Mechanical Tuning

Bed Tramming

Bed tramming is the process of mechanically adjusting the print bed so that X/Y movements do not result in unwanted Z movements. The MakerGear M2 achieves this adjustment through the use of three M3 screws beneath the bed.

Steps:

  1. From the LCD menu, select Motion > Tramming Wizard

  2. After homing completes, select the first point to probe. With the current configuration this will be Front.

  3. Select Measure. This will probe the height at this point, and define it as the reference to which other points will be adusted.

  4. Select Done, then select Rear.

  5. Select Measure.

    • If the measured value is positive, the bed is too high. Tighten the screw beneath the point to lower the bed.

    • If the measured value is negative, the bed is too low. Loosen the screw beneath the point to lower the bed.

    • Repeat until the measured value is zero, then select Done.

  6. Repeat step 5 for the Right point

Z offset adjustment

The Z offset tells the printer how far the print nozzle is from the probe tip, vertically. A proper Z offset adjustment will help ensure reliable prints. This Z offset will need to be adjusted when anything changes the relationship between these two points. For example:

  • The nozzle is replaced, and may have a slightly different Z height

  • The extruder assembly is disassembed and reassembed, possibly with slightly different positioning

Steps:

  1. From the LCD menu, select Configuration > Advanced Settings > Probe Offsets

  2. To adjust the offset manually, select Probe Z Offset and adjust

  3. For interactive adjustment, select Probe Z Wizard

    1. Use the move options and the dial to adjust the nozzle until it just touches the print bed. It helps to put your eye at the level of the bed, where any gap can be easily seen.

    2. When the nozzle is just touching the bed, select Done

  4. Save settings to the printer's EEPROM, by selecting Configuration > Store Settings

Mesh Bed Leveling

The 3-point tramming system of the M2 should provide reasonably good print performance, but no surface is truly flat. Mesh bed leveling uses the automated probe to measure the curvature of the print bed, and compensates for the in software if needed. The adjustments are miniscule and have no discernable impact on the final product, but aid greatly in first-layer quality.

Bed leveling is normally performed before each print by including a G29 command after homing the printer with G28. The G29 command adds a few minutes to the start of each print. If this becomes burdensome it is possible to save the stored mesh and restore it using the M420 command instead.

To perform leveling from the LCD menu, select Motion > Bed Leveling.