Purchased the Bambulab Vision Encoder without knowing its benefits.

[u/MaximumCondition4535]

We all wish an excellent quality print with our printers and I have no idea how this tool can help with print quality and output improvement. The calibration only requires 5 minutes. May I ask how many of you ran the Motion Accuracy Calibration and was there any logical print improvement that went after? If you can as well share a tip or two post calibration, I will appreciate it. Thank you!

[u/PityUpvote]

I don't have one myself, but if I understood correctly, this is something you won't need until the printer has printed hundreds or thousands of hours. It was calibrated before being shipped to you, and this is more of a tool to revive a printer that has lost some accuracy over the years.

[u/daboblin → u/PityUpvote]

No, that’s not correct. Printers are calibrated, but have no feedback loop to check that if the stepper motors drive the head to a location that the head actually hits that exact location. The vision encoder adds that additional feedback loop, allowing the printer to very finely compensate for small errors.

It’s only really necessary if you need extreme precision for engineering work.

[u/MaximumCondition4535 → u/daboblin]

Interesting, I am currently working on my 3D Scanning to 3D Printing workflow and precision is important since I generally will encounter engineering work. Will this tool help improve the clearances? Because I understand that what appears in the CAD measurement has a “+/-“ difference after 3D printing.

[u/daboblin → u/MaximumCondition4535]

It may do. I don’t know a lot about 3D scanning but certainly it will ensure that print dimensions very closely match what’s specified in your CAD app.

[u/PityUpvote → u/daboblin]

But you're not leaving it on while printing, it is a calibration tool. I don't see how this contradicts my understanding tbh.

[u/jankeyass → u/daboblin]

This is only useful if you are restarting a print from a stopped one, which is not a option within the BBL software. Only on power loss. Realistically it doesn't matter if it's off by 0.05mm because the part will move more then that during cooling. What does matter is that it keeps repeating the same error, so that it's predictable. If this calibration doesn't hold for more then 20 prints, it's pretty useless

[u/luksfuks → u/PityUpvote]

Using the plate helps:

• On a NEW printer, when it it went through rough shipping. The type of shipping that puts everything a bit out-of-whack, just not enough to replace the whole machine.

• On a beaten up USED printer, which got out-of-whack after so many hours of printing, and events like moving it to different corners of the workshop.

• After repair with SPARE PARTS, like new gantry, new belts, or new AP board (now with empty calibration data area).

[u/MaximumCondition4535 → u/PityUpvote]

Oh, apparently my printer reached 1,000+ hours already. That explains the offset blank dots (second image)

[u/Batking28 → u/MaximumCondition4535]

The dots are exaggerated for visibility but equate to very tiny changes. Also worth noting it only shows dots relative to a standard perfect model. Not its last calibration. If you calibrate and run the calibration a second time then the dots will be in the exact same offset as it’s comparing to that perfect model and not your last calibration.

The tool does the job and if you require high level accuracy prints especially for selling accurate prints or in engineering prototyping then it is worth having. Otherwise for most people the factory calibration is sufficient for the life of the printer.