To accomplish this, the machine probes the print bed in a grid pattern at the beginning of a print. Since this accounts for the position of the bed, the nozzle can be positioned correctly regardless of the position of the print bed.Īdditionally, since the probe is on the hot end carriage, it can easily measure different positions on the bed. As the printer lowers the nozzle closer to the print bed, the probe detects when the nozzle has reached the desired offset. This process requires a fair amount of manual effort and calibration to get just right.Īn automatic leveling system instead uses a small probe near the hot end to measure the distance of the nozzle from the bed.
Since this does not take into account the position of the print bed, you’ll use the knobs on the corners of the bed to adjust the bed’s vertical position until it is just the right distance from the nozzle. With traditional manual leveling, the 3D Printer uses a Z endstop, a small switch located by the Z axis motor, to tell the printer when the nozzle is fully lowered to the print bed.
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Since this upgrade is more difficult on some 3D printers than others, we’ll provide specific information on the install process and hardware you’ll need for many of Creality’s more popular printers including the Ender 3 series, Ender 5 series, CR-10 Series, and CR-X series.
Then, we’ll show you how to apply this upgrade to your Creality 3D printer to give you a general idea what to expect. In this article, we will take a closer look at how auto-leveling works and which hardware we recommend. Many premium 3D printers include this feature standard, but fortunately it can also be installed on many lower cost 3D printers as an upgrade. When using an auto-leveling system such as the BLTouch sensor, the probe allows better tolerances for slightly warped print beds by measuring and compensating for any inconsistencies. Upgrading your Creality 3D printer to include auto bed leveling will ensure your prints have perfect first layers every time and greatly reduce issues with bed adhesion.