Leveling the Hot End Nozzles

Overview

Leveling the nozzles on your Gigabot is a simple process, but it may take several attempts and a bit of patience. Follow the instructions below, or refer to the video for guidance. 

Tools Needed: 

• 2.5mm Allen key
• Nozzle leveling block or Z-Axis Zero Setter
• 8 inch pliers

 

Instructions for tool setter method

Link to video instructions

If you've already set the Z-axis home position, using one of the nozzles, you only need to do these steps for the nozzle that was NOT used in the setting of the Z axis home position.

Written Instructions:

1. Ensure the nozzles won't hit the bed by pulling the gantry all the way until it touches front of the machine, i.e. towards the name plate. If you are using a Terabot, park it in the home position.
2. Heat the bed and hot ends to 60C and 200C respectively.
3. Home Z by going into the Viki and pressing Prepare>Home Z
4. Lower the bed to the zeroed set height of the tool setter. We use this tool setter -- Link to product -- so for us, this set height is 101.6mm for Terabot and Exabot, and 101.3mm for GB3+. These numbers are important for setting the Z-axis home position, you can read more about that here: Setting the Z-Axis Home Position
5. Move the print head to the middle of the bed
6. Using a 2.5mm Allen key, loosen (do NOT remove) the hot end clamp screws on the front of the extruder body.
7. Using the 8 inch pliers, gently grasp the heater block and pull them straight down.
8. Place the tool setter between the bed and the left nozzle
9. Grip the fan mount and adjust the hot end up or down until it reads 0 on the tool setter, then tighten the clamp screw on the extruder body.
   • If you can't move the left hot end up or down by way of holding its fan mount, retighten the left clamp screw, gently remove the left fan mount from the left hot end, then working within 2 minutes, loosen the left clamp screw and perform step 9, then reinstall the fan mount.
10. While keeping the tool setter stationary, move the print head so the right nozzle is over the tool setter.
11. Repeat step 9 for the right nozzle, making sure that its within 0.001" of the left nozzle.
    • If you can't move the right hot end up or down by way of holding its fan mount, retighten the right clamp screw, gently remove the right fan mount from the right hot end, then working within 2 minutes, loosen the right clamp screw and perform step 9, then reinstall the fan mount.
12. Set the Z-axis Home Position according to this article: Link to article
13. Perform the Dual Extrusion Calibration

Instructions for 20/40 extrusion or precision block method

1. Lower the bed to 45mm then place the 20/40 extrusion leveling block under both nozzles. If you are using a precision block, lower the bed 5mm great than the dimension of it. If you are using a tool setter, please see the instructions in the next section
2. Using a 2.5mm Allen key, loosen the hot end clamp screws on the front of the extruder body, then pull them straight down.
3. Raise the bed at the 0.1 increment until the tip of one nozzle makes contact with the block or zero setter.
4. Continue raising the bed until the tip of the other nozzle makes contact with the block or zero setter.
5. Now that both nozzles are making contact with the block or zero setter, firmly tighten the screws on the front of the extruder body to secure the hot ends.
6. When passing the block between the bed and the nozzles, you should feel the same amount of drag for each nozzle. If you are using a zero setter, the measurements of the two nozzles should be within 0.001 inches of one another. If they are not within the level tolerance, loosen the hot end clamp screw, make the adjustment, then retighten. Repeat this as necessary until the nozzles are level.
7. Set the Z-axis Home Position according to this article: Link to article
8. Perform the Dual Extrusion Calibration

Dated but still somewhat useful video:

Questions or concerns? Reach out to our support team at support@re:3D.org or open a support ticket.