Hardware Setup & Calibration
​- Master first-layer Z-offset above all else. Most print failures happen on step one. This can normally be done on the On-screen display if your printer comes with one. Tune your Z-offset while printing a single-layer test pattern until the lines slightly squish together with no gaps or rough ridges.

Because the printer moves from manufacturing, to storage, then again to local delivery, then from there to your doorstep, then from your doorstep to its' set-up location, the ride can be rough.  If it comes with auto-calibrate, then let it do its thing and watch your first print for lifting or nozzle impact into the plate. If that happens, immediately stop and calibrate Z-offset

​- Tram (level) your bed heated to printing temperature. Thermal expansion changes bed height. Always heat both the nozzle and bed to target temperatures (e.g., 200°C nozzle / 60°C bed) before leveling.

​- Keep your build plate squeaky clean. Skin oils destroy print adhesion fast. Wash flexible steel PEI or glass plates with warm water and plain dish soap, then dry with clean paper towels. Use 91%+ IPA for quick wipe downs between prints.

​- Check mechanical tension on your belt. Ensure belt tension is snug and check that eccentric nuts on your motion rails have zero wobble or play.

                                                   Materials & Slicer Essentials
​- Start exclusively with PLA or PETG. Avoid complex filaments like ABS, ASA, or Nylon until you have mastered basic printing. PLA is forgiving, requires no enclosure, and sticks well to almost every bed. Other materials that you may not realize such as ABS can have serious health consequences and needs to be vented. Before switching materials, always check A) If your printer is capable of heats needed, B) Have a hardened steel nozzle, C) Know the health risks and D) Have adequate protection and ventilation.

​- Keep your filament dry. Wet filaments can cause stringing, popping at the nozzle, rough surfaces, and weak layer bonding. Invest in a dedicated filament dryer or active storage box. Of course, this all depends on where you live. PLA for example behaves best at 30% or lower humidity but can be forgiving up to 45%. You don't really want anything over that. PLA is probably the least forgiving for humidity. PETG is best at less than 20% but can do up to 35-40% although you may notice print quality issues. Currently I only print with PLA and PETG.

​- Add walls instead of heavy infill. Most functional prints only need 15–20% infill. If you need structural strength, add extra outer walls or perimeters instead—4 walls with 20% infill is far stronger than 2 walls with 50% infill.

​ - Use Tree/Organic supports for overhangs. Overhangs steeper than 45° usually need support. Modern tree or organic supports build faster, use less material, and break away cleaner than rigid grid supports.

 

 - Many times, just by slicing your model in half strategically, you can save a lot of support filament which cuts your modelling time down as well.
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- ​Save and back up working slicer profiles. Once you dial in a profile for a specific filament, save it as a preset. Never overwrite a known-good setup without saving a backup copy.