Active Leveling Question

[Ryan8696 1]

Hello, I've searched as much as I could for the answer to this question before posting this so I'm very sorry if it's been answered before.

 

After I complete active leveling on my UM3E, when the print begins I need to make very minor adjustments on my build plate screws to get the right print height for the first layer.

When I print again the printer completes active leveling again and then I have to adjust the screws again.

 

My question is: Once I have completed active levelling and adjusted the screws, do I need to complete active leveling again before the next print? or can I just turn the active leveling off as I now have the right bed height?

[gr5 2,268]

You can turn it off but I suspect it will use the last manual leveling result.  Active leveling will assume the plane of the bed is at some tilt.  Manual leveling assumes the bed is level after you are done.

 

Since you seem to be competent at manual leveling I would just run manual leveling one more time and never use active leveling again.  I haven't used active leveling for 2 years on my UM3 and I've been very happy with that.  I can go 100 prints without having to adjust it.

[Nicolinux 288]

Why do you need to adjust manually after active leveling? Not that active leveling is perfect but I never needed to manually level the build plate after a print has started.

 

[Ryan8696 1]

Thanks @gr5 - I think i'll go with your suggestion. The active leveling is great when it works - but unfortunately with my printer it seems to be hit and miss.

 

@Nicolinux I have no idea to be honest - out of the box for the first year I never needed to do this, but over the last few weeks one side always prints closer to the bed than the other side. I've tried active leveling a dozen times (after cleaning the bed and nozzles thoroughly), the leveling completes "successfully" but problem remains...

[kmanstudios 1,120]

Do you do a manual leveling to make sure you are back into 'gammut'? That is, the range of almost perfection to realign all the screw placements? I do a manual leveling about once every two months or so just to get the plate back into alignment for a better active leveling solution. The plate will drift out of gammut every now and then.

[Ryan8696 1]

To be honest I've never heard that term before!

 

Based on the forums I've read the best way to go about it is to tighten all 3 screws completely - then turn then back about 3-4 turns and then run the manual leveling for the fine adjustments (which is what I've been doing)- then apparently the active leveling should be spot on. Is that what you mean?

 

 

[kmanstudios 1,120]

1 hour ago, Ryan8696 said:

Is that what you mean?

Pretty much.

 

Gamut is usually used in photo editing, but means within a range. I do not like my buildplate too tight. I like a small amount of bounce so it can ride over those pesky curls and such and not just bang the hell out of the print.

[StephanK 30]

Just for the records.. my brandnew UM3 is doing the same thing: after active leveling, the bed ist just ever so slightly too close. No biggie, but i found it worth noting. Ideally, i guess, a Z-offset setting in the printers menu would be nice..