Build Bed Adjustment for best print!

[swordriff 119]

How to expertly level the BED. This will influence the quality and the

useful print area!

If your prints are already fantastic, you do not need to study this article.

I received my UM2 a week ago, and it was expertly assembled, thanks,

After having worked with it A LOT, I'd like to share some findings!

Here are a couple nice tips for the bed adjustment!

Select Build-Plate and follow instructions, but first :

1. Choose Maintenance, Advanced, Heatup Buildplate

( you want to make the adjustment with the plate at 65C, or at 0 = room temp if that is how you make your prints. For PLA and for me 65 works well.)

2. Adjust rear point to ca 1 mm using encoder wheel (ca 1 mm is enough, REALLY!, I tried a gauge at first, but it is risky for the nozzle and has no consequence, honestly!!)

3. Adjust left and right front using thumb screws (ca 1mm , Again it is circa…)

4. Adjust (using encoder) rear point with piece of flat paper between nozzle and bed, until paper "bites" SLIGHTLY (using 80g, ie normal laser paper).

If the encoder only allows a heavy bite, and in next step is very loose, then adjust with screw under rear plate. When you are happy, don’t touch that screw again unless doing everything from scratch, since it would upset the balance of the whole bed.

Observe, it is easy to make the bite to hard, and the distance is too small and will print extremely thinly in the beginning.

5. Adjust left and right front to “same amount of bite as in the rear”.

Now you have an almost perfectly levelled bed. Depending on your skill and paper thickness, distance may be a fraction too small or too big, - or it is PERFECT and you are DONE!

My early layers are too thin, or distance obviously too big.. :

In that case, do another build-plate again, but this time ONLY ADJUST THE REAR, AND ONLY USING ENCODER. Everything else upsets the adjustment balance you just did, and you must start from the very beginning.

The firmware could have had a “fine adjustment” button, so we would not have to click our way through it, but it is a quick procedure..

How: Adjust ca 1mm in rear, DON’T touch front left or right (just click the encoder to continue to next step), use encoder ONLY to adjust more or less bite with paper in the rear ONLY.

Suggest 1 click only.

This adjustment will affect the whole bed equally!

I have had great fun exploring my U2 by printing this:

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:16145

The bigger items take time, and can be studied during print while making adjustments.

If you print one of the big items, you can see especially in the beginning if your height is

right! My properly adjusted U2 prints fantastic quality at 0.2mm layer height ( in Cura ).

The Waterpump is small, and i printed it many times to adjust the Speed, Temp and Material flow.

Bed glue/no glue and removal of items will also be covered!

Results in next article! I did swear a couple of times !

Take care