tenative test for mesh leveling

[Jules]

I have much to learn....

I'm going to read through all of the stuff you guys have posted. And carefully study it in (hopefully) short order. But I have none of the equipment that i need yet, and it's really hard to make sense of a lot of conflicting information when your brain is as fuzzy as mine is right now. I seriously cannot focus. (Hate feeling this way too.)

In the meantime, be thinking about how to walk someone with zero electronics exposure through the setup process from the very beginning, including where to attach wires, attach splitters, resistors, whatever the heck else you need to do to connect this. (Pictures would be good if you took any when you set yours up, but if not, you guys can probably talk me through it.) Also need to find some Auto-Leveling information to start out with, before jumping into Mesh-leveling, so I'm a real beginner. (You guys use a lot of abbreviations that I'm not familiar with yet.)

My take on it is that each of you guys have a different setup, and i do too (dual, no viki), and I'll need walking through the setup steps for a basic setup first. (I don't even have the setup instructions for the MG version (non-metallic probe) cause i didn't sign up for the distribution.) I assume you attach it somewhere inside the box, right?
(feeble attempt at a joke)

I will somehow manage to get my brain kicked into gear again.....two days until the tape arrives. It's completely useless for me to try anything until then. I'm going to call on you guys once the bird is gone. (Little f***er just fired up again. Dammit! )

[ryaneb85]

Insta, can you PM the link to your firmware download? I've now received my worldly possessions after the move (and weeks of pining after my printer) and am having to almost start from scratch again. I've got auto-bed leveling working fine, but I want to try mesh leveling as there is a slight bow even on my MIC6 plate. It did get shipped halfway across the globe though so I was expecting a lot worse!

[insta]

Not really.

I need to start it over, because Marlin has moved a lot since I last updated it, and the Marlin I picked had some serious problems with the LCD screens. I haven't had a chance to test out any new firmware yet.

[Bratag]

Not really.

I need to start it over, because Marlin has moved a lot since I last updated it, and the Marlin I picked had some serious problems with the LCD screens. I haven't had a chance to test out any new firmware yet.

The bug thread mentioned a patch - or rather a rolling back of some code that they weren't sure how it got changed. Haven't had a chance to test it myself. Work, life etc etc

[willnewton]

Are you talking about the RC5 release insta?

I have not tried it yet, although there has been a new G29 S4 command that allows you to offset the full mesh for leveling. Although you can do this is S3d already.

I just wish epatel would integrate the probe for auto mesh bed leveling. Seems like a common sense idea.

Looks like some LCD fixes in RC5 too.

[Slipshine]

I have been following the auto leveling with much interest. This is getting really cool.
I have some questions and concerns over the auto leveling both the Mesh and plane styles.

I use my machine for some manufacturing prototyping where accuracy of the print is the key. I will typically print an item
and good stable settings measure it adjust the model and reprint at the same settings to get it exactly right.
This works well for me.

I am attaching some pictures to illustrate what I am talking about. In the bottom of each picture the lower area represents the build plane and the
upper item would be the part as it is printed on that plane. A gap was left for visual clarity.

In a completely flat setup with the bed perfectly level the perpendicularity of the sides and the z planes is quite good

With the plane style of auto leveling you probe the table and the software creates a best fit plane from the probed points.
What I am unclear on is how this is applied. From an accuracy standpoint it would be best if the entire plane was rotated and every X Y & Z
was recalculated on every layer this would result in a part with perpendicular sides.

level2.JPG (10.16 KiB) Viewed 9590 times

What I am hoping they don't do is correct for the z-plane and leave the X & Y axis alone what this would result in is a part that the
tops and bottoms are perpendicular to the virtual plane and the sides are straight to the z-Axis.

I am completely lost when it comes to the mesh leveling. I get that is creates a map of the bed and it would allow the first layer to be
super accurate to the un even surface . But what happens to all the layers on top? does it try to create a tiled plane for the sides?

Or does it just map the bottoms and tops and leave the sides straight?

Some questions on this is the top layer uneven like the base plate?
Is there a way to have it mesh level the z plane and absorb the variations in to the first few layers?

It seems to me the most accurate way would be the plane level if at actually adjusts the X,Y & Z.
I know if you are doing small or short files this wont be a problem bit for taller files it can really make a difference.

[robkiller]

Good question hope someone has time to answer.

[ryaneb85]

Has anybody managed to get mesh leveling working reliably? I see a new pre-release of Marlin dropped a few days ago with new fixes, but I don't have the know how to tweak the settings for the M2

I'd really like to get mesh leveling working as my MIC 6 plate drops in one corner, my rails are bowed, and no matter how level I get and what I shim, I still struggle getting a decent first later on prints that are larger than the sweet spot at the center of the bed.