How do you calibrate your MK4?
Hello everyone, I have a question. I switched from the typical China printers to the MK4, and I've already read that certain "normal" functions don't work with Pronterface, such as M500 for saving code changes and so on. How do you calibrate your MK4 printer? Like PID autotuning, E-Steps, XY axis calibration? The print results are undoubtedly very good, but I haven't achieved perfect results with the XY cube and so on, and as I mentioned, I can't change this. I mean, this is achievable with any 200 Euro China printer, and with a bit of patience, you can get great results there. I hope you can help me out. Thank you very much.
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
Curious about the same here. Would be great if it was possible to send commands (e.g. M500) to the printer with Prusa Connect as well.
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
Not sure why it's marked as solved as I cant see how it is. If there is a solution I would very much like to know too
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
Someone at Redit asked how to set the E-Steps, because M500 seems not be be accepted from the MK4 (what Prusa intended).
He found this links for a Mini (with the same firmware): https://help.prusa3d.com/article/experimental-menu-mini-mini_264396
I also thought about E-Steps, but am not sure whether to try this option. But I can see no reason why it should not work to calibrate the Steps there.
I should test how the Steps are for my MK4. May be they are perfect already.
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
Have same issue. on MK3 I was able to adjust it to have max error 0,05mm on 150mm sometimes even 0,01. So why it wouldn't allow me to save calibration to EEPROM.
I know that for Z and Extruder it is possible under experimental hardware setting (2s to hold than release on Hardware).
But about XY I think that it is possible to add G92 setup in custom G-code for each printer, but than I have to care on which printer I will print that and have to send same setup to everyone who use them. It is uncomfortable and inconvinient - you were better Prusa 🙁
Is there a plan to change it? Or we have just live with it?
So why it wouldn't allow me to save calibration to EEPROM.
You can save it to a Print profile.
Cheerio,
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
Yes, Diem. I can and I will, but as I mentioned, it must be done for each printer separately and during slicing have to choose right profile for right printer. For one it is ok but if you have 3,4, more... it's annoying.
And if others use the same printers with you, everyone have to has the same profile.
it must be done for each printer separately and during slicing have to choose right profile for right printer
Most of the time it won't matter, few prints need that degree of calibration so most can be printed with generic profiles.
if others use the same printers with you, everyone have to has the same profile.
Symlink all the configuration folders to a central server.
Cheerio,
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
Hi Diem.
Most of the time it won't matter, few prints need that degree of calibration so most can be printed with generic profiles.
0.4 mm difference on 150mm is too much for every print.
Symlink all the configuration folders to a central server.
That's good idea. I will try that.
However it would be better if printer itself could hold these calibration data as till now.
Why we should be satisfied with worse function on newer model? Is this really end of Prusa?
0.4 mm difference on 150mm is too much for every print.
Hmmm ... with an average thermal expansion coefiicient of 5.9 *10-6 /C° (PET) half of that is accounted for by thermal contraction leaving well under half an extrusion width - but there is a significant variation depending on the direction of the extrusions, the environmental conditions and depending on the batch of filament and the nature of any pigment.
Any closer tolerance will require calibration per printer, yes, but also per filament, per slice and per model.
In most close-tolerance cases it is better to design blanks fractionally oversize and machine to fit.
Cheerio,
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4? - Hidden Settings Menu
This is were all the settings like E-Steps are located, is a hidden menu. Definitely not recommended unless you know what you are doing.
Experimental settings (MK4/S, MK3.9/S, MK3.5/S, XL, MINI/+
https://help.prusa3d.com/article/experimental-settings-mk4-s-mk3-9-s-mk3-5-s-xl-mini_264396
RE: How do you calibrate your MK4?
I've been down this road. I'm print mainly functional parts. You can adjust the steps/mm, but at what size? If you adjust them for a 50mm cube then the adjustment is only good for that size, and that material. Printing at any other size will be off again.
Also 99% of your size error is plastic shrinkage, not mechanical error on your printer.
Your best bet is to design your parts in a way that can handle shrinkage, and if that's not possible then scaling is probably your best bet, or adjust your model to compensate for the important features.
I will say it would be nice to have a scaling factor that you could save with a filament profile.
Good luck.