# How much will an uneven surface effect my prints?
**URL:** https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34
**Category:** Support & Troubleshooting
**Created:** [May 3, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34 "2013-05-03T16:30:38Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Jory](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Jory)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2013, 4:30pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/1 "2013-05-03T16:30:38Z")
I have my printer placed on a table that is slightly off tilt. Will the Form 1 auto stabilize or should I use a level to make my surface as even as possible?
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### Author:  [@JasonLivingston](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JasonLivingston)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2013, 5:13pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/2 "2013-05-03T17:13:18Z")
Actually, the Form 1 comes with a built in level-- just add resin! The resin in the tank will find its level so by comparing to the horizontal max fill lines on the tank, you can tell how level your printer is. Just make sure that the resin level is not above the line in any corner (it’s always better to under fill the tank!). Leveling your Form 1 can make filling the resin tank easier. I use a pad of post-it notes on my desk as a stack of 0.1 mm shims,
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### Author:  [@JulianWood](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JulianWood)
#### Post date: [May 4, 2013, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/3 "2013-05-04T14:26:07Z")
I don’t think an uneven printer would damage the print.
Jason, the film of resin being cured for each layer will be a uniform thickness regardless of leveling, so like you said, the only detriment is that you could accidentally overfill your tank. Right?
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### Author:  [@CraigBroady](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/CraigBroady)
#### Post date: [May 6, 2013, 8:44pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/4 "2013-05-06T20:44:39Z")
That’s right, Julian.
Since the printer always builds at the bottom between the last part layer (or build platform for the first layer) and the silicone tank layer, leveling doesn’t matter here.
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### Author:  [@MaximLobovsky](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/MaximLobovsky)
#### Post date: [May 8, 2013, 3:39am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/5 "2013-05-08T03:39:17Z")
Leveling generally does not affect print quality, but it will affect the maximum amount of resin contained in the resin tank. This can limit the size of build you can do without refilling mid print.
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### Author:  [@JimmyLing](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JimmyLing)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2013, 12:34pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/6 "2013-05-09T12:34:40Z")
Does the machine require calibration of the tank in parallel to the build surface?
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### Author:  [@Martin](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Martin)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2013, 12:39pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/7 "2013-05-09T12:39:02Z")
Nope! No endless levelling steps like you might expect with other 3D printers. You just have to make sure that the tray and build platforms are slid in all the way, and the prints should come out great.
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### Author:  [@JimmyLing](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JimmyLing)
#### Post date: [May 9, 2013, 12:51pm UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/8 "2013-05-09T12:51:23Z")
May I know how it compensates the leveling? Cos I think it may affect the bond on the build surface, thanks.
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### Author:  [@JonathanBaker](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/JonathanBaker)
#### Post date: [May 16, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/9 "2013-05-16T01:54:01Z")
The build surface is fully immersed, so level doesn’t matter much, only parallelism. With FDM printers level doesn’t really matter much, but it’s much easier to achieve parallelism with a level machine (when you have to calibrate it by hand.)
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### Author:  [@Sophia\_M](https://forum.formlabs.com/u/Sophia_M)
#### Post date: [April 17, 2026, 8:01am UTC](https://forum.formlabs.com/t/how-much-will-an-uneven-surface-effect-my-prints/34/10 "2026-04-17T08:01:48Z")