Using different E step values for the different filaments I use?

PaulHew

Am I doing something wrong?
I use different filaments, mainly PLA and PET-G and normally from the same manufacturer, Tech Outlet.

I always check my E steps when I put a new or different roll on and then do a flow calibration.

Should I be changing my ESteps or should it be, set and forget, and then manage everything through flow in the slicer?

For instance
M92 X80.00 Y80.00 Z400.00 E800
; TechOut PET-G Red E817
; White PLA E800 ;Chroma E800 ;TechOut PLA E825

I have been looking at using unload / load scripts and no references to people changing the E value in their scripts.

Am I missing something?

Thanks in advance

Paul

A Former User

Does the different filaments truly feed different lengths with the same e-stop settings? If so I'd like at gears and/or idler pressure.

If they feed the same distance then tune e-stop according to feed length and adjust the rest with filament diameter in the slicer (it3 flow%)

PaulHew

@bearer No, they all have different E values.
; TechOut PET-G Red E817
; White PLA E800 ;Chroma E800 ;TechOut PLA E825

And depending which filament I use I change the E step, then in my slicer profiles, Cura, I have a different profile for each filament.

P.

fcwilt

@PaulHew

Hi,

Your extruder should have a value which is correct given the mechanics of the extruder.

In your case it looks like 800 is the correct value.

You can perform a test to determine the correct value if the manufacture of the extruder has not provided it.

However you get that correct value, to vary the behavior of the extruder you use M221 which allows you to increase/decrease the amount extruded. The amount is specified as a percentage.

Frederick

dc42

I leave the E steps/mm and slicer settings alone, and adjust the extrusion factor to suit the filament from DWC or PanelDue.

fcwilt

@dc42 said in Using different E step values for the different filaments I use?:

I leave the E steps/mm and slicer settings alone, and adjust the extrusion factor to suit the filament from DWC or PanelDue.

I have been using M221 in the config file for the various filaments I use. I don't remember the name of the file off the top of my head.

That approach seems to work.

Frederick

PaulHew

Thanks all as usual for your inputs.

I am running an original E3D Titan direct drive with their pancake stepper.
Documentation informs me that the starting E steps is 837.

M221 is the same, i think, as flow rate within the slicer.

@dc42 how would you know how much to adjust the Extrusion factor to?
Would you print a test cube first?

Thanks again.
Paul

dc42

@PaulHew said in Using different E step values for the different filaments I use?:

M221 is the same, i think, as flow rate within the slicer.

iI has the same effect, i.e. scale the calculated or requested extrusion by a factor. M221 has the advantage that you can do it at the start of the print or on-the-fly, whereas adjusting the flow rate in the slicer requires you to re-slice and start the print again before you can see the effect.