So not too long ago, a fellow 3d printer friend and I got into a discussion about calibration methods - specifically the feed & filament calibrations. I use one method, he uses another. He argued that it really doesn't matter what method you use (although, he insists that the method he uses is better because it is posted in the reprap wiki pages), the end results are what matters, and to a point, a can agree with that. My argument is that accuracy in the calibrations does matter.
The specific points of contention have to do with the feed rate and extrusion multipliers. The method of calibration he uses says to "get close to" feeding a specified amount of material, never touch the extrusion multiplier and fudge away any inconsistencies by adjusting the flow rate. The method I use says get the feed rate as close to exact as possible, adjust the extrusion multiplier to create the desired single wall thickness and there should be no need to mess with the flow rate. Since this discussion I remembered reading a forum post about the math involved in slicing a model for printing, and the calculations that the program must make in order to produce a recognizable object. The math backs me up. For those that are interested, the method my friend uses is Triffid Hunter's calibration guide. My method is outlined in my filament calibration posts found on this blog. The forum post that discusses the calculations of a slicer can be found here. You should read them and decide for yourself... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Time to go melt some plastic! Leave a Reply. |
AuthorA "Jack of all trades, master of none", I have dabbled in a lot of different things, but none have held my interest like these darn 3d printers do. Archives
May 2016
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