First Layer Experiments

thingiverse

I ran an experiment on my Anet-A8 printer to determine the critical Z-gap for the first layer of the print head above the build board. I had already leveled the heated bed and was happy with the results, but I suspected that every time I swapped filaments, handling the print head caused some change in the head clearance, mainly affecting the first layer and causing "random" problems with adhesion. To address this issue, I fitted a Z-Stop adjuster (Babarikado) and used a Philips Head screwdriver to make adjustments. However, most sides of a Philips Head screwdriver look alike once it starts turning, so I designed a small 5-sided knob for the Z-Stop bolt with an index on one side. This allowed me to track how much I had adjusted the Z-stop to get it back into a good working height. I made a series of prints of a small rectangular block and a broad "brim" using Cura. The brim is a good indicator of an effective Z-gap for the first adhesive layer. A small rectangular prism was used as the test print, which takes less than 5 minutes to print on glass. This smooth base made it easier to interpret the extrusion quality. All trials produced an acceptable print of the model, but the brim provided the best feedback on how to optimize the Z-gap.