For parts printed directly on the build platform on the Form 3, do we have to factor in the surface area of our part like what must be considered on the Form 2?
IIRC…
lower part surface area -> more pressure, therefore more Z-compression
larger part surface area -> less pressure, therefore less Z-compression
With the sliding action of the Form 3…I’d imagine Z-compression may be experienced differently. Could someone @Formlabs chime in on how to consider Z-Compression correction with the new Form 3?
I’ve been considering calibrating a cube printed on the build platform, but wasn’t sure if size was going to be an influence.
The “low force stereolithography” technique we are using in the Form 3 is pretty radically different from what we used in the Form 2—compression during squish is a different beast. I don’t believe there is even a tuning option on the printer.
@CraigBroady I’m experiencing enough Z-compression that I can tell I’d benefit from adjustment/calibration. I also just have a lot of parts that benefit from printing directly on the build platform so I’d like to tune it anyways.
Follow the Form 2 guidelines or approach this differently?
I don’t believe that the Form 3 touchscreen interface has the same options as the Form 2 for this kind of adjustment. I would recommend reaching out to support here, as I don’t have an answer for you.
Did you get a reply or workaround from Support? I, too, like to print direct-on-base. I took for granted the Z-compression dial (or some analog of it) would remain, not sure what to think about it missing.
You can do Z-Compression Compensation within the support settings.
First set Raft Type to None which tells it to print to the bed.
Then you can set the Z-Compression Correction which will pad the bottom of your object
Also if your object has a flat bottom set Early Layer Merge to 0.
That will change the amount of extra base extruded onto the bottom of the part (i.e. to achieve better dimensional accuracy along the Z direction). But it won’t let you tweak how strongly the part sticks to the build platform (which in the past I’ve found a handy use of Z fine tuning especially when printing a pattern of dozens / hundreds of parts I want to be able to pull off by hand).
