Fast bed level test pads (Prusa i3mk3) by Project2571

Last crawled date: 3 years ago

Simple and fast pads for testing and setting bed level correction for Prusa i3MK3.
I am using mainly PETG and test is done with that
Outer lines of pads are 240 mm x 200 mm and therefore no skirt.
Pads are 0.2 mm thin and printing time is 6 minutes
After assembling a kit I set all like said in manual and everything looks quite good. Live z adjustment was -180.
I did some test prints and noticed that bed level corrections was better in
left 0, right -5, front -15 and rear -5
This setting gives good results and it was important that steel sheet surface was clean ( I like to use basic washing-up liquid like fairy, good rinse and paper drying)
Still want to make sure that all corners are aligned as well as possible.
Procedure goes like this:

So I run these pads and got measurements with digital caliper
left rear 0.22 right rear 0.24 left front 0.21 and right front 0.21
rubbing with finger right rear feels a little rough as other were acceptable smooth


Correcting bed level again
left 0, right -7, front -15 and rear -7


New test print
left rear 0.21 right rear 0.22 left front 0.20 and right front 0.22
rubbing with finger all were acceptable smooth


Correcting bed level again
left 0, right -8, front -15 and rear -8

Another test print
left rear 0.21 right rear 0.20 left front 0.20 and right front 0.21
This is fine for me and no need to try to adjust all corners exactly 0.2. Finger rubbing gives smooth feeling for all and measuring results are inside acceptable tolerance.
Notice that when using caliper, rotate pad and take several measurements and find smallest point. This is usually against the grain and in the middle. Perimeter crossing gives some extra thickness in the perimeter area in these levels.