When using an FDM 3D printer for printing, it's essential to ensure that the machine's performance aligns with the characteristics of the filament to achieve optimal print results. To attain the best printing outcomes, it's necessary to observe various factors such as temperature, flow rate, and pressure advance of the filament during the printing process. By scientifically and meticulously adjusting printing parameters, the perfect synergy between the printer and filament can be achieved, resulting in the creation of an ideal printed model. Consequently, calibrating your printer is one of the most important first-steps that should be taken when setting up a new 3D printer, to achieve quality prints. (If you're new to 3D Printing or have had failed prints, this is your first step in the right direction.) Unfortunately, it seems not many people understand this process. So, this is more of tutorial for flow rate calibration, rather than an actual testing model. Please download the settings/model to boost engagement, but these files can be deleted (since your slicer will actually generate the print model). Just follow the instructions below.

Open you slicer, presumably Creality Print. In the top menu bar, select Calibration --> Flow Rate --> Pass 1. The slicer will generate 9 sample objects on your print bed. Don't change any of the printer settings. Now, select the filament you wish to test (you should conduct this test for every brand/type of filament in use, but I wouldn't go as far as to test each individual color, although some people do). Edit the filament settings and change the Flow Ratio to "1." Save those settings as a new, testing profile. Apply the filament, with the testing settings, to the model and slice the plate. Print.

Once the print is complete, inspect all 9 samples and select the best print (i.e., the one that is the most smooth and the most flat). Bumpy samples mean the printer is over-extruding the filament. Samples with gaps mean the printer is under-extruding the filament. Once you select the best print sample, note the corresponding number. Go back to your slicer and in the top menu bar, select Calibration --> Flow Rate --> Pass 2. (Pass 1 is "course" adjustment and Pass 2 is "fine" adjustment.) You'll be prompted to select the best print from Pass 1. The slicer will generate 10 sample objects. Do not adjust any printer settings. Apply the same filament to the model as before (your testing profile should already be selected and no adjustments need to be made to your settings). Slice the plate and print the model.

Once the print is complete, inspect all 10 samples and select the best print, using the same criteria from Pass 1. Once you select the best print sample, note the corresponding number. Now, we're going to put those numbers into a formula, to calculate the optimal flow rate for your printer.

Formula: Optimal Flow Rate (Z) = Initial Flow Ratio Setting (A) x (100+Best Sample Number from Pass 1 (X)) x (100+Best Sample Number from Pass 2 (Y)) / 10,000. Simplified, the formula is: Z = A x (100+X) x (100+Y) / 10,000

So, we know our initial Flow Ratio was 1.0. Suppose the best print from Pass 1 was -15 and the best print from Pass 2 was 0. Our formula would look like this:

Z = 1 x (100+(-15)) x (100+0) / 10,000

Z = 0.85

In this case, our optimal flow rate is 0.85 for this particular filament, in this particular printer. Now, go back into your slicer and update the filament settings. Change the Flow Ratio from 1.0 to 0.85 (your formulated optimal flow rate). Save the profile and use this going forward. Now repeat the process for each brand/type of filament you own. Happy Printing!

3D Printer Flow Rate Calibration

0.2mm layer, 2 walls, 15% infill

0.2mm layer, 2 walls, 15% infill