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Calibration

Dimensional Calibration

Field-tested calibration methods from Ukrainian volunteer production networks.

Scale Factor Calculator

Ukrainian gauge method: Print a test object, measure actual vs target, get correction factor for X/Y scaling.

Scale Factor
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Flow Rate Calculator

Single-wall method: Print hollow cube, measure wall thickness, calculate new flow rate.

New Flow Rate
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Calibration Warning

Per CNC Kitchen research: Calibration cubes can make accuracy WORSE if misused.

The correction factor only works at the calibrated size. A 50mm calibration will be off at 70mm.

Root cause is often material shrinkage, not machine calibration. Use slicer shrinkage compensation first.

Compensation

Shrinkage Compensation

Material Shrinkage Calculator

Compensate for material shrinkage by scaling your model.

Scale Model To
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Slicer Shrinkage Settings

OrcaSlicer: Filament Settings → Shrinkage compensation
Cura: Material settings → Horizontal expansion (negative value)
PrusaSlicer: Scale model manually or use modifier

Materials

PETG Settings

Recommended material for all operational components.

Why PETG?

PETG is the standard for operational components. PLA becomes brittle below 0°C and softens at 60°C. PETG handles temperature extremes, impacts, and outdoor conditions.

PETG Print Parameters

Parameter Value Notes
Nozzle Temp 230-245°C Sweet spot 235-245°C
Bed Temp 70-90°C 85-90°C for best adhesion
First Layer 230°C / 85°C Nozzle / Bed
Subsequent Layers 240°C / 90°C Better layer adhesion
Print Speed 35-50 mm/s Balance quality/strength
Layer Height 0.2mm Max 2/3 nozzle diameter
Layer Width 0.4-0.8mm 1-2x nozzle diameter
Infill 30-40% For structural parts
Fan Speed 50-70% Not 100% like PLA
Retraction (Bowden) 5-7mm @ 35-40mm/s Prevents stringing
Retraction (Direct) 2-4mm @ 35-40mm/s Shorter path
Comparison

Material Comparison

Property PLA PETG ABS
Heat Resistance 55-60°C 80-90°C 95-105°C
Impact Strength Low (brittle) High (flexes) Medium
Outdoor Use Poor Good Good
Print Difficulty Easy Medium Hard (warps)
Enclosure Needed No No Yes
Shrinkage ~0.35% ~0.4% ~0.7%
Field Use Not recommended Recommended Acceptable
PLA Warning

From Ukrainian field manual: "When heated to 60°C it loses hardness; when cooled it becomes brittle."

Do not use PLA for operational components. Use PETG.

Production

Vase Mode

Spiral printing reduces production time by 50-67%.

Production Breakthrough

Vase mode (spiral printing) reduces print time by 50-67%. Ukrainian volunteers use this for mass production of stabilizer fins and similar components.

Time Comparison

Mode Time Method
Standard 40 min Layer-by-layer with infill
Vase Mode 13-19 min Continuous spiral, single wall
Settings

Slicer Configuration

Cura Settings

; Special Modes Spiralize Outer Contour: ON Smooth Spiralized Contours: ON ; Shell Wall Line Count: 1 Top Layers: 0 Bottom Layers: 0 ; Infill Infill Density: 0% ; Speed (for PETG) Print Speed: 25-30 mm/s ; Cooling Fan Speed: 50-70% Minimum Layer Time: 2-3 sec

PrusaSlicer Settings

; Print Settings > Layers Spiral vase: ON ; Perimeters (auto-set) Perimeters: 1 Top solid layers: 0 Bottom solid layers: 0 ; Infill (auto-set) Fill density: 0% ; Speed Perimeters: 25-30 mm/s ; Cooling Min fan speed: 50% Max fan speed: 100% Min layer time: 3 sec

OrcaSlicer Settings

; Quality > Special mode Spiral vase: ON ; Strength (auto-set) Wall loops: 1 Top shell layers: 0 Bottom shell layers: 0 Sparse infill density: 0% ; Speed Outer wall speed: 25-30 mm/s ; Cooling Part cooling fan speed: 50-70% Slow down for layer time: ON Min layer time: 3 sec

Speed/Cooling Balance

For thin areas (like fin tips), standard settings cause undercooked plastic. Enable dynamic cooling:

Parameter Setting Purpose
Normal Fan Speed 50-70% Standard cooling
Max Fan Speed 100% When layer time < threshold
Min Layer Time 2-3 sec Triggers max cooling
Print Speed 25-30 mm/s Slower for vase mode
Temperature +5-10°C Better adhesion, no stringing risk

Vase Mode Time Estimator

Estimate time savings when switching to vase mode.

Vase Mode Estimate
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Equipment

Essential Equipment

Required tools for calibration and production.

  • Digital calipers
    Critical for calibration
  • Hex key set (quality)
    Not cheap kit tools
  • Nozzle wrench
    For hot removal
  • Spare 0.4mm nozzles
    Consumable item
  • 0.6mm, 0.8mm nozzles
    For vase mode / faster prints
  • Needle for nozzle cleaning
  • Fine tweezers
  • Quality SD card
    Reliability critical for long prints
  • Small flashlight
  • Brass cleaning brush
  • 1kg PETG minimum
    Starting material
Pre-Flight

Pre-Print Checklist

  • Bed leveled / tramwayed
  • Nozzle clean (no debris)
  • Filament dry (no moisture)
    Critical for PETG
  • Bed surface clean
  • Correct material profile loaded
  • Enough filament for print
  • First layer monitored
QC

Quality Control

Acceptable Tolerances

Check Tolerance Action if Failed
XYZ Cube Dimensions ±0.1mm Re-calibrate
Wall Thickness ±0.05mm Adjust flow rate
Test Fit (gauge) Seats firmly Adjust scale factor
Layer Adhesion No delamination Increase temp, slow down

Troubleshooting

Problem Likely Cause Solution
Stringing Temp too high / retraction Lower temp 5°C, increase retraction
Poor adhesion Bed temp / gap Increase bed temp, level bed
Layer separation Temp too low / speed Increase temp, slow down
Warping Cooling / bed temp Reduce fan, increase bed temp
Dimensional error (X/Y) Belt tension Check/adjust belts
Dimensional error (Z) Lead screw / steps Check lead screw, calibrate Z
Over-extrusion Flow too high Reduce flow 2-5%
Under-extrusion Flow too low / clog Increase flow, clean nozzle