Hi,
after reading the last blog post (Quality Assurance and Operations Update → section about Lidar Calibration with Textured Plate) I was surprised to learn, that extrusion calibration values are restored to a specified default value after reboot.
Original text:
After the calibration is complete, the value is stored in the printer’s memory allowing you to start a print with the Textured Plate and the saved calibrated value. After a reboot, the value is reset to a specified default value, so you might need to repeat the process if the filament is changed or the printer is restarted.
I always de-select the calibration before a print, if I didn’t change the filament (no AMS on my setup) to save some time. Never had issues after a reboot, and always very good results. The text also states "… you might need to repeat the process…
Can someone somehow confirm or share some experience with not calibrating extrusion before every print or share some insights what “… might need to repeat the process…” means in real life?
The printer defaults to a K value of .02, which is usually close enough for decent prints in most cases.
I don’t rely on auto-calibration, do my own Pressure Advance (and flow, which the printer doesn’t do on its own) calibrations and set those values in filament profiles.
The lack of feedback from the automatic calibration, maybe not properly working on PEI sheets, limited use for multi-color-print with AMS (only first filament is ‘calibrated’) and the ‘need’ to perform calibration every time you change filament or shutdown the printer let me changed to the SF-fork of Bambu Studio as well.
As nice as it is maybe for newcomers to the hobby for a shoot and forget option, I think the documentation for calibration on SoftFever is also really suited for newcomers as well.
Coming back to your question - calibration should be performed (automatic or via SoftFever) if you recognize ‘sub-optimal’ prints (=if it seems that the calibration is only a bit off).