CHAPTER 6. POLAR3D PRINTER MAINTENANCE
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calibration adjustments – but because the Polar3D printer op-
erates in polar coordinates, with a spinning build plate achieving
both
x
-axis and
y
-axis movements, rather than a separate and
distinct
y
-axis calibration, calibration of the Polar3D printer’s
movement in the
xy
-plane is achieved via
x
-axis calibration and
build plate levelling.)
In more detail, the three calibration areas are as follows:
1.
z
height (
the most important/most commonly in need of ad-
justment calibration item
): If the
z
height of the
is slightly high, the first print layer (first layer of material
extruded) may only be lightly touching the build plate, in-
stead of being “smooshed” so that it adheres to the build
plate. If the
z
height is too low, filament either may not be
able to come out at all, or may come out too “smooshed”
and actually flattened. You will want to check that the tip
of the extruder nozzle is
just
above (a thin sheet of paper
higher than) the build plate surface.
2.
x
-axis (
more rarely an issue
): The center of the
should be located directly under the
nozzle of the
print head when the build plate is homed: neither too far
forward, nor too far backward. This is more conveniently
checked when the build plate itself is removed from the
: compare the alignment of the extruder
nozzle
vs.
the center of the drive gear bearing on the build
place shuttle.
3. Consistent levelness of the build plate (
very rarely an is-
1
The center about which the build plate spins, which corresponds to the center of the
drive gear bearing on the build plate shuttle, rather than necessarily the
exact
center of
the build plate itself.
