Getting amazing prints from your 3D printer requires dialing in a range of settings and calibrations. One of the most important, yet often overlooked, is calibrating the extruder E-steps.
Properly calibrated E-steps help ensure:
- Dimensional accuracy in your prints
- Correct flow rate and no under or over-extrusion
- Smooth layers with good adhesion
- Accurate prints matching your CAD models
Read on to fully understand E-steps, why calibration matters, how to properly calibrate, and optimize E-steps for perfect 3D prints every time.
What Are ESteps?
E-steps refers to the number of stepper motor steps required for the extruder to move a certain length of filament.
Stepper motors in 3D printers turn in discrete steps as they receive electronic pulses. Controlling the number of pulses controls the motor position and movement.
The extruder uses a geared stepper motor to push and pull the filament through the hotend nozzle. Calibrating the e-steps sets the number of steps needed to extrude the correct amount of filament.
The default e-steps value programmed into your printer firmware may not perfectly match your particular extruder setup. Calibration minimizes any imperfection or differences in the extruder drive gear and filament path.
Calibrating e-steps optimizes extrusion accuracy throughout your prints, rather than relying on guesswork defaults.
Why E-Step Calibration Matters
Correctly calibrated e-steps are crucial for:
Dimensional accuracy – Matching your design models requires extruding just the right amount of plastic. Calibrated e-steps ensure each layer and shape is produced to the proper dimensions.
Preventing under and over-extrusion – If e-steps are too low, filament will be under-extruded leading to gaps, poor layer adhesion, and weak prints. E-steps set too high cause excess extrusion build up and blobs.
Tuning flow rate – Once e-steps are calibrated, flow rate can be finely tuned to perfect individual filament properties like viscosity and diameter.
High print quality – Proper e-steps are a foundation for great prints. Taking time to calibrate avoids headaches later trying to dial in dimensions and quality.
Reliability – Calibrated e-steps produce consistent prints over time, between filament spools, and across different 3D printers.
In summary, accurate e-steps equate to accurate prints.
How to Calibrate E-Steps
Calibrating e-steps follows a simple process of marking filament, extruding a set length, measuring, and calculating new e-steps. Follow these steps:
1. Mark 120mm of Filament
Use a permanent marker to draw a clear line exactly 120mm from the point where the filament enters the extruder drive gear.
2. Extrude 100mm
Heat up the hotend and extrude 100mm of filament, keeping the line parallel with the drive gear. Measure from the drive gear to the line.
3. Measure Extruded Distance
Carefully remove the filament and measure the new distance from the line to the end. This is your actual extruded amount.
For example, if you extruded 100mm but the line now measures only 90mm from the end, your actual extrusion was 110mm.
4. Calculate the New E-Steps
Use this formula to calculate your new e-steps value:
New E-steps = (Current e-steps) x (Actual extrusion distance / Target distance)
For the example above with target 100mm but actual 110mm:
New E-steps = (Current e-steps) x (110 / 100)
5. Update Firmware
Update your firmware configuration with the new calibrated e-steps value. Refer to your printer or firmware docs for details.
6. Save E-Steps
On printers like the Ender 3, you can save the calibrated e-steps to EEPROM so it persists between firmware reflashes:
M500 ; Save settings M501 ; Load saved settings
7. Test with Calibration Cube
Print a 20mm calibration cube to validate your calibrated e-steps. Measure each side – they should match your 20mm target if e-steps are properly set.
With accurate e-steps dialed in, you’ve established a key foundation for excellent prints.
E-Step Calibration Tips
Follow these tips for best results calibrating your extruder e-steps:
- Perform the process with the nozzle removed and bowden tube disconnected if using a bowden extruder. This isolates just the extruder feed rate.
- Work slowly and carefully when marking, extruding, and measuring distances. Rushing leads to inaccurate calibration.
- For the clearest marks, wrap a small piece of tape around the filament then mark the tape.
- Always calibrate e-steps with a completely stock setup. Modifications like metal extruder kits alter the steps required.
- Re-calibrate when changing nozzles, filament type or brand, extruder mechanism, or anything affecting the filament path.
- Adjust flow rate after calibrating e-steps for fine tuning. E-steps set the baseline extrusion.
- Print a bit hotter and slower than normal when testing with a calibration print. This helps fully evaluate extrusion accuracy.
- Keep a log book noting your calibrated e-steps for each filament and configuration. Great for reference and consistency.
Proper e-step calibration is a fundamental 3D printing workflow. Take your time, calibrate precisely, and enjoy prints that beautifully match your designs.
