{"id":426,"date":"2021-10-01T23:09:14","date_gmt":"2021-10-01T23:09:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/makemendel.com\/?p=426"},"modified":"2021-12-31T06:22:25","modified_gmt":"2021-12-31T06:22:25","slug":"ender3-auto-bed-leveling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/makemendel.com\/ender3-auto-bed-leveling\/","title":{"rendered":"Setting up the Ender 3 Auto Bed Leveling (Helpful Beginner\u2019s Guide)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

An even bed is one of the first conditions for a perfect printout of a 3D printer. If you are into 3D printing, you have probably heard of Creality. In this article, I\u2019ll discuss Creality\u2019s Ender 3 auto bed leveling and what options you have available to achieve auto-leveling with this particular printer. Without further ado, let\u2019s begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s Auto Bed Leveling?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Auto bed leveling technology works with the bed and nozzle to create a level surface when printing. As I mentioned earlier, it\u2019s crucial to have a level print platform or \u201cBed\u201d to get a precise print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before auto bed leveling was mainstream, the leveling was a time-consuming task done by adjusting the screws. Not only is the manual leveling repetitive, but also it\u2019s somewhat inaccurate at times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In case of auto leveling, all the adjustment is made by the help of sensors and firmware. The sensor measures the distance between the nozzle and the bed and moves the nozzle up and down accordingly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: ender 3 bed size<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Importance of auto leveling<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are several reasons why auto leveling is vital for your 3D printing projects. I have told you about manual leveling before, how boring and time-consuming it can be. Apart from that, other reasons that can mess with the quality of the print.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you don’t know already, 3D printers primarily work in layers. Whatever you are printing, the first layer is the most important as it gives the print a solid foundation. Due to the uneven printing bed, this layer doesn\u2019t stick to the bed as it\u2019s supposed to. As a result, the print can get ruined easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another thing that happens often is that the nozzle gets dipped into the print as the distance reduces between the nozzle and printing bed. So not only does it affect the print, but the nozzle can get clogged too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All these problems mentioned above only have one solution, installing a Creality Ender 3 auto bed leveling device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How does auto bed leveling work?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To better understand the auto bed leveling option, I\u2019ll be breaking down how this auto bed leveling process actually works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most of the auto bed leveling kits use a proximity sensor to adjust the nozzle. The sensor is usually attached to the printer head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you begin the printing process, the sensor moves on the heated bed, scanning the bed at different points. This way, the sensor collects necessary data about the bed, mostly where it’s uneven. Later, the data is sent to the firmware of the leveling kit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To work with a particular printer, first, you have to install the firmware into the printer. The firmware then calculates and determines the distance of the nozzle and the bed at different points of the printing process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nozzle adjustments are made along the z-axis to maintain the necessary distance. The sensor is capable of scanning out even the slightest uneven parts of the bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One thing to notice here is that the sensor doesn\u2019t move the printing bed around. Instead, it works with the nozzle and moves around while the bed stays still. So maintaining the same distance covers up for the uneven bed and gives you a perfect printing result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Related: Ender 3 retraction settings<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The options for setting up the Ender 3 with auto-level functionality<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For a price tag of $200, Ender 3 is one of the most affordable 3D printers on the market. With tons of great features, this can be a great purchase. However, one thing I have seen users complain about Ender 3 is the leveling issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, in this part, I’ll tell you about three standard Ender 3 auto level solutions. These leveling devices work with sensors and firmware, so installing these will require some primary technical knowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BLTouch Auto Bed Leveling Sensor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

BLTouch automatic leveling module is the most commonly used bed leveling sensor for Ender 3. Even Creality recommends this product for Ender 3, and if you want, you can buy it through Creality\u2019s official website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This device work with a proximity sensor that calculates the distance with high-precision according to the printing bed and application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sensor is compatible with different sorts of bed materials like metal, glass, and wood. Additionally, smart features like self-test, alarm and touch switch modes give this sensor edge over other bed leveling sensors on the market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, you can either buy the sensor alone or get a full kit that comes with accessories needed to install the auto leveling sensor. I would recommend going for the entire3D printer bed leveling kit. Because for a few bucks more, you\u2019ll get screws, power cable, mounting brackets and so on coming with the sensor. If you are confused about which kit you should buy, have a look at these options below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n