Hardware
Automatic bed levelling
Also known as: nivelacion automatica · auto bed leveling · abl · mesh bed leveling · sonda de cama · bltouch
Short definition
Automatic bed levelling is the process where the printer probes several points on the bed and compensates for height differences in software during the first layer.
Full definition
No bed is perfectly flat or perfectly parallel to the head's path. Instead of fixing that with screws, the printer measures a grid of points with a probe — inductive, capacitive, contact-based or by force sensing at the nozzle itself — and adjusts the Z axis on the fly. It is why modern printers 'just print' where a few years ago you had to fight with a sheet of paper under the nozzle. Note: auto-levelling compensates for the bed's shape but does not replace Z-offset, which remains a human adjustment.
Related terms
- Z-offsetZ-offset is the fine distance between the nozzle tip and the bed on the first layer, normally adjustable while the printer is running.
- Heated bedThe heated bed is the heated surface you print on; keeping the first layer above a certain temperature stops the part from contracting and lifting.
- First layerThe first layer is the one deposited directly onto the bed and it determines whether the part stays put for the whole print.
Updated