Delta owners: how do you set your Z-height?

[C-line]

I've recently started using my Mini Kossel delta printer with S3D and it's working great. One issue I'm having, though, is adjusting my starting Z-height from within S3D.

Right now, if I have to bump the Z-offset up or down a bit, I disconnect from S3D, open Repetier Host (I'm using Repetier firmware), and tweak the Z MAX LENGTH accordingly in the EEPROM settings. Then I disconnect from Rep Host and go back to S3D to print.

There's got to be a better way! How do other delta owners with software endstops handle this procedure?

[BaudR8]

This is how you set it for Repetier Firmware:

Open up the Machine Control Panel, connect to the Printer and then go to the communication tab. Type this command:
M205

You should see it spit back the EEPROM values:

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RECEIVED: EPR:2 75 250000 Baudrate
RECEIVED: EPR:3 129 795.456 Filament printed [m]
RECEIVED: EPR:2 125 350505 Printer active [s]
RECEIVED: EPR:2 79 1800000 Max. inactive time [ms,0=off]
RECEIVED: EPR:2 83 0 Stop stepper after inactivity [ms,0=off]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 11 80.0000 Steps per mm
RECEIVED: EPR:3 23 300.000 Max. feedrate [mm/s]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 35 80.000 Homing feedrate [mm/s]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 39 35.000 Max. jerk [mm/s]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 133 0.000 X home pos [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 137 0.000 Y home pos [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 141 0.000 Z home pos [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 145 250.000 X max length [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 149 250.000 Y max length [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 153 235.513 Z max length [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 59 1850.000 Acceleration [mm/s^2]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 71 3000.000 Travel acceleration [mm/s^2]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 881 178.000 Diagonal rod length [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 885 74.300 Horizontal radius [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:1 891 80 Segments/s for travel
RECEIVED: EPR:1 889 225 Segments/s for printing
RECEIVED: EPR:1 893 0 Tower X endstop offset [steps]
RECEIVED: EPR:1 895 0 Tower Y endstop offset [steps]
RECEIVED: EPR:1 897 0 Tower Z endstop offset [steps]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 901 210.000 Alpha A(210):
RECEIVED: EPR:3 905 330.000 Alpha B(330):
RECEIVED: EPR:3 909 90.000 Alpha C(90):
RECEIVED: EPR:3 913 0.000 Delta Radius A(0):
RECEIVED: EPR:3 917 0.000 Delta Radius B(0):
RECEIVED: EPR:3 921 0.000 Delta Radius C(0):
RECEIVED: EPR:3 808 39.910 Z-probe height
RECEIVED: EPR:3 812 2.000 Z-probe speed
RECEIVED: EPR:3 840 150.000 Z-probe x-y-speed
RECEIVED: EPR:3 800 0.000 Z-probe offset x
RECEIVED: EPR:3 804 0.000 Z-probe offset y
RECEIVED: EPR:3 816 100.000 Z-probe X1
RECEIVED: EPR:3 820 20.000 Z-probe Y1
RECEIVED: EPR:3 824 160.000 Z-probe X2
RECEIVED: EPR:3 828 170.000 Z-probe Y2
RECEIVED: EPR:3 832 20.000 Z-probe X3
RECEIVED: EPR:3 836 170.000 Z-probe Y3
RECEIVED: EPR:0 880 0 Autolevel active (1/0)
RECEIVED: EPR:0 106 1 Bed Heat Manager [0-3]
RECEIVED: EPR:0 107 255 Bed PID drive max
RECEIVED: EPR:0 124 80 Bed PID drive min
RECEIVED: EPR:3 108 87.860 Bed PID P-gain
RECEIVED: EPR:3 112 3.010 Bed PID I-gain
RECEIVED: EPR:3 116 641.820 Bed PID D-gain
RECEIVED: EPR:0 120 255 Bed PID max value [0-255]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 200 92.400 Extr.1 steps per mm
RECEIVED: EPR:3 204 100.000 Extr.1 max. feedrate [mm/s]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 208 45.000 Extr.1 start feedrate [mm/s]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 212 6500.000 Extr.1 acceleration [mm/s^2]
RECEIVED: EPR:0 216 1 Extr.1 heat manager [0-3]
RECEIVED: EPR:0 217 205 Extr.1 PID drive max
RECEIVED: EPR:0 245 60 Extr.1 PID drive min
RECEIVED: EPR:3 218 31.3600 Extr.1 PID P-gain/dead-time
RECEIVED: EPR:3 222 2.1800 Extr.1 PID I-gain
RECEIVED: EPR:3 226 112.9000 Extr.1 PID D-gain
RECEIVED: EPR:0 230 255 Extr.1 PID max value [0-255]
RECEIVED: EPR:2 231 0 Extr.1 X-offset [steps]
RECEIVED: EPR:2 235 0 Extr.1 Y-offset [steps]
RECEIVED: EPR:1 239 3 Extr.1 temp. stabilize time [s]
RECEIVED: EPR:1 250 150 Extr.1 temp. for retraction when heating [C]
RECEIVED: EPR:1 252 0 Extr.1 distance to retract when heating [mm]
RECEIVED: EPR:0 254 255 Extr.1 extruder cooler speed [0-255]
RECEIVED: EPR:3 246 0.000 Extr.1 advance L [0=off]

(this is for my delta printer)

For me the line I care about for Z Max Length is:

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RECEIVED: EPR:3 153 234.513 Z max length [mm]

This is the syntax of how it's set up:

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EPR:_data_type position value description_

For me, data type is 3, position is 153 and value is 234.513
To change any of the EEPROM values, the proper command and syntax is:

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M206 T<data_type> P<position> X<new_value> for data_type 3 (float)

so to change my Z-Max Length from 234.513 to say, 201.123, I would do the command:
M206 T3 P153 X201.123

After this, you can re-send the
M205
command to verify it has been changed to your new value. Read more information about this from the repetier firmware github eeprom page:

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https://github.com/repetier/Repetier-Host/wiki/EEPROM-settings

[C-line]

Thanks, BaudR8. That's better than having to switch programs.

What I was really hoping for was a setting I could adjust in one of the S3D fields. That way I could save the offset values along with material and temperature settings in my factory files.

[BaudR8]

Once you enter this command, it will be saved to your printer's EEPROM and should not have to be entered again. And once you calibrate your machine to have the proper z length, it shouldnt be a value you dont need to adjust in the future

[C-line]

I need to adjust it regularly based on extruder and bed temps, different materials and first layer adhesion. Once I have everything up to temperature, I jog the nozzle down to paper thickness. What I would like to do then is save that offset as Z=0 for that material and part combination, then be able to save it as part of the factory file.

[BaudR8]

If you want to use different Z Max Length values per factory file, just add it to your starting script, before the G28. So in your PLA factory file you may have:
M206 T3 P153 X201.123
G28
G1 Z5 F3600

and in your ABS factory file you could have:
M206 T3 P153 X205.678
G28
G1 Z5 F3600

[JoeJ]

@BaudR8 - I think that's the easiest way to do this. Then you can easily configure different profiles to have different Z-heights depending on temperature, material, layer height, etc. Way easier than sending the commands manually

[C-line]

Okay, I'll try that - thanks.

Still seems too complicated, though, since it means you have to know your current Z max EEPROM value, jog to your desired offset, calculate the new value based on the readout, then edit the G-code script accordingly.

Couldn't there be a button on the jog screen to "set Z=0" at the current height?

[JoeJ]

You can just use the machine control panel. Home the Z-axis and then jog in fine increments until you touch the build plate. Then look at the position readout to see what the Z-value is.

[C-line]

Well yes, but the readout shows the differential from the current Z Max value in EEPROM, not the absolute. That means you have to know the current value in order to calculate the new value.
And, if you've benn changing the current value in your Starting G-Code script, you have to first send M205 to see what it now is.

I guess this can be made a bit easier by always defaulting to a common Z Max value at the end of each print. This could be done in the Ending G-Code script with another M206 command...