3D Printing Reference Tables
Use these tables to choose the conditions for a calibration, then follow the linked procedure to check the result. Each guide explains its assumptions; a table entry should be read with the source documentation and the profile for your machine.
Start with the calibration order if several variables have changed. For material and electricity budgeting, open the print cost estimator.
Chamber temperature by material
Condensed from the chamber temperature reference, which gives the reasoning and sources behind each row.
| Material | Target chamber | Enclosure |
|---|---|---|
| PLA | Ambient, open air | No (door open if owned) |
| PETG | Ambient; slightly warm helps | Optional |
| TPU | Ambient | No |
| ABS | About 45-55°C | Required, with ventilation |
| ASA | About 45-55°C | Required, with ventilation |
| Nylon (PA) | Warm chamber | Strongly recommended |
| Polycarbonate | Warm to hot chamber | Required |
Bed surface by material
Condensed from the print bed surface guide, which gives the reasoning and sources behind each row.
| Material | Recommended surface | Note |
|---|---|---|
| PLA | Textured PEI | Standard choice |
| PETG | Textured PEI | Avoid smooth PEI; keep the bed at the low end of its range |
| ABS | Smooth PEI, or glass with ABS slurry | Needs an enclosure |
| ASA | Smooth PEI or glass | Similar to ABS |
| Nylon | Garolite (G10/FR4) | No adhesive needed |
| TPU/TPE | Textured PEI | Flexing the sheet helps release |
| Carbon-fibre filled | Garolite or textured PEI | Also needs a hardened nozzle |
What to redo when something changes
Condensed from the 3D printer calibration order, which gives the reasoning and sources behind each row.
| You changed | Redo from |
|---|---|
| Filament spool (same brand and type) | Stage 3, filament condition, then verify stage 5, flow rate |
| Filament brand, colour or material | Stage 3, filament condition |
| Nozzle (same diameter) | Stage 5, flow rate |
| Nozzle diameter | Stage 5, flow rate, and re-check stage 9, geometry settings |
| Hotend or heat break | Stage 4, temperature |
| Extruder or extruder motor | Stage 2, extruder e-steps |
| Bed surface | Stage 1, bed level and Z-offset |
| Toolhead mass (fan duct, hotend, camera) | Stage 8, input shaping and speed |
| Belts, rails or frame work | Stage 0, mechanical baseline |
Material and setup guides
- Chamber temperature by material
Compare enclosure needs and the limits of using warm chamber air for different filaments.
- Nozzle and layer-height pairings
Match nozzle diameter, extrusion width and layer height before choosing a print profile.
- Print bed surfaces
Compare surface choices, material compatibility and preparation for the first layer.
- PETG vs PLA strength
Read the material comparison alongside its assumptions about orientation and print conditions.
- Dry box vs heated chamber
Separate spool conditioning, dry storage and the enclosure conditions around a calibration print.
Calibration procedure guides
- Calibration order and what to repeat
Use the dependency table to choose the next procedure after a hardware or filament change.
- Extruder calibration by firmware
Look up e-steps and rotation-distance commands, correction formulas and storage methods.
- Flow calibration and defect lookup
Choose a slicer procedure, work through the calculation and verify the saved flow ratio.
- Pressure advance by firmware
Compare the commands used to apply a calibrated value in Klipper and Marlin.
Process and troubleshooting decisions
- FDM vs resin
Choose a process by part requirements, calibration workload and post-processing.
- Brass nozzles for Ender 3 V2
Check nozzle compatibility before a replacement changes your calibration baseline.
- Corner warping
Follow the troubleshooting sequence when enclosure or surface changes leave corners lifting.
Filament drying schedules are covered by 3D Filament Guide's drying chart. The dry-box reference here covers the feeding and chamber setup used during calibration.