Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
What is the purpose of this setting if the z offset is already done on the printer itself and stored in memory please? Am i losing anything by not bringing over my z offset from printer to slicer settings?
Or is this just a way to adjust z offset per print?
RE: Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
AFAIK, this is an additional setting inserted in the g.code that corrects the Z value stored in the printer. For instance if you have a Z of -1.000 in the printer’s memory and you set -0.1 in the slicer, the printer will use a Z of -1.000 - 0.1 = -1.100.
Although I always leave this value at the default value of 0 because it seems quite redundant to me, you’re probably right. Surely tat setting is meant to be a Z offset for different prints or filaments requiring more or less squished first layers.
RE: Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
One application where this might be useful, is if you have gone to the trouble of calibrating your extrusion multiplier for a specific spool of filament in order to get the maximum possible dimensional accuracy in your print. When you change the extrusion multiplier from the default, this will also have an effect on what Z-offset will be optimal. Once you determine how much the Z-offset needs to change, you could make the change in the slicer setting instead of changing your printer's preset for the sheet you are using, and make that part of your saved slicer profile for that specific filament.
RE: Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
For all intents and purposes you can ignore that setting for Prusa printers. It's a leftover from Prusaslicer's heritage and more useful for printers that don't have automatic bed leveling.
Formerly known on this forum as @fuchsr -- until all hell broke loose with the forum software...
RE: Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
I would agree that it is a pretty much a redundant setting where it is now, but as @Artur5 intimated, it would make a lot more sense if it was part of the Filament Settings. That would allow you to set a z-offset adjustment for different material types rather than having to remember to do it on the printer front panel when physically swapping filament.
A typical use case is PETG which normally needs a little less 'squish' than PLA. You would keep the printer's physical z-offset at the value you have determined for PLA and then put any difference in z-offset between PLA and PETG (or any other material) in the adjustment field (0.02 in my case). In my scenario, the filament profile for PLA would have '0' set for the field and the profile for PETG would have a value of 0.02 to move the offset a little higher to get less squish.
You still need to profile each filament type to find the optimum z-offset, but that is good practice anyway.
Worth raising a feature request? (Note: I didn't check to see if one already exists).
Cheers,
Tim
RE: Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
Hi,
I use this setting in slicer when I print on a glass sheet. The z offest is then equal to the thickness of the glass sheet.
The glass sheet is placed on top of a normal prusa sheet.
Frans
Frans Krau
Europe, Holland, Apeldoorn
RE: Z offset under printer settings in Slicer
Hi Frans,
That's a good application for the setting. I've made a note about that for my future-self!
Cheers,
Tim