amount of plastic.

I am clearly seeing this in my first layers and top layer now.

Linear Advanced tuning and calibration by #TechingTech on #YouTube

https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html#linadv

The K constant or "Spring Constant" as defined by Hooke's Law, just fun insight and background:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooke's_law

Linear Advance #Marlin #Firmware:

https://marlinfw.org/docs/features/lin_advance.html

@3dprinting #3dprinting

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Stark Mar 31, 2023

Often the first thing to calibrate by many is the z-offset. This is not wrong, but because I already have my z-offset so well tuned for my 0.4mm nozzle at 0.21mm, it isn't too wrong to just use this for my 0.6mm nozzle.

Some would notice that 0.21 is just more than half of 0.4, so 0.3 or something in that range could work for a 0.6mm nozzle.

Could be, but I have found that z-offset is no perfect science and it is just one of those things that you need to test.

But because of the effects and improvements due to #LinearAdvance, I like to tune it first. Because, on a single line you would not notice an incorrect z-offset at all, except if it is completely wrong and you get no bed adhesion at all.

So by eliminating that factor, you can then safely tune the z-offset after Linear Advance

First layer and z-offset by #TeachingTech on #YouTube

https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html#firstlayer

@3dprinting #3dprinting

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Stark

Tuning #LinearAdvance also only involves a single parameter, the K-value.

Tuning the z-offset actually has a few, which you could use moving from a 0.4mm nozzle to a 0.6mm nozzle.

Firstly, you bed needs to be level, or trammed. Your #3dprinter needs to be leveled to ensure that it corrects the flex and warping of your bed.

Secondly, there is the z-fade, recently introduced in #Marline #firmware and other firmware like #klipper

The z-fade allows for a layer-by-layer fade of the correction of the leveling and tramming, to ease out the correction as it becomes less prominent as the layers increase.

I can clearly see this in my prints, with layers below 1.2mm z-height being ugly and layers above that near perfect. As the effects of a non-level bed becomes less prominent.

Thus, it is clear that #LinearAdvance is a good place to start when making this switch. But if you are just starting to tune your printer, rather start with the z-offset and bed-leveling.

@3dprinting #3dprinting

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Stark Mar 31, 2023

The next good place to start is Slicer Flow Calibration.

This calibrates your flow and extrusion of your printer. This mostly comes into affect with layer adhesion and adhesion between walls.

If you are noticing gaps between your walls, when using multiple walls, or that your print dimensions are off, this is most likely the problem.

This one is also not that simple to tune, it you need to test it with multiple filaments to get a base line and get something that "almost" works and then tune it further.

I usually tune it to my printer and then to my filament. I do this by calibrating the slicer flow and extrusion width in my slicer for the printer and my extruder and then increasing the extrusion multiplier for each individual filament as I need it.

For example, my extrusion multiplier for #PLA is 1.0 but 1.07 for #ABS.

Slicer Flow Calibration by #TeachingTech on #YouTube:

https://teachingtechyt.github.io/calibration.html#flow

@3dprinting #3dprinting

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Stark Mar 31, 2023

An important thing to remember is that this is also dependent on the brand of filament, your usual temperature settings and the colour.

I for example have a clay coloured #PLA which is very milky. It is very soft and pliable almost like lead and gold, more so than other colours like red. So I have a lower extrusion multiplier for it than I have for colours such as black or white.

@3dprinting #3dprinting