How do people switch between print beds?  

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

That is why they are selling satin sheet.

Anyway, the new firmware has a feature in it, to memorize sheet values for both smooth and textured. I don't have it yet no practical info from me 🙁 

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

I switch between the smooth and textured sheets by using sheet profiles.

https://help.prusa3d.com/en/article/steel-sheet-profiles_1955

But, this won't help with just differences between filament brands/colors if that's what you're looking for.

Ted

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

Posted by: @ace-krystal

[...]

1. Change out the bed obviously;

This is when you should select one of the stored profiles with the correct Live-Z setting for the sheet you just placed on the printer.

1. Prepare the printing process (cleaning, swapping filament, loading SD-card, ignoring over 100-file message etc.)

If you have that many files on SD card, you might try organizing them in directories (folders). I do this with hundreds of calibration prints. A good folder hierarchy makes it easy to select among large numbers of files. (I'm assuming you're using a Prusa printer as they support such a structure.)

[...] In experience its very unfriendly that you can't change the Z-height until it is done calibrating, then you have a way to small window to change the Z-height if you remembered that you still need to do the calibration part. I thought there was also a way to change Z-height while in IDLE state, but then again you will need to keep track if it is already set or not, and there is no way of checking it up until it is already printing. The setting is not listed in the "tune" menu.

You can change Live-Z while idle with the Settings->Live adjust Z menu option on the printer, but as you note, this is only for the currently selected bed profile. You need to set up a profile for each sheet with the appropriate Live-Z set for that sheet. Any adjustments you make, whether at print time or via the front menu, affect the currently selected sheet profile. All you need to do is make sure you select the appropriate sheet profile before making Live-Z adjustments. (I still write the current Live-Z on each sheet with a Sharpie on a strip of blue painter's tape just in case I mix them up. Easy to reset if needed.)

I use this process to regularly swap between a half dozen sheets. It just takes a little getting used to but works quite well.

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

@technical-ted

This is the way. 

The only thing I would add is that I found these little tabs very helpful to remind me to change sheet profiles in the firmware menu:

https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/38515-build-plate-reset-reminder

I printed one for each of my spare sheets. 

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

Is it possible to make use of "First Layer Height"? (My default is 0,2)
For example, if I know that some brand/color needs 0,03 lower Z-height I simply adjust my "First Layer Height" to 0,17 so the nozzle goes 0,03mm lower.
Some other filament needs 0,05 higher so I change "First Layer Height" to 0,25 and the nozzle goes 0,05 higher 👍

Is it possible or will that change mess up other "calculated" values? 🤔 

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

Posted by: @ringarn67

Is it possible to make use of "First Layer Height"? (My default is 0,2)
For example, if I know that some brand/color needs 0,03 lower Z-height I simply adjust my "First Layer Height" to 0,17 so the nozzle goes 0,03mm lower.
Some other filament needs 0,05 higher so I change "First Layer Height" to 0,25 and the nozzle goes 0,05 higher 👍

You can, but I've found it to be more trouble than it's worth. For one thing, you'll still end up doing sheet adjustments. Back in 2018 or so, a lot of people were trying to add increase Z offsets for PETG and the like, but I don't hear much about it anymore. Maintaining a dozen filament profiles is more work than making adjustments per-sheet on the printer.

Is it possible or will that change mess up other "calculated" values? 🤔 

You start making changes in multiple places and it can complicate troubleshooting if you don't keep track of it all.

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

I don't use the sheet profiles at all. I have each of my sheets marked and I have a list for the height of that sheet for each printer on a sticky pad, I go to settings/Live Z adjustment and just set it, you can do it as soon as the machine is done booting, no bed leveling, no nothing.  I got used to doing it this way before they offered profiles and have not had an issue so I didn't switch.

Regards

Swiss_Cheese

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

@ace-krystal

if you take your files and put them in folders on the SD card e.g. Project Name (Fan Duct) and put only your fan duct prints in it and then another folder for a different project, your card will load faster and you will get less load errors and be able to navigate faster.

no one can save you from yourself, but you.

Swiss_Cheese

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

I'm with Bob. I found the sheet profiles pretty much do the job for me. I do a recalibration of the first layer when I change nozzles or do any work on the hotend. Most of the time I don't see a huge need for making filament specific adjustments. I usually just watch the first part of the first layer and make live z adjustments on the fly as needed. 

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

Posted by: @ringarn67

Is it possible to make use of "First Layer Height"? (My default is 0,2)
For example, if I know that some brand/color needs 0,03 lower Z-height I simply adjust my "First Layer Height" to 0,17 so the nozzle goes 0,03mm lower.
Some other filament needs 0,05 higher so I change "First Layer Height" to 0,25 and the nozzle goes 0,05 higher 👍

Is it possible or will that change mess up other "calculated" values? 🤔 

I do that, and it works very well, in fact, I never adjust my Live Z for new materials. TPU, PETG, ABS etc, etc,, all use the same Live Z settings and if I feel I need to push it in a bit more I'll change my first layer from 0.2 for example to 0.15 etc,,.

So to answer your question yes, and it works perfectly for me.

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

Posted by: @ringarn67

Is it possible to make use of "First Layer Height"? (My default is 0,2)
For example, if I know that some brand/color needs 0,03 lower Z-height I simply adjust my "First Layer Height" to 0,17 so the nozzle goes 0,03mm lower.
Some other filament needs 0,05 higher so I change "First Layer Height" to 0,25 and the nozzle goes 0,05 higher 👍

Is it possible or will that change mess up other "calculated" values? 🤔 

I just re-read what you wrote and realized you might just mean simply changing the slicer setting from 0.2 to a lower 1st layer height. That adjusts the internal calculations in the slicer, so you don't get any more or less "squish". The slicer adjusts so less filament is pushed. If you're not getting good adhesion, or you're getting nozzle scraping, I wouldn't expect anything to improve by simply using a different 1st layer height slicer setting. If you are changing your 1st layer height in the slicer, all you are doing is adjusting those "calculated" values you mentioned. 

If you are trying to improve adhesion or reduce scraping, you can use gcode to adjust the "0" position up and down which is what some users tried to account for PETG. You can or lower the nozzle a bit, then set that height as the "0" position.  That will let you print the same amount of filament with a bit more or less 1st layer clearance (vary height with the same rate of extrusion). It works, but it's annoying to keep track of. That would result in more "squish" (extrusion) akin to what you might be used to in Simplify 3D if you are familiar with that slicer. You can insert something like:

G0 Z0.02 ; Lower Z to desired 0 position
G92 Z0 ; Set Z 0 to current height

Alternately, you could insert some gcode (M220) to increase or reduce the rate of extrusion for only the 1st layer.

FWIW: You can't go below a 0.15mm 1st layer height on the Mk3 without some trickery. Not sure what the minimum is on the Mini.

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

@swiss_cheese

Thanks for confirm

@bobstro

I just re-read what you wrote and realized you might just mean simply changing the slicer setting from 0.2 to a lower 1st layer height. That adjusts the internal calculations in the slicer, so you don't get any more or less "squish". The slicer adjusts so less filament is pushed. If you're not getting good adhesion, or you're getting nozzle scraping, I wouldn't expect anything to improve by simply using a different 1st layer height slicer setting. If you are changing your 1st layer height in the slicer, all you are doing is adjusting those "calculated" values you mentioned. 

* Yes, that was exactly what I meant, thought it was an easy way out.
* Of course I have to test it, and of course you were correct 😉, when I look at the gcode it sure does push out less filament

 ......to what you might be used to in Simplify 3D if you are familiar with that slicer. 

I am not familiar with Simplify, I am just beginning to understand PrusaSlicer 😀 

G0 Z0.02 ; Lower Z to desired 0 position
G92 Z0 ; Set Z 0 to current height

That seems like a simple way, if I put that in "Filament Settings Start G-code" then it is depending on filament instead of print setting, exactly what I was after 😊 

And I totally agree with the fact that it is easy to very quickly get lost among all settings. 😫 

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

Thanks @Technical Ted and @bobstro!

I thought I heard about sheet profiles somewhere but I never got to see how/where it was.

I have tried using the steel sheet profiles today, but I don't really like it to be honest. It is much quicker to go to Settings->Live adjust Z menu-> (set to number written the the sheet) then to go to Settings -> HW setup -> Steel Sheets->Sheet XXX (and double check Z-height as it is not directly visible and I or someone else could have changed it). Maybe I could change the names of the sheet profiles to the z-height set into them and people may never change it. That might work faster then doing Z-height manually.

Thanks for pointing this to my awareness 🙂
And I hope the sheet profiles are just an early implementation of something that is going to be better 😉

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

@ace-krystal

From the main screen, click the control once and you should see where you can select a sheet profile on the first screen. It's the 3rd line down on my Mk3S+. Just toggle through them and stop on the one you want. No need to go deep into any of the menus to select a desired sheet profile.

Ted

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

I have the mini+ and got both pei and textured sheet.

I took it to my routine from the start to put in the sheets in the sheet-menu then marking the sheet itself with a strip of painters tape and write the number #number as well as z-value for saftey/verification.

RE: How do people switch between print beds?

@technical-ted

Oh... thats not my case, would need to either upgrade firmware or upgrade my MK3 to MK3S+ to have that feature?