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What is the deal with all this first layer fixation? (programming.dev)

submitted 1 day ago by [email protected] to c/3dprinting

22 comments fedilink hide all child comments

It seems like over the last couple months/half year there's been this new fixation with printing a huge perfect single layer of plastic all cross the entire bed of one's printer. I see lots of folks asking about calibration issues when they are trying to do this. It seems like it's sorta become a standard of sorts.

I just ask why?

It seems to use a huge amount of plastic and honestly I don't think it probably effects real world results that much.

I feel like the 3d printing community has a lot of shilling going on for companies and the information you get might not be entirely reliable. Look into the issues with this FLSUN S1 if you want to know what I mean.

But anyway, I have never had an impulse or see the need to print a single layer across the entire build surface of my printer. because I feel like that's a huge waste and doesn't actually matter when it comes to real world results.

Am I missing something? I kinda wonder if this kinda test is being pushed by the folks selling us filament, to sell us more filament. Is there a good reason to actually do this?

Please enlighten me!

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[–] motsu 1 points 13 hours ago

Its just a test to dial your printer in. I shimmed my bed with 0.1mm washers. I haven't done a full square of plastic, but I printed my first layer / z-offset print of choice in all 4 corners and center in order to verify the bed level results in octoprint were accurate.

Before hand 70% of my bed printed perfect, but one spot was a little lower, and the mesh bed leveling wasn't accounting enough for it. Parts printed on textured sheets would not pick up the texture as well in that one spot. I like the textured look for top surfaces of control panels and such, so having an area on the bed that wouldn't apply the texture was a bit annoying.

Tests like what you are talking about is an extreme way to verify that everything is square, or at least well accounted for in the firmware.

Also, since this wasn't something achievable out of the box until recently, printer manufacturers are showing it off as a point of pride / as a sales tactic.