CALIBRATING EXTRUDERS - Why and how to do it

[@Crosslink3D]

Hope you get value out of this video. This works for all kinds of 3D printers, be it Bowden or Direct drive.

[@artisticbrit]

Thanks for this. I'm just starting out. M305 doesn't work for me... :/ trying to figure out why

[@PerB_M]

@@artisticbrit DID YOU MEAN m503 ??

[@jasonbarker5955]

Thank you for this tutorial. I was way under-extruding with the factory settings on the Ender 3 Neo. After the first round, I was only 2mm shy. The second round put me exactly at 100mm. This was a very easy-to-follow and comprehensive video. Thank you for the spreadsheet as well. Everything worked as shown.

[@realmelange7234]

Following your video and the all3DP guide has finally restored my enjoyment of the hobby, I was baffled for ages wondering what's wrong with my printer, with this being the last step I didn't check up until now, Thank you!!!

[@90sPaqMan]

I had an issue with my Longer LK4 Pro under extruding at the beginning of my prints. I knew something was wrong cause I couldn't get anything to print without a raft. I searched Google and found this video, which fixed my problem. Now if only I can figure out the fix for my hot end not reporting temperature properly, maybe I can get my printer reliable. Very informational and very helpful. Thanks again for posting this video tutorial.

[@gn0m3r4l]

I love your Channel. Even without the sheet, your video is great. Easy to understand in language and content and the given chapters makes it so comfy to re watch it and jump to the needed spot. You made my entrance to the hobby so smooth!

[@Crosslink3D]

Thanks for the feedback!

[@3Dmaker12]

Agreed you are very nice to come back to and listen I love that your not annoying

[@plaztikrhino]

This video just saved me from tossing out my printer. Very easy to follow and fix the issue. Thank you!

[@Crosslink3D]

Glad it helped!

[@keirthomas2491]

By far the most comprehensive video I've seen. I'm working on a "Frankenstein" XYZ da Vinci 1.0. With Repetier firmware on board. I'm trying to tweak it to be the best (e-waste) machine it can be. This solves my flow rate issues. And I left with a much better understanding. Thank you

[@TootEmCarMan]

A very useful video. Within minutes of this video going live someone on the crosslink discord channel asked about e-step calibration.

[@Crosslink3D]

Thanks!

[@schogaia]

Additional tip: If your printer has writing to eeprom disabled (like in the artillery printers) you can include the M92 command in the start gcode in your slicer.

[@Crosslink3D]

Great tip!

[@Zemistr3D]

Exactly how is in my video 😝 I told you you missed some points in your video. 😉

[@chrisables3378]

is there a new link for the spreadsheet?

[@Roles_sabado]

It was perfect his calibration tutorial works in my first try. Thanks very much, highs from Brazil

[@Marcellus74]

My Alfawise U30 Pro was so under extruding! 93.5mm when asked for 100mm! Thank you so much for this tutorial.

[@Crosslink3D]

Glad it helped!

[@stephenruvalcaba4680]

great video! very helpful. i was having trouble opening the link so i just googled Estep calculator and clicked the first link to show up and it gave me my new e-value. Thanks!

[@britishskiing]

Brilliant, simple and concise. Thanks pal.

[@Crosslink3D]

Glad it helped

[@1stupidfish]

thank you. i was under extruding so bad. i couldn't figure out why everything was so week.

[@Twin_Flyer]

the spreadsheet makes it a lot easier, thanks!

[@Crosslink3D]

Happy to help!

[@AndrewduToit]

Hi, I have been looking the whole day for a way to set the e-steps of a CR6 SE and your video made perfect sense but pronto print does not see the printer. I see you have com1 for your port. I have it plugged into a USB port. Should I try Octoprint as well. Why does Prontoface not want to connect?

[@anoirbentanfous]

This and part 1 are best calibration video... the spreadsheet make it fool proof as well.

[@Crosslink3D]

Glad it helped

[@Mike_Tyo]

Your two videos are awesome. Thank you for sharing.

[@333raffles]

Have the V2. Nothing happens when I send the G1 E100 F100 command. It's connected and the M503 responds ok. Nozzle is heated up. Any thoughts?

[@Crosslink3D]

Try to execute G91 before. THat's going to put your printer in relative positioning

[@billbyrd9845]

I put in the new esteps with Pronterface, but 503 returns the old value. My printer board seems to be locked. Does that make any sense? Thank you for any help.

[@tiberiud1955]

so .... the e steps need to be calibrated each time the nozzle it's change? Because you can't extrude 100mm thru a 0.4 nozzle the same like you extrude 100m thru a 0.2 nozzle . I don't know maybe Im wrong please clarify .

[@FuriousImp]

It all works just fine. Using OctoPrint version 1.4.2 on a Raspi 4, with my Artillery SW X1. Thanks to schogaia for the M92 command slicer setting suggestion. Very helpful. However, I tried running a second test, and Octoprint's terminal just somehow didn't send my command. Extruder is heated up, the terminal said "ok" in a response to my G1 E100 F100 command, but the extruded on my printer simply refused to move. Why's that?

[@PerB_M]

Same here. Turn off the printer (Mains) turn it on again start preheating again, now you can send the command.

[@Rondi3d]

Obrigado pela ajuda, aqui deu certo!!!

[@sebastianriveradominguez2301]

Thanks so much, it help me a lot!

[@IMChrisThom]

Thank you. This was perfect.

[@WaschBaer__]

the following happened for me, i calibrated my printer to extrude exactly 100mm ( measured with calipers ) but i get overextrusion to a point where the flow has to be 75% of what it was originally ... what could this be ? this indicates to me that the esteps are to high right ? even tho i calibrated it, and double checked several times

[@beechnasty]

Hi Daniel (and fans). I'm on an Anet A8. Downloaded pronterface with no issue, autodetects COM3 and default set to 115200 bitrate per all3dp. Everytime I press connect, it displays "Connecting..." but stops responding. Any thoughts on how to fix this? I did not try octoprint because I do not have a Rasberry Pi.

[@1990stephanellis]

my pronterface values don't show an echo m92 line

[@dicey2988]

I wonder what type of filament this guys prints

[@artandtechnology3022]

Hello I own a FYSETC F6 V1.3 Board and a RepRapDiscount Full Graphic Smart Controller and tmc 2208 v2.0 This driver is available in my country is it possible to work with it as I can't get a driver 1.1 The driver is not available in my country

[@diagosplanet2059]

Brilliant man. Thank you very much

[@Crosslink3D]

Happy to hear that it helped 😉

[@allaboutpixhawkandrpi3691]

amazing video ! thank you ! you have been making my life with 3d printing sooooooooo much easier!

[@Crosslink3D]

Great to hear!

[@stepander007]

Don't forget that those values will gone with firmware update)). Is it good idea to set those command into a Cura's Before Start Gcode section.

[@bobf3598]

For easier measurement of filament i printed a narrow length of plastic 4mm square, 120mm in length (that is if your printer is calibrated correctly in the X, Y and Z, measure after if not and calculate) and a groove set into the top to fit the filament. So much easier to measure the filament repeatedly!

[@marcopmartins]

Hi Daniel. Thank you for this great video. I was doing all the steps but it seems my new Ender 3 Pro board 4.2.7 from Creality doesn´t have EEPROM??? Is this Possible? I can´t save the Esteps value on the Printer menus or even using the M500 comand from Porterface. Is something wrong with this board? Thank you in advance.

[@lukewesson3498]

This is extremely helpful thank you so much

[@MrAdhm65]

As usual, a wonderful video and explanation.

[@GeorgeDemner]

Cracking video, thank you so much for this!

[@ЛевСтоляревский]

Best manual of calibration! Do it on Longer LK4 Pro, default have 92.6 step and with this extrude 93mm, after calculate need 99.6 step - m92 E99.6 and m500 work good and i`d like this result. thank you! I use Repitier Host for make this

[@shanetravis8680]

Hi newbe how do I do this on the flsun qq-s

[@steenjensen493]

Hi there I have follow your very fine video. When I do the M503 command, I get a weird M92 line: M92 X80.00 Y 100.00 Z400 E405.00!!! What am I doing wrong?

[@BlueRhino600]

When I send the extrude command to my printer, it unloads the filament. Why is this?

[@gglovato]

interesting, i did this different, i removed the bowden from the extruder, marked a line flush to the output, then extruded 100mm and marked again, then removed and took the measurements

[@matthewdodds39]

When I enter the G1 E100 F100 command my extruder starts retracting, any tips?

[@Crosslink3D]

Reversing the motor direction will fix it

[@alrikdewaardt]

i cant seem to find the driver for the CR6 SE so i cant change my e step. Now when i extrude a 100mm it stops at 65mm. I replaced the plastic extruder with a metal dual gear extruder but without the right e step i cant print shit. How do i solve this?

[@Crosslink3D]

Alrik, what do you mean with not finding the right driver? No connection to your PC? Are you using a custom build of Marlin Firmeware on your printer?

[@atomicfx6885]

im having a big issue i went to do this for my micro swiss direct drive on my cr10s i changed it from a titan extruder so i just divided 412 by 3 as its a 3 to 1 ratio with the titan extruder and saved with m500 and now it acts locked cant move any of the axis at all its not even trying to all i did was connect to pronterface and input M92 E137.37 then after i did M500 and after that it acts bricked

[@atomicfx6885]

ok so i found out the fix for this for some reason it was flipping m203 to a negative number E-25 so i had to flip it back to E25 with M203 E25 and that fixxed it (i was trying to make mine negative as for the titan i had to customize the firmware to rotate in opposite direction that it wont even allow me to do in gcode so ima just flip the wires on my extruder ) thank god my old man works with marlin for a living at his machine shop he pointed it out right away

[@jonogunn]

When I typed in M503 it gives me: SENDING:M503 ok N:0 I have a Tronxy-2 Pro connected via USB

[@insightoftheages5571]

thanks for the help brother.. This is what humanity is all about!!

[@123masteryoda123]

I own 3 Voxlab Aquila printers (Cura Clones). I've had major under extrusion problems with one of them and tried this calibration. What I found surprised the hell out of me. Based on your spreadsheet, I needed to increase STEPS to 130 (from 93). I thought that was just crazy, so I checked another Aquila and it came up with about the same. Each was extruding only 66mm when I asked for 100. I have an all metal extrusion with dual gears. I've checked the alignment of the filament teeth and they are fine. I'm reprinting several prints I was never happy with to compare. Mainly Silk PLA. I'm leaving the 3rd alone as it's working fine. But how could it be so far off?

[@clairet5636]

I have a Voxelab Aries with recurring, chronic underextrusion issues and I’m wondering if this is the problem.

[@jussihin]

Hi! His calculation goes wrong on esteps on that excel. Instead of =current_esteps*100/Extruded amount he should have written =current_esteps*100/(120-extruded_amount) Have a nice day!

[@playtech7165]

I have an ender 3 pro, with the original creality metal extruder. I followed the steps of the video, but doing from the printer menu the 100mm and the configuration of the e-steps of the extruder. I had a value of 93 originally, it gave me 48mm difference instead of 20mm when extruding 100mm with the 120mm mark. I had to take the value of the e-step to 179.7, even so everything is not precise, I couldn't get the difference to be 20mm. If I put it in 180 it gives me 18mm if I put it in 179 it gives me 25mm

[@playtech7165]

I ran the series of steps to calibrate several times until I reached that value. I find it a bit high 179 considering that he was originally 93

[@Crosslink3D]

Some ideas. This sounds like there is a general issue with the filament transport. Can you verify that the filament is not getting stuck and the gears aren't skipping? If so, I would do this with the bowden tube detached from the hotend, so the filament can just move through the tube but not through the hotend. If that gives you consistent results, your hotend seems to be clogged and needs a cleanup.

[@playtech7165]

@@Crosslink3D thanks for answer! After many tests, what I saw happen is that when I print more than 2 or 3 small pieces or 1 relatively large piece, it prints well for 1 hour or a few layers perfectly and then the nozzle clogs, and stops extrude, I tried with different filaments, it may be when it retracts a lot, but I don't know why it gets covered, change the nozzle and it does the same. It starts printing perfect and then it fails. If I put a small part alone, it usually prints perfect until the end. It's like something happens suddenly and stops printing perfectly and the nozzle clog. I just order a capricorn tube, and a cr touch for autolevel, the bed is higher in the central part than in the corners and it is very difficult to level it so that it prints the first layers well, which it does perfectly as I mentioned before.

[@johnm4962]

thanks really a great video !

[@drconflict629]

For BMG extruders it should just be 415 right? Those are the provided esteps by bondtech themself.

[@robertorebola7532]

How to calculate if the extrusion goes past the marking ???

[@Crosslink3D]

So even 120mm are not enough? Your settings then seem to bee way off. Try to set the esteps to half what you currently have and then work from there would be my approach.

[@low_skill8618]

Download link does not work anymore, here is the formula: Your actual extrusion (divided by) your current step per mm (multiplied by) 100 = new step per mm pls Correct me if I'm wrong

[@davidkomai]

So there seems to be a limiter in the code preventing me from extruded 100mm --- when I attempt the G1 command you specified, I get the echo back of "too long extrusion prevented".

[@Spixe]

That limiter is set in the marlin code. So either you have uploaded your own firmware and not removed this feature, or you're running a custom firmware for other reasons. Or maybe a factory printer has this enabled - I dunno. :-)

[@boldoobadam9238]

SENDING:M500 Error:EEPROM disabled Error:EEPROM disabled can,t help please

[@milanpradeep4255]

Hey Hi! I've been your follower for a month, I'm developing a custom 3d printer, I can't achieve the power loss recovery feature. Can you post a dedicated video for that. How prusa achived that I used einsy rambo board and SMPS 24V 15A

[@No_Smoking]

I'm curious why the amount extruded is 120mm and not a smaller number (maybe half?) to save "wasting" filament, is it easier to calculate, or because of the motors? (I'm new to 3d printing so excuse my ignorance!) =)

[@Crosslink3D]

It’s more accurate than a smaller amount. You’re still measuring with a ruler. The smaller the distance traveled the higher the chance of inaccuracy

[@No_Smoking]

@@Crosslink3D I see. thanks for explaining, I appreciate it.

[@matuskunik2068]

Hi Daniel, can i use this for direct drive extruder too?! It's similar or it's the same? Thanks.

[@Crosslink3D]

Exactly the same

[@buder5116]

how do you open the spreadsheet file?? ! Edit1: nvm use google sheet(open file menu) its just the drag and drop that didn'T work made me redownload the file i tried to upload >_>

[@Crosslink3D]

I could upload it to google spreadsheets if this helps...???

[@buder5116]

@@Crosslink3D its alright i had to make sure to use (open file) from the spread sheet menu in chrome thx

[@jussihin]

Hi, as I posted this same comment on your video about calibrating X, Y, ands Z, I think people in here needs it as well, so: Your calculation goes wrong on esteps on that excel. Instead of =current_esteps*100/Extruded amount you should have written =current_esteps*100/(120-extruded_amount) Have a nice day!

[@misadventuresin3dprinting.545]

Great video only thing i would change is calibrating on a system with a bowden tube. Heat you hotend to the minimum temp to print. Take the tube out of the hotend and cut the filament flush with the wnd of the tube. Now you extrude your 100mm then cut and measure. It's a much esier way of doing it.

[@Zemistr3D]

Depends what you want to measure. During printing is the amount of filament different because of the pressure on the nozzle. Trying to do extruder calibration with PTFE out is not exactly correct. But as I said. Depends on what you want to measure.

[@Crosslink3D]

Nice way to do this!

[@misadventuresin3dprinting.545]

@@Zemistr3D If your under extruding becausenyour nozzle that is a seperate issue from under or over extruding because of esteps.

[@stepander007]

Why don't make a mark right near Bowden tube. Perform extrusion and do another mark. Than pull back a filament and comfortably measure.

[@jamesdunsmore5318]

My ender 3 v2 done my esteps on the lcd printer menu so easy

[@MmohammedALSheikhly]

thank you :)

[@Crosslink3D]

You're welcome!

[@letsmakeithappen123]

ty ty it work just like to said it would.

[@chemicalburn507]

Thank you

[@Crosslink3D]

You're welcome

[@tranzistor]

Overextrusion example?! 120 -15 =105 (5:04)

[@stevetrapp1095]

No link to software

[@Crosslink3D]

What software are you missing?

[@yoloswag4063]

Exruder calibration is NOT important, UNLESS you change your hotend. Your setting from the factory is already fine, as it is a baseline for actual good calibration. Instead of esteps, adjust FLOW RATE in your slicer. Do this for walls, top and bottom layers and infill until your prints are coming out perfect. You need to do this for every kind of filament you run through the machine, and save the settings in different clearly labeled profiles. Anyone saying you need to do estep calibration does not understand what they are actually doing. It isn't a magic thing that fixes your prints. It just changes the base line parameter for how much filament to extrude. After doing this, you will probably start over or under extruding depending on how flexible your filament is. It is a waste of time, like I said...unless you changed the hot end to something other than the factory one.

[@jonlangfitt]

Or if you change your extruder. Or replace your extruder motor.

[@Humbledandelion]

DONT FORGET TO TURN OFF CURA otherwise you wont be able to connect to your printer...

[@universal7564]

where the result using the new program?

[@Crosslink3D]

How can I help?

[@SmokingDiode]

I'm late to the party here, but I just ran into an issue and wanted to comment that if your extruder retracts instead of extruding using the G1 command, you need to pass your printer G91 to turn off absolute mode and turn on incremental mode.

[@jeffreyelzy5263]

If I put in G1 E100 F100 my Ender 3 Retracts 100mm, instead of extruding.

[@Crosslink3D]

Good for you!

[@CyberOne]

Sounds like your printer is running in absolute mode and the current position is at around 200 mm, so when you issue the G1 E100 F100, it moves back to the 100mm position which is backwards. To overcome this issue, first load in the filament and mark the 120mm as per the video. Next, send the following commands: G92 E0 ; this will Zero the first extruder so the next command will work as intended. G1 E100 F100 ; this will instruct the printer to extrude 100 mm of filament. Next mark and measure the amount remaining. Then perform the calculations as per the rest of the video. Hope that helps.

[@ughitsvictor]

@@CyberOne Thanks for giving an informative reply and actually reading the query at hand vs. @Crosslink only saying "Good for you!" lol...

[@CyberOne]

@@ughitsvictor Well, it's not the first thing he's got wrong :-) I don't think he realises the E-Step is short for "Extruder Steps Per mm" In his last vide he was adjusting E-Steps for the X, Y and Z axis which is so wrong as to be scary. The only one that needs to adjusted from the calculated values are the E-Steps or Extruder Step per mm as there can be variations in the extruder gears and the amount they dig into the filament your using. I did note in this video he was using the correct values for X, Y and Z. 80, 80 and 400 respectively :-)

[@makewithmegma]

Nice👌👍😍

[@Crosslink3D]

Thanks 🤗

[@makewithmegma]

@@Crosslink3D 👍

[@Bubu567]

Measuring filament is easiest with fabric measuring tape. Caution: You will get weird amazon recommendations after buying a few sets of these.

[@MixableManx]

Im just gonna say that doing all of this with black filament makes it a liiiittle tricky

[@Crosslink3D]

White permanent marker could do the job probably

[@joego5359]

The length to be extruded is 100 mm and the starting point is marked, I don't understand where he got 120 mm from but it's wrong. Subtracting from 100 mm worked.

[@Crosslink3D]

120 mm simply because if you’re overextruding, the 100mm marker would disappear into the extruder 😉

[@blazejmaruszewski9042]

Ps. accessing pronterface, turn off cura :D. Serial monitor is very selfish

[@Freddystapersma69]

Why is this still a thing.. Setting flow and multiplier is much simpler because every filament behaves different. So much simpler to change the flow and multipliers.

[@dugy40]

Do everything on the display. Not software.

[@blazejmaruszewski9042]

ive got 62.5 *_*

[@matt.dupuis]

PSA: if you having trouble connecting to Pronterface via USB micro... Make sure your USB cable is not 'charge only'.

[@Zemistr3D]

I really like how you are hiding comments you don't like 😏 Your video is not bad, but it's not accurate, there are missing some useful information and the spreadsheet is useless. You can just use simple math. No spreadsheet needed...

[@Crosslink3D]

KZbin by default hides all comments with links, even to KZbin videos, so yours got filtered out.

[@Zemistr3D]

@@Crosslink3D Hmm... Strange... Comments with links under my videos are normally visible. 🤔

[@schogaia]

Why would the spreadsheet be useless? Of course you can calculate it with a calculator, too. Is the calculator also useless because you can use pen and paper? Are pen and paper useless because you can use your brain? Is your brain useless because you mainly use it to troll more popular KZbin creators? Is KZbin useless because you could watch TV? Are TVs useless because you could listen to the radio? Are radios useless because you could read a newspaper?

[@dahomosapien]

Hi Daniel, Would you ever change over to Bowden? If not, how come? Thanks for the content :)

[@Zemistr3D]

@@schogaia Hmmm... Good point... But if you don't have the spreadsheet with you during working on the printer, you can still use calculator or paper. 😉