This instruction set reflects improvements added in software application version 3.0.4. In the Settings menu of the user interface, check the Updates tab to make sure your software is up-to-date. You can find instructions to update the software in the Maintenance section, under Software Update
The AON-M2 uses active bed leveling while printing to compensate for any irregularities that may occur in the bed surface. A detailed description of this feature can be found in the Operation section, under Auto Bed Leveling. This page will explain how to use this feature.
Before probing a mesh, it is necessary to allow the machine, both bed and chamber, to reach thermal equilibrium.
Before probing, make sure the filament has been removed from the meltzone of the hot end. The meltzone refers to the area between the nozzle and heat break of the heater block assembly where the filament is actually melted.
10
for the Extrusion Distance.
Extrude filament until material begins to come out of the nozzle.Failure to retract the filament will make it much more difficult for the hot end to trigger the bed probe mechanism. This will introduce errors into the calibration results and may damage the hot end and probe assemblies.
Probing requires lowering the hot end temperature so as not to damage the plate or cause the material in the hot end to break down and clog the nozzle.
In order to protect from damage during probing, changing the hot end temperature is blocked during the probing process.
The Z Calibration tab can be found under the Control menu. Here you can enter custom values for the probe bounds and grid size for the mesh, send the command to probe, and also adjust the Z offsets.
If you are not using the entire build surface, you can choose a smaller section to probe. The preview shows the points that will be probed within your chosen bounds. The black dots are probe points and the blue lines are the boundaries of the defined probing area. The red dots show the position of the bolts on the High Temperature Build Plate.
A higher count adds more definition to the grid. A lower count reduces the time it takes to probe the bed.
The probe bounds can be reset to their default values by pressing the Reset button.
Restrictions on Probe Bounds are summarized below.
Probe Bound | Default Value | Minimum | Maximum |
---|---|---|---|
Left | 35 | 0 | Right - 30 |
Right | 415 | Left + 30 | 450 |
X Count | 8 | 3 | 10 |
Front | 35 | 0 | Rear - 30 |
Rear | 415 | Front + 30 | 450 |
Y Count | 8 | 3 | 10 |
In the diagram below, you can see the coordinates of key points on the build platform to help plan your probing sequence. The blue square shows the outline of the printing area of the AON-M2 Aluminum Build Plate. Inside the blue square is the PEI plate outline and bolts on the AON-M2 High Temperature Build Plate.
If you are using the AON-M2 High Temperature Build Plate, you must take extra caution to adjust the probe bounds. Do not probe outside the default bounds to avoid probing outside the area of the PEI plate as this can cause the bed to crash on the toolhead and damage it. The default grid created by the probe bounds will probe around the bolts holding the PEI plate to the aluminum base. Avoid using bounds that will probe directly on a bolt head as this will introduce significant error in the resulting mesh.
Use the Tool Select buttons to select the tool you want to probe with.
If you will be using both toolheads on the same print, you will need to probe your print area with both toolheads.
Tap Start to initiate the probing sequence for the selected tool.
The machine will home the axes and proceed to probe the bed. Each point in the probing grid will be measured several times. Watch the first few probe points to make sure the probe is moving smoothly.
If the machine has difficulty compressing the probe, or if the probe gets stuck in the compressed state, you may have forgotten to retract the filament. Tap Stop to stop the probing sequence and follow the instructions above to retract the filament before initiating the probing procedure again. This can also cause a “Z probe triggered prior to probing error” error.
You can tap Stop at any point in the probing procedure to cancel it. This stops the probing sequence and the active toolhead goes back to its homed position except if probing is stopped while the automatic homing is done. In such case, automatic homing is stopped and the machine must be homed after a stop.
Probed values are reset to the default configuration (30 mm) when probing is stopped.
If you stopped the sequence because you did not intend to probe the bed, you can use M501
to retrieve the values from the last successful probing sequence.
Once probing is completed, the tool will move to the center of the probed area. You will see that the nozzle will move very close or possibly touch the bed. At this point, you will use the Tool Adjustment Distance and Adjust Printing buttons to adjust the Z offset and set the zero point for the Z-axis. A rough calibration is done before printing. This will be fine-tuned while printing your first layer.
0.1mm
and 0.05mm
distances.Make sure the probe is not compressed at this point. This can happen if you adjust the offset too close. For this rough calibration step, it is better to leave a small gap between the nozzle and bed than push them too close. This avoids the risk of collisions, or having the nozzle scrape the bed.
Once the machine is probed, do not home again before printing as this can introduce error in the calibration.
AON3D recommends probing the bed before every print, especially if you have changed the printing temperatures or made physical changes to the machine, including changing nozzles, repairing toolheads, or swapping build surfaces. You may have to fine-tune the offset again when printing at different temperatures and after making changes to the machine.
After you have probed the bed and done a rough calibration, the distance from the nozzle to the bed will be nearly calibrated, but not as precise as required for printing perfect first layers. This can be fine-tuned while extruding a sacrificial skirt or brim for the first layer.
Set up your print with a brim, skirt, or raft that may be treated as sacrificial. These settings can be found in the Additions tab in Simplify3D.
All FFF profiles provided by AON3D are pre-set with sacrificial additions for fine-tuning the offset. You can find FFF profiles in the Materials section.
Use the 0.05 mm
and 0.01 mm
distances to adjust the offset at the start of your print.
To learn more about printing a good first layer and to practice fine-tuning the Z offset, see the First Layer article in the Operation section. For new users, we recommend running the fine-tuning practice print before each new print. This is also a useful excercise when switching to a new nozzle size or new material for the first time.