How to calibrate the steps of the extruder

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You've probably heard about calibrating your extruder steps, this is a crucial task that will allow you to get accurate and high-quality prints.

In this article, I will show you how to calibrate the extruder steps of your 3D printer, specifically the Ender 3.

Calibrating the extruder steps will allow the amount of filament being pushed through the extruder to be accurate and precise.

1. Heat the print nozzle
2. Remove the coupling from the extruder
3. Make a first reference mark
4. Extrude 100mm of filament and make a second mark
5. Measure the distance between the two marks
6. Calculate extruder steps and make adjustments
7. Save the new values so they are not lost
8. Check that the extruder has been correctly calibrated

What are extruder steps and why calibrate them?

The extruder steps refer to the amount of steps per millimeter that the motor needs to push the filament. This means that to extrude a quantity of filament, the printer must have stored in its memory the number of steps that the motor must perform to accomplish this action.

In simple terms, extruder steps are the amount of filament that moves through the extruder when printing. These steps are controlled by the extruder motor and are measured in units known as “steps/mm”.

Calibrating your extruder steps is important because if the steps are set incorrectly, the amount of filament being extruded may be incorrect.

Not calibrating the steps of the extruder can lead to problems of under-extrusion or of over-extrusion, that is, that the engine push less or more filament than it should.

You should calibrate the extruder steps because it will guarantee quality 3D prints with more precise dimensional measurements.

How to calibrate the steps of the extruder

To show you how to calibrate your printer's steps, I'm going to use mine as an example. It's a Ender 3 with a common factory extruder and we are going to do it together step by step.

Tools you will need:

• 1 ruler (preferably metal), or a manual or digital caliper.
• A marker or pen.
• Some filament for testing.

1. Heat the print nozzle

Due to a safety measure, most printers will not allow the extruder to move unless the nozzle is hot.

You will select preheat and wait for it to reach the preselected temperature, which will be approximately 200°C.

Once this is done you will need to remove the fitting located on the extruder.

2. Remove the pneumatic coupling from the extruder

To allow the filament to move freely, you will temporarily remove the pneumatic coupling from the extruder.

This will allow you to make a couple of marks with a pen, to take measurements in millimeters with the ruler or the Caliper.

Unscrew the pneumatic coupling with a wrench and then manually pass some filament through the extruder.

3. Make the first mark to have as a reference

You are going to pass a small portion of filament over the extruder and with the pen you are going to make the first mark on the filament.

This mark is important to have a reference of how many millimeters will be extruded by the motor.

4. Extrude 100 millimeters of filament and make the second mark.

In your printer's menu, you will give the order to extrude 100 millimeters of filament.

Once this is done, you are going to make a second mark to take the measurements.

You should make the marks as close to the extruder as possible, always in the same place to try to make the measurements as accurate as possible.

5. Measure the distance between the two marks.

To know if your printer's extruder is calibrated, you must measure the distance in millimeters between the two marks.

Remember that you gave the order to extrude 100 millimeters, if the measurement is the same then you will not have to make any changes, since the extruder steps are correct.

Now if the measurement is larger or smaller you will have to make an adjustment..

6. Calculate the extruder steps and make adjustments.

To perform this calculation we will use the following formula: (Desired distance X printer steps) / Actual distance = New parameter

To find the default parameters on the Ender 3/Ender 3 Pro you will need to search in the menu:

Control – Movement – Steps/mm – Steps/mm

In your case you will have to look for the steps that are configured by default by searching in the menu. your printer.

Continuing with the example of the Ender 3, the formula would apply as follows: (100mm x 93 steps) / 98.63mm = 94.29 steps

Then the new value to save in the printer firmware would be 94.3 Esteps/mm

7. Save the new values, so they are not lost.

If you do not save your changes to memory, all data you have entered will be lost the next time you turn off the machine.

To do this you must go to the menu:

Control – Save Memory (Store Settings in English)

If you have done it correctly you will hear a beep from the printer.

8. Check that the extruder has been well calibrated.

Repeat the process of extruding 100 millimeters of filament and perform a check.

If the result is 100 millimeters, then you have succeeded! Your extruder has now been successfully calibrated.

You can reconnect the Racor coupler and start printing.

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Conclusions calibrating the steps of the extruder

Calibrating the extruder passages is an important task that can be significantly improve the quality of your 3D printsIf the steps are set incorrectly, prints may have incorrect dimensions or have gaps.

Follow the steps outlined in this article to calibrate the extruder steps on your Ender 3 3D printer and enjoy precise, high-quality prints.

With practice and patience, you will be able to achieve 3D prints with exceptional precision and quality.

Frequent questions

1. Why is it important to calibrate extruder steps?

It is important to calibrate your extruder steps to ensure that the correct amount of filament is being extruded. If the steps are set incorrectly, your print may have incorrect dimensions or gaps.

2. How can I tell if my extruder steps are set incorrectly?

If your extruder steps are set incorrectly, your print may have incorrect dimensions or gaps. You can also test by measuring the amount of filament being asked to extrude and comparing it to the actual extruded length.

3. Is it necessary to calibrate the extruder steps on every print?

It is not necessary to calibrate the extruder steps on every print. However, it is recommended to do so periodically to ensure that the settings remain correct.

I invite you to read a publication that may interest you: What grease to use in 3D printers?