Tuning Wizard Questions

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Silverback
Posts: 5
Joined: 16 Dec 2018, 17:38

Tuning Wizard Questions

Post by Silverback »

I've done some searching and found mhackney video and blog post covering the temperature tuning as well as a discussion on this forum about destringing, and some quick overview questions, but nothing else, and I have a bunch of questions:
  • Are there more videos like mhackey's around or more complete directions?

    Using Inland's PLA+ I got the temperature narrowed down to a really narrow range (218-221* it's appreciably better than anywhere else), but when I went to try tuning flow rate the calculator gave me this, and it isn't working for any of the functions now. I've even closed the program and restarted and got the same:
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    If I get the wizard working right, how/where do I enter "it worked fine from 12.38mm to 24mm?"
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    What is a reasonable range for testing the preloadve?

    I also tested some Amazon Basics PLA in blue and got a great result basically from 185-230*C, basically no blemishes besides an under extrusion around half way through, same clean layers. What do I do with that? The little bit of something you see in the LH side bottom half is not really there, that's the way the flash bounced off of it:
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    The Inland PLA+ seems to be underextruding some on the bottom layers- you can see light/pinholes through them, the blue Amazon basics one is solid and you can't blow through it even though the walls are thicker on the Inland PLA+ (around .55mm vis about .49mm for the Amazon, I'm guessing that is because of the 1.5 loops setting adding an "occasional" extra loop for strength). How do I fix that?
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pjr
Posts: 692
Joined: 05 May 2015, 10:27
Location: Kamnik, Slovenia

Re: Tuning Wizard Questions

Post by pjr »

When you enter the "Best Z" in the Tuning Wizard Configuration window, you must have a model loaded and sliced, otherwise, you will get a -1 value returned.

In your case, the flow rate is fine at about half way (5.5mm^3/s) to 1mm^3/s, so these are the values you need to set in the Max and Min "Flow Adjust" fields in the Material tab of the settings window. But you haven't gone low enough to check the min value. Maybe you should print another model with the value range 7 to 0.1 mm^3/s.

When a filament works with a larger temperature range, you can use the temperature which produces the best-looking finish; some filament will have a more matt finish at lower temps and be glossy at higher temps. Down to you and what you prefer.

However, personally I tend to use manufacturer specs for the Max flow rate (E3D V6, for example is around 11.6 mm^3/sec) and for the minimum, I work on about 50 extruder steps/sec and calculate the Minimum from that.

Quite simply, 3D printing is not a precise science; use the parameters that work and you are happy with and remember that the tuning wizards are only a very rough guide.

Peter
Silverback
Posts: 5
Joined: 16 Dec 2018, 17:38

Re: Tuning Wizard Questions

Post by Silverback »

pjr wrote:When you enter the "Best Z" in the Tuning Wizard Configuration window, you must have a model loaded and sliced, otherwise, you will get a -1 value returned
Thanks! I'm not sure where the model went, but yea, that was the problem.
In your case, the flow rate is fine at about half way (5.5mm^3/s) to 1mm^3/s, so these are the values you need to set in the Max and Min "Flow Adjust" fields in the Material tab of the settings window. But you haven't gone low enough to check the min value. Maybe you should print another model with the value range 7 to 0.1 mm^3/s.
I did test down to .1mm, and except for the top lip being mashed and melted (less than the top .5mm) it looked really good. It looks like I have a good, usable range of about 5.1-.4mm^3/s. From the results, it looks like the only problem I have with going faster is some flex only in one direction on the x-axis. It was so cool watching it printing that fast that I'm tempted to try and figure out where it is just to run faster ;-)
When a filament works with a larger temperature range, you can use the temperature which produces the best-looking finish; some filament will have a more matt finish at lower temps and be glossy at higher temps. Down to you and what you prefer.
That's the crazy thing, there isn't a difference in gloss or noticeable strength across that range. I thought there was going to be a difference in color because I printed the same print with that filament in 3 different slicers and they were slightly different colors. I was expecting that there was a difference in the temperature maintained the way the g-code was output but this test didn't even appear to have a color gradient. Right now I'm tempted to just pick a number like 205 or 210 and run with it.
However, personally, I tend to use manufacturer specs for the Max flow rate (E3D V6, for example is around 11.6 mm^3/sec) and for the minimum, I work on about 50 extruder steps/sec and calculate the Minimum from that.

Quite simply, 3D printing is not a precise science; use the parameters that work and you are happy with and remember that the tuning wizards are only a very rough guide.

Peter
Thanks for the input. I got here trying to track down some weirdness in a print that showed up after a firmware update and I kept getting answers that it was a hardware problem or my filament is crap, but then I tied going from Cura to Silc3r and it went away completely. Until then I assumed a slicer is a slicer and with all the settings you can change in Cura I assumed that I could just fix things by fiding the right setting, but it wasn't possible.

All that being the case I want to give KISSlicer the best chance possible to see what it can do- I might as well get it tuned the way they want it before I try an important print.
Silverback
Posts: 5
Joined: 16 Dec 2018, 17:38

Re: Tuning Wizard Questions

Post by Silverback »

What am I looking for in the profileve test? I'm assuming it's something more than just surface finish since they have you change the style to add 2 outer loops and 20% infill?

Since I was getting decent prints like things are and it's currently set to .15us I'd try a range around there and see what I got, maybe something will be obvious. So I set it up to .07 - .2 and let it go.

Besides 2 lines of stringing and the visible seam (which appears to be part of these tests) I see no difference top to bottom (and when I say "I see" it's not like some people and a "good enough" thing, I'm extremely anal retentive and have very good vision, I'll pick out things that most others will need a magnifier to pick out). The part looks even, strong, equally strong from top to bottom from what I can tell, no elephant's foot or other defects in shape...
sinned6915
Posts: 55
Joined: 28 Nov 2017, 10:06

Re: Tuning Wizard Questions

Post by sinned6915 »

Silverback-

Are you asking about PreloadVE?

PreloadVE constant is sot-of like filament retract and reload of the filament in advance of travel movement.

If you do the calibration cube as specified, look INSIDE the printed object. You are looking to estimate the elevation where the stringing is eliminated.

You can look for a 'rip line' on the outside where your seam is, but it might not be as accurate and indicator as the stringing on the outside.

sinneD
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