5 posts tagged with "Flow Rate"

Frustrated with "subjective" flow rate calibration in OrcaSlicer? This quick guide will help you ditch the guesswork and objectively master your flow rate for consistently perfect prints.

Why Flow Rate Matters (The Short Version)​

Flow rate (Extrusion Multiplier, EM) controls how much filament your nozzle extrudes. Get it right, and your prints are strong, dimensionally accurate, and smooth. Get it wrong, and you'll face issues like:

• Over-extrusion: Wasted material, blobs, stringing, rough surfaces, weakened parts.
• Under-extrusion: Gaps, weak layers, poor surface finish, holes.

Source: help.prusa3d.com

Achieving high-quality 3D prints relies heavily on precise printer calibration. Without it, you'll encounter common issues like stringing, poor bed adhesion, and inaccurate dimensions. Calibration is the foundation for consistent, reliable, and excellent print results.

OrcaSlicer is an advanced, open-source slicing software with powerful built-in calibration tools. This guide will help you use the latest stable releases of OrcaSlicer (typically versions 2.3.0 or recent 2.3.1 nightly builds) to fine-tune your printer. We'll cover Temperature, Flow Rate, Pressure Advance, Retraction, Tolerance, Max Volumetric Speed, and Vertical Fine Artifacts (VFA) calibrations. These tests are designed to be performed in a specific order, progressively improving your print quality.

Understanding OrcaSlicer: Your Calibration Hub​

OrcaSlicer offers advanced features like precise wall control, "sandwich mode" for better surface finish, "polyholes conversion" for complex geometries, and seamless integration with Klipper, OctoPrint, and PrusaLink. It provides granular control while remaining user-friendly with drag-and-drop design and pre-made printer profiles.

Accessing Calibration Tools in OrcaSlicer​

Most calibration features are in the "Calibration" menu. After completing any calibration test, always create a new project. This ensures OrcaSlicer exits calibration mode and resets parameters for your next prints.

In the 3D printing world, the initial setup of your print is just as important as the model you’re trying to bring to life. One of the most critical and often overlooked components of this setup is the Start G-code, a set of instructions that prepares your 3D printer for the actual print. Whether you use Orca Slicer, a feature-rich slicing software that is based on Bambu Studio and PrusaSlicer, or another slicer, understanding and customizing the Start G-code can be the key to better prints and a smoother workflow.

In this article, we will go deep into what is Start G-code, why it’s important for perfect prints, how to edit it in Orca Slicer, and how to customize it for any 3D printer. We will also explain the Start G-code in the well-known Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro in Orca Slicer as an example for better understanding.

By the end of this article, you will know how Start G-code works, how to tweak it for best results, and how to use advanced techniques like Klipper macros to make your G-code simpler more readable and easier to update.

Hello there! Welcome to our easy-to-understand guide on how to control the OrcaSlicer maximum volumetric speed test for 3D printing enthusiasts. If you’re looking forward to enhancing print quality and efficiency, then this is the best place for you. This tutorial will help you optimize your printer’s volumetric speed that determines at what speed you can print without compromising on quality.

Volumetric speed knowledge is crucial in 3D printing because it enables one understand how fast a printer can produce objects with accuracy. If this speed is tested and adjusted, under extrusion among other common problems while printing can be avoided thus ensuring that all your prints are good-looking even at higher speeds.

Introduction​

Flow rate calibration is a crucial step in achieving high-quality 3D prints. Proper flow rate ensures consistent layer deposition, smoother surfaces, and better details. In this article, which is one of a series of OrcaSlicer calibration articles, we’ll explore the flow rate calibration process using OrcaSlicer, an open-source slicer software designed for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printers.

Before we delve into the flow rate calibration process in OrcaSlicer, let's pause briefly to understand what it is and its key features.

OrcaSlicer: A Powerful & Flexible Option for 3D Printing Slicing​

OrcaSlicer is an open-source 3D printing slicer software for FDM printers. It's primarily designed for printers compatible with Marlin, Klipper, and Bambu Lab firmware. It supports various popular models from brands like Creality, Prusa, Elegoo, and even the open-source Voron.

OrcaSlicer Family Tree:​

OrcaSlicer is based on Bambu Studio, which itself is derived from PrusaSlicer. PrusaSlicer, in turn, is based on the open-source solution Slic3r.