Bed levelling issue

[Astusvis]

Just got my printer and have major issues with it - it can’t even successfully print a raft!

• I’m using the included white UP ABS.
• I’ve tried levelling the bed using the UP Studio and the included calibration card
• I’ve tried printing with and without a raft
• I’ve tried both perf-board and flex-board
• Printer is UP Mini 2 ES, latest firmware, serial number 262933

The print bed appears to be significantly lower on one side to the other? I understand that there is no physical bed levelling but I would expect that out of the box it could at least print a damn raft before failing!

Am I missing something or will I have to be returning this as not fit for purpose??

[Jason-TT]

First make sure the nozzle height value is correctly set, so that the first lyaer is adhering properly.
Then do a manual 9 point leveling with the calibration card included, so that you will get 9 compensation values, These value should not have difference larger than 0.5mm.
Finally make sure to use raft to print on perforated board, if use no raft, the leveling data will not apply to the print.

[Astusvis]

Hi Jason, these values are significantly higher than 0.5mm.

I have since manually measured the difference from front left to front right and have found that the left side of the printer is around 1.2mm lower. This indicates to me a faulty product and I have started the return process with whom I purchased from.

[tpearson71]

not a faulty product. just need manually levelled.

[SirLucian]

I believe there to be a bug with the bed leveling in the software. If I go through the whole “Manual” process from scratch, I can do it but shouldn’t I be able to just click the little arrows next to individual points to adjust them without having to do it all from scratch?

Currently I have been trying to get the right side to be better and these values are getting so far away from where I started with the paper calibration, and I’m convinced when I change these values nothing changes!

Am I doing something wrong? I’m satisfied with all the left side and middle column values, so I screenshot them so I can do the “Manual” button again and try get the right side values correct.

I’ve even resorted to putting scraps of old rafts beneath the bed. This has been my most successful method of achieving some decent results

[SirLucian]

Now using the paper test again and doing it from scratch, I have these numbers:

I’ll share a picture of the results of my bed level test print.
(here is the file I made for this printer and it’s 9 points - 9 point test - 15mm squares - 110mm array.stl (5.4 KB) and if you just want to test one part of the printer after making some adjustments, use this little square and put it where you want to test single square.stl (684 Bytes) )

I give up. I’m just gonna shove more shims in there. this bed leveling via software just doesn’t work.

Any advice from Tiertime would be greatly appreciated.

[quote=“SirLucian, post:7, topic:2093, full:true”]
Now using the paper test again and doing it from scratch, I have these numbers:

I’ll share a picture of the results of my bed level test print.
(here is the file I made for this printer and it’s 9 points - 9 point test - 15mm squares - 110mm array.stl (5.4 KB) and if you just want to test one part of the printer after making some adjustments, use this little square and put it where you want to test single square.stl (684 Bytes) )

I give up. I’m just gonna shove more shims in there. this bed leveling via software just doesn’t work.

Any advice from Tiertime would be greatly appreciated.

First make sure the nozzle height value is correctly set, so that the first lyaer is adhering properly.
Then do a manual 9 point leveling with the calibration card included, so that you will get 9 compensation values, These value should not have difference larger than 0.5mm.
Finally make sure to use raft to print on perforated board, if use no raft, the leveling data will not apply to the print.

hang on, do I understand you correctly that the level adjustments only apply to rafts?

Because I don’t want to believe that it is expected that we always print with rafts. they are wasteful in both resources and time. I’d like to be able to level my bed for printing without a raft also. Please tell me I misunderstood your previous statement.

[Jason-TT]

the software even out the difference by printing a compensating raft, if raft is off, then software leveling is off.
so you have to mechanically level the bed when raft is off.

[SirLucian]

okay, well that explains why my bed level print tests didn’t seem to be affected by the leveling calibrations. Is the only way to manually bed level by using shims? Have you guys got a printable mechanical bed system for those of us who don’t want to have to use rafts? I’ve found a mod for the UP Mini 1, but not for the UP Mini 2… And I’d really like to be able to level the bed properly. I far prefer printing without rafts. at the moment I’m just using the left side of my print bed. I don’t trust the other side.

[diegovega]

Hi SirLucian and Jason, i think I’m facing a similar problem… I can’t level the bed via software. I’m doing the card calibration and always ending up with one corner squashed and the de opposite side not siting. how to do the mechanical levelling? thanks a lot

[SirLucian]

I’m using offcuts from rafts to raise the offending corners by force. it’s working well enough. and a bent paperclip in the one corner stops the glass from shifting around