Question for those with auto-leveling via three steppers

[fcwilt]

Hi,

I just equipped my first printer with three Z steppers so I could try auto-leveling.

My question is this - when do you perform the auto-leveling procedure?

• During Z homing?
• As part of the process to prepare to print?
• Both of they above?
• Something else entirely?

Thanks much.

Frederick

[gloomyandy]

I usually level the bed when I first turn on the printer (when left for a long time my bed can drop slightly on one or more of the motors). Once levelled it is fine until I power off.

[engikeneer]

@fcwilt similar to @gloomyandy, I have a macro I run to level my bed that I run on initial power up after homing. That macro also rehomes z after as I know my bed is bit warped. I find that it only really needs levelling after a power cycle (though will occasionally run in between longer / more critical prints).
I find that sometimes it barely has to correct much, but sometimes it needs a few goes. I like to manually run the macro so I can see the result and rerun it as many times needed. If I wanted perfect repeatability, I'd call it three times in my start Gcode (or maybe do something funky with conditional Gcode) bit I like having more control over it, and keeps the homing files simpler for when you just want to home the axes!