Prusa3d Manual Mk2s En

User Manual:

Open the PDF directly: View PDF .
Page Count: 52

Please always refer to the http://www.prusa3d.com/drivers/

for an updated version of this 3D printing handbook (PDF download).

QUICK GUIDE TO THE FIRST PRINT

1. Read the safety instructions carefully (page 7)

2. Place the printer on a flat and stable surface (page 11)

3. Download and install the drivers (page 33)

4. Calibrate the printer by following our calibration flow (page 11)

5. Insert SD into the printer and print your first model (page 25)

Handbook version 2.0 from March 7, 2017. © Prusa Research s.r.o.

About the author

Josef Prusa (born Feb 23rd, 1990) became interested in the 3D printing phenomenon before

joining the Prague’s University of Economics in 2009 - at first it was a hobby, a new

technology open to changes and improvements. The hobby soon became a passion and

Josef grew into one of the leading developers of Adrien Bowyer’s international, open source,

RepRap project. Today, you can see the Prusa design in different versions all around the

world, it is one of the most popular printers and thanks to it, knowledge about the 3D printing

technology significantly increased among public.

Jo’s work on self-replicating printers (you can print the other printer parts with your printer)

are still ongoing and currently there is Prusa i3 - the third iteration of the original 3D printer. It

is constantly updated with the latest innovations and you've just purchased its latest version.

In addition to printer hardware upgrades, the main goal is to make the technology more

accessible and understandable for all users.

Josef Prusa also organizes workshops for the public, participates in professional

conferences dedicated to the popularization of 3D printing. For example, he lectured at the

TEDx conference in Prague and Vienna, at World Maker Faire in New York, Maker Faire in

Rome or at the Open Hardware Summit hosted by MIT. Josef also teaches Arduino at

Charles University and was also a lecturer at the Academy of Arts in Prague.

In his own words, he imagines 3D printers will be available in every home in a not too distant

future. If anything is needed, you can simply print it. In this field, you just push the

boundaries every day... We're glad you're part of it with us!

 
Table of contents 
 
About the author 3 
Product details 6 
Introduction 6 
1 Glossary 6 
2 Disclaimer 7 
3 Safety instructions 7 
4 Licenses 7 
Original Prusa i3 MK2 printer 8 
Original Prusa i3 MK2 printer kit 9 
First steps 10 
1 Printer unpacking and proper handling 10 
2 Printer assembly 11 
3 Setup before printing 11 
3.1 Calibration flow 12 
3.2 PEI print surface preparation 13 
3.3 Increasing the adhesion 13 
3.4 Selftest (kit only) 14 
3.4.1 Selftest error messages and resolution (kit only) 14 
3.5 Calibrate XYZ (kit only) 15 
3.5.1 Calibrate XYZ error messages and resolution (kit only) 16 
3.5.1 Y axis alignment (kit only) 19 
3.6 Calibrate Z 19 
3.7 Mesh bed levelling 20 
3.8 Loading the filament into the extruder 21 
3.8.1 Unloading the filament 22 
3.9 First layer calibration (kit only) 22 
3.9.1 Bed level correction (kit only) 23 
3.10 Finetuning the first layer 23 
3.10.1 Print prusa logo 23 
3.10.2 Check probe height (kit only) 24 
Printing 25 
1 Removing objects from the printer. 25 
2 Printer Control 26 
2.1 LCD screen 26 
2.2 Print statistics 26 
2.2 Silent vs. Hi-power mode 27 
2.3 Factory reset 27 
2.4 LCD layout 28 
2.5 Print speed versus print quality 30 
2.6 USB cable and Pronterface 30 
3 Printer addons 32 
3.1 Different nozzles 32 
3.1.1 Hardened steel nozzle 33 


 
3.1.2 0.25mm nozzle 33 
Printer drivers 33 
Printing your own models 33 
1 Where you can get the 3D models? 33 
2 In what program you can create your own models? 34 
3 Slic3r 34 
4 Bundled 3D models 36 
5 Print in color with ColorPrint 36 
6 Printing of non-standard models 38 
6.1 Printing with support material 38 
6.2 Large object printing 39 
Materials 41 
1 ABS 41 
2 PLA 41 
3 PET 41 
4 HIPS 41 
5 PP 42 
6 Nylon (Taulman Bridge) 42 
7 Flex 42 
8 Dialing in new materials 42 
FAQ - Printer maintenance and print issues 43 
1 Print surface preparation 43 
2 Clogged / jammed extruder 43 
3 Nozzle cleaning 44 
4 Replacing / changing the nozzle 44 
5 Axis fluency 45 
6 Printing problems 46 
6.1 Layers break and split when printing from ABS material 46 
6.2 Models contain either too much or not enough of the filament 46 
7 Problems with finished models 46 
7.1 Model breaks and/or is easily damaged 46 
8 Updating printer firmware 46 
FAQ - common issues when assembling the printer kit 47 
1 Nozzle/print surface gap is greater in the middle than at the corners 47 
2 Printer stops printing soon after start 48 
3 Printer can’t read SD card 48 
4 Loose X- and/or Y-axis belts 49 
5 Detached cables to the heatbed 50 
6 Loose heatbed zip ties 50 
 
Important notice, tip, hint or information that helps you print with ease. 
 
Read carefully! This part of text has uppermost importance - either for user safety of 
for a proper printer service. 
 
This symbol indicates text related to printer kit only. 


2 Product details

Title: Original Prusa i3 MK2S / Original Prusa i3 MK2S (kit), Filament: 1.75 mm

Manufacturer: Prusa Research s.r.o., 621/8a Prvniho pluku, Prague, 186 00, Czech Republic

Contacts: phone +420 222 263 718, e-mail: info@prusa3d.com

EEE group: 3 (IT and/or telecommunication equipment), Device use: indoor only

Power supply: 90-135 VAC, 2 A / 180-264 VAC, 1 A (50-60 Hz)

Working temperature range: 18 °C (PLA)-38 °C, indoor use only

Working humidity: 85 % or less

Kit weight (brutto / netto): 9.8 kg / 6.3 kg, assembled printer weight (brutto / netto): 12 kg /

6.3 kg. Serial number is located on the printer control unit and also on the packaging.

3 Introduction

Thank you for purchasing our original 3D printer Original Prusa i3 MK2S from Josef Prusa

either as an assembled printer or a printer kit - as your purchase supports us with its further

development. Read the handbook carefully, please, all chapters contain valuable info for the

correct service of the printer. Original Prusa i3 MK2S is a successor to Original Prusa i3

MK2 with small hardware tweaks for easier assembly and improved reliability.

Please check the http://prusa3d.com/drivers page for updated version of this 3D

printing hanbook (PDF download).

In case of any printer related problem do not hesitate to contact us at info@prusa3d.com



.We

are glad to receive all your valuable comments and tips. We strongly suggest you to visit our

official forum at forum.prusa3d.com, where you can find solutions to common issues, tips,

advice and hints in addition to actual information about the Original Prusa i3 printer’s

development.

3.1 Glossary

Bed, Heatbed, Printbed - Commonly used term for printing pad - a heated area of 3D

printer where 3D objects are printed.

Extruder - Printing head or extruder is a part of a printer consisting of a nozzle, hobbed

pulley, idler and a nozzle fan.

Filament - Term for plastic provided on spool is called “filament”, it’s used throughout this

handbook as well as in the LCD menu on the printer.

Heater, Hotend - other name for a printing nozzle.

1.75 - 3D printers use two different diameters (thickness) of a filament (thickness): 2.85 mm

(commonly called as 3 mm) and 1.75 mm. 1.75mm version is more used worldwide though

there is no difference in printing quality.

3.2 Disclaimer

Failure to read the Manual may lead to personal injury, inferior results or damage to the 3D

printer. Always ensure that anyone who operates the 3D printer knows and understands the

contents of the Manual. We can not control the conditions in which you assemble the

Original Prusa i3. For this and other reasons we do not assume responsibility and expressly

disclaim liability for loss, injuries, damage, or expense arising out of or in any way connected

with the assembly, handling, storage, use or disposal of the product. The information in this

Manual is provided without any warranty, express or implied, regarding its correctness.

3.3 Safety instructions

Please be very cautious during any interaction with the printer. This printer is an

electrical device with moving parts and hot-temperature areas.

1. Device is for indoor use only. Do not expose the printer to rain or snow. Always keep the

printer in a dry environment at a minimum distance of 30 cm from other objects.

2. Always place the printer on a stable place, where it can not fall or tip over.

3. The printer supply is household power outlet 230 VAC, 50 Hz or 110 VAC / 60 Hz; Never

connect the printer to a different power supply, it may cause malfunction or damage to the

printer.

4. Place the power cord so you can’t stumble on it, or step on it or otherwise expose to any

damage. Make sure that the power cord is not mechanically or otherwise damaged. Stop

using damaged cable immediately and replace it.

5. When you disconnect the power cord from the socket, pull the plug rather than the cord to

reduce the risk of damage to plug or AC outlet.

6. Never disassemble the printer power supply, it does not contain any parts that could be

repaired by an unskilled worker. All repairs must be provided by a qualified technician.

7. Do not touch the nozzle or heat bed when the printer is printing or is warming up. Note

that the temperature of the nozzle is 210-300 °C (410-572 °F); heatbed temperature can

reach over 100 °C (212 °F). Temperatures above 40 °C (104 °F) can cause harm to human

body.

8. Do not reach inside the printer while it is still in operation. An injury may be caused by its

moving parts.

9. Prevent children from unsupervised access to the printer even when the printer is not

printing.

10. Do not leave the printer unattended while it's still on!

11. Plastic is being melted during printing which produces odors. Set up the printer some

place well ventilated.

3.4 Licenses

Original Prusa i3 MK2S printer is a part of the RepRap project, the first open source 3D

printer project free to use under a GNU GPL v3 license

(www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0.en.html). If you improve or alter any part of a printer and you

are willing to sell, then you have to publish the source codes under the same license. All

3D-printed elements of the printer that can be improved upon can be found at

http://www.prusa3d.com/prusa-i3-printable-parts/.

4 Original Prusa i3 MK2S printer

Unlike the printer kit, it’s completely assembled and almost ready to print. After plugging in

and running the necessary calibration you, can print a 3D object in the matter of minutes

after unpacking the printer. Keep in mind you can use our support email when you

purchased the assembled printer. Do not hesitate to write us if you need any advice or help.

We will gladly help with any specific prints.

3D printers use two different diameters of a filament (you can find more in chapter

Materials



): 2.85 mm and 1.75 mm. 1.75mm version is used more worldwide, though

there is no difference in printing quality. Filament is provided on a spool where you

can find the basic information - filament maker, material (ABS, PLA, etc.) and filament

diameter. 2.85 mm filament is commonly called as 3 mm.

This printer supports only a 1.75 mm filament. Please check the filament diameter to be

1.75mm before inserting into the extruder. Do not try to insert wider filament it could damage

the extruder.

Pict. 1 - Original Prusa i3 MK2S



printer



description

5 Original Prusa i3 MK2S printer kit

Original Prusa i3 MK2S kit is pictured in pict. 2. Detailed information and assembly

description can be found in chapter 6.2 Printer assembly. We offer the support for

users who purchased the printer kit through our official forum. If you need help do

not hesitate to visit our forum at forum.prusa3d.com. You can find the answers for

your problem there. If not, please just post your question directly there.

Pict. 2 - Original Prusa i3 MK2S



printer



kit unboxed

6 First steps

6.1 Printer unpacking and proper handling

Holding the upper frame, take the printer and pull it out from the box. Be careful when

handling the printer not to damage the electronics and thus the proper printer functionality.

Anytime you move the printer, always hold the upper frame with hotbed upright pointing

away from you as pictured in pict. 3A.



Do not forget to remove all shipping helpers parts

shown in pic 3B or the white zip ties used.

Pict. 3A -



Proper



handling of a



printer

Pict. 3B - Do not forget to remove all shipping helpers parts

Both the assembled version and the kit version come with a few things you might need

during the printer use.

-USB Cable - used for uploading a new firmware or alternatively printing from the

computer.

-Acupuncture needle - used for cleaning the nozzle when stuck. See the chapter

11.3 Nozzle cleaning for more information.

-Glue stick - Used for better Nylon adhesion or as a separator for Flex materials. See

the chapter 10 Materials for more information.

- Test protocol - All the components of every printer are tested. The electronic parts

are even connected as in a final assembly and battery of tests is ran. Only when all

tests pass the electronics get a serial number and protocol + S/N stickers are printed.

Test protocol shows all the test results of your printer components.

6.2 Printer assembly

With Original Prusa i3 MK2S printer kit we suggest to follow the guidelines and

assemble the kit according to the the online manual at manual.prusa3d.com. (Online

manual is available in several languages on the website). The construction of the

printer should not take more than one working day. After a successful completion

continue to the chapter 6.3 Setup before printing.

6.3 Setup before printing

● Place the printer to a horizontally stable position, best place is a workbench where

there is no risk of draft.

● Attach the filament holders to the upper frame.

● Attach Filament to the holders. Make sure the filament spool doesn’t jam and can

move freely.

● Plug in the AC power cord, check to make sure the proper setting for AC voltage is

selected (110V/220V) and turn on the switch.

● Check out the firmware version (in the Support menu via LCD panel) and please

upgrade to the latest one from our website www.prusa3d.com/drivers.

Filament is a common term for the plastic rod - material provided on a spool from

which 3D objects are printed.

6.3.1 Calibration flow

There are few special occasions where you will need to redo the calibration or part of it.

●Firmware update - Complete guide is in the chapter 11.8 Updating printer firmware.

6.3.9. First layer calibration needs to be rerun otherwise the printer will show an error

message.

●Replacing the PEI/Ultem sheet - When PEI is changed (guide is at

manual.prusa3d.com), whole heated bed is removed and reassembled. This might

change geometry of the printer and the whole KIT calibration flow should be

followed even on the pre assembled printer.

● Readjusting the P.I.N.D.A. probe - Run 6.3.6 Calibrate Z to store new reference Z

height values.

It is important to disconnect the printer USB from any computer or OctoPrint running

on RaspberryPi for the whole calibration. Printer will not respond to any request

from the host and communication will timeout, when host resets the connection, the

printer restarts and might end up in weird state requiring 7.2.3 Factory Reset.

6.3.2 PEI print surface preparation

To achieve the best adhesion on the new surface, it is important to keep the surface clean.

Cleaning of the surface is very easy. The best option is Isopropyl alcohol available in

drugstores which is the best for ABS, PLA and others (except for PETG where the adhesion

may be too strong. See the chapter 10.3 PET for instructions). Pour a little amount on

unscented paper towel and wipe the print surface. The bed should be cleaned while cold for

the best results but it can also be cleaned when already preheated for PLA, just be careful

not to touch the bed surface or the nozzle. When cleaning at higher temperatures the alcohol

will evaporate before it can clean anything. Alternatively, you can clean the bed with warm

water and a few drops of a dish soap on a paper towel. Denatured alcohol is yet another

option.

The surface does not have to be cleaned before every print! It is just important to not

touch the print bed with your hands or dirty tools. Clean your tools with the same

solution as you would the bed and you will be able to start your next print right away.

You can leave small marks on the print surface with your nozzle or tools, they will typically

be shinier than the rest. It does not affect the functionality or adhesion. However, if you want

to have same surface look on the whole printbed you can resurface it. The easiest way is to

take a hard side of dry kitchen sponge and wipe the affected area with circular motion gently

few times.

The industrial glue which holds the PEI sheet on the heatbed itself softens when

temperatures greater than 110 °C are used. If higher temperatures are used, the

glue can migrate under the PEI and create slight bumps on the surface.

6.3.3 Increasing the adhesion

In some special occasions, like a tall object with a very small contact area with the print

surface, you might need to increase the adhesion. Fortunately PEI is a very chemically

resistant polymer and you can temporary apply other adhesion solutions without damaging

it. This also applies to materials which would not stick to PEI otherwise, like Nylon etc.

Before applying anything to the bed, consider using Brim option in Slic3r which increases

the surface area of the first layer.

For PLA and Nylon blends a simple glue stick does the trick. Glue can be later easily

removed by window cleaner or dish soap water.

For ABS prints, ABS juice can be used and later cleaned with pure acetone. Be very gentle

when applying the juice and do so while the bed is cold. Prints will attach very strongly.

Prepared juice can be also purchased in our e-shop. Unfortunately, UPS service

does not allow to deliver any acetone-based products due to shipping constraints. In

that case you get only the bottle and ABS from our e-shop and you have to source

the acetone locally.

6.3.4 Selftest (kit only)

The purpose of the selftest routine is to check most common errors when assembling and

connecting electronics and to help indicate any possible errors after assembly. You can run

the Selftest from Calibration menu on LCD panel. This should not be necessary on the

assembled printers as those are pretested.

Initiating this routine performs a series of tests. The progress and results of each step are

displayed on the LCD. In case of errors found, the selftest is interrupted and the reason for

error is shown to guide users in troubleshooting.

The selftest is just a diagnostic tool, the printer will still attempt to print even after

the test fails. If you are absolutely certain that the affected part is correct, you may

continue with the print process.

Test consists of

Extruder and print fan test

Heatbed and hotend proper wiring

XYZ motors proper wiring and functionality

XYZ endstop mechanical settings and proper wiring.

Loose belt pulley test.

6.3.4.1 Selftest error messages and resolution (kit only)

Fan - Wiring error:

Check proper wiring of print and hotend fan cables. Ensure that both are properly

connected to the Rambo electronics, and that they are not swapped.

Heater/Thermistor - Not connected:

Check proper wiring of hot end power cables and thermistor cables. Ensure that both

are properly connected to the Rambo electronics, and that they are not swapped.

Bed/Heater - Wiring error:

Check that heatbed and hotend power cables are not swapped or thermistor cables

from both hotend and heatbed are not swapped in the Rambo electronics.

Endstops - Wiring error - {XYZ}:

Check the proper cabling of endstops. Routine indicates axis on which endstop

reported malfunction or is not properly responding. Check the proper connection in

the Rambo electronics.

Motor - {XYZ} - Endstop {XYZ}:

Check that motor and endstop on indicated axis are properly connected to the

Rambo electronics and not swapped with motor or endstop of different axis. Axis

causing the problems is indicated on the LCD panel.

Endstop not hit - Motor {XZY}:

Check mechanical settings that endstop can be reached when axis is in minimal

position.

Loose pulley - {XY}:

The belt pulley is loose and slips on the motor shaft. It is important to tighten the first

grub screw on the flat piece of shaft, then continue with the second grub screw.

6.3.5 Calibrate XYZ (kit only)

The Original Prusa i3 MK2S comes with a full mesh bed leveling feature, however

for this to work we need to first calibrate the distance between tip of the nozzle

and P.I.N.D.A (Prusa INDuction Autoleveling) probe.

The process is fairly straightforward, so let’s get to it. We also suggest to check

out our Guide for New User first at www.prusa3d.com/buildvideomk2 with calibration tips.

The purpose of the X/Y/Z calibration routine is to measure the skew of the X/Y/Z axes and to

find the position of the 9 calibration points on the print bed for the proper bed leveling. You

can run the XYZ calibration from Calibration menu on LCD panel. This should not be

necessary on the assembled printers as those are factory calibrated.

Place a sheet of a regular office paper (for example the checklist

shipped with every order) and hold it under the nozzle during the first

round (first 4 points being checked) of calibration. If the nozzle catches

on the paper during the process, power off the printer and lower the

P.I.N.D.A. probe slightly. See the P.I.N.D.A. probe response diagram in

6.3.10.2 Check probe height. The paper will not affect the calibration

process. The nozzle must not touch the print surface or deflect the bed

by any means. If everything went correctly, continue with the calibration

process.

Initiating this routine performs a series of measurements in three rounds: In the first round, 4

sensor points on the print bed are searched for carefully as to not touch the print bed by the

nozzle. In the second round, all 9 sensor points are found. In the last round the height above

the 9 sensor points is measured and stored into a non-volatile memory for reference, this

finished the Z axis calibration.

The progress and results of each step are displayed on the LCD. In case of errors found, the

XYZ calibration is interrupted and the reason for error is shown to guide in troubleshooting.

At the start of the XYZ calibration procedure the printer prompts you by a following message:

"Calibrating X/Y. Move Z carriage up to the end stoppers. Click when done.”

After that, the printer asks you to confirm this step: "Are left and right Z carriages all up?"

Please make sure you really move the Z carriage up to the end stoppers until you hear a

rattling sound as the Z stepper motors skip steps. This procedure ensures, that 1) the X axis

is perfectly horizontal, 2) the print nozzle is in a known distance from the print bed. In case

the Z carriage did not touch the end stoppers, the printer could not possibly know the height

of the print nozzle above the print bed and it could therefore crash into the print bed during

the first round of the X/Y calibration procedure.

The XYZ calibration procedure also prompts you to "Please clean the nozzle for

calibration. Click when done."

If this advice is not followed and there is a plastic debris on the print nozzle, then the debris

may touch the print bed or even push the print bed away from the PINDA probe, so the

PINDA probe will not trigger properly and the calibration will fail.

6.3.5.1 Calibrate XYZ error messages and resolution (kit only)

1) XYZ calibration failed. Bed calibration point was not found.

Calibration routine did not find a bed sensor point. The printer stops close to the bed

point, which it failed to detect. Please verify, that the printer is assembled correctly,

that all axes move freely, the pulleys do not slip and the print nozzle is clean. If

everything looks good, re-run the X/Y calibration and verify with a sheet of paper

between the nozzle and the print bed that the print nozzle does not touch the print

bed during the calibration routine. If you feel a friction of the nozzle against the sheet

of paper and the nozzle is clean, you need to screw the PINDA probe slightly lower

and re-run the X/Y calibration.

2) XYZ calibration failed. Please consult the manual.

The calibration points were found in positions far from what should be expected for a

properly assembled printer. Please follow the instructions of case 1).

3) XYZ calibration ok. X/Y axes are perpendicular. Congratulations!

Congratulations, you built your printer precisely, your X/Y axes are perpendicular.

4) XYZ calibration all right. X/Y axes are slightly skewed. Good job!

Good job, the X/Y axes are not precisely perpendicular, but still quite all right. The

firmware will correct for the X/Y skew during normal printing, so boxes will be printed

with right angles.

5) XYZ calibration all right. A skew will be corrected automatically.

You may consider to re-align the X/Y axes (as described in the chapter 6.3.5.1 Y

axis alignment). Still the firmware will correct the skew during normal printing and as

long as the X and Y axes move freely, the printer will print correctly.

6) XYZ calibration failed. Left front calibration point not reachable.

Even if the printer moves the print bed to the end Y end stop, the PINDA probe

cannot reach the left front bed calibration point. Move the left Y threaded rod in the Z

frame away from you, so the PINDA probe reaches the left front bed calibration point

reliably. You can find how to fix this in the next chapter 6.3.5.1 Y axis

alignment.

7) XYZ calibration failed. Right front calibration point not reachable.

Even if the printer moves the print bed to the end Y end stop, the PINDA probe

cannot reach the right front bed calibration point. Move the right Y threaded rod in the

Z frame away from you, so the PINDA probe reaches the right front bed calibration

point reliably. You can find out how to fix this in the next chapter 6.3.5.1 Y axis

alignment.

8) XYZ calibration failed. Front calibration points not reachable.

Even if the printer moves the table to the end Y end stop, the PINDA probe cannot

reach the front row of the bed calibration points. Move both left / right Y threaded

rods in the Z frame away from you. You can find out how to fix this in the next

chapter 6.3.5.1 Y axis alignment.

9) XYZ calibration compromised. Left front calibration point not reachable.

XYZ calibration compromised. Right front calibration point not reachable.

XYZ calibration compromised. Front calibration points not reachable.

Printer will likely work, but the bed leveling may be compromised and the skew of the

X/Y axes may not be fully corrected. It is recommended to adjust the positions of the

Y threaded rods in the Z frame as in cases 6) to 8). You can find out how to fix this

in the next chapter 6.3.5.1 Y axis alignment.

During the mesh bed leveling procedure following errors may be reported on the display.

1) Bed leveling failed. Sensor disconnected or cable broken. Waiting for reset.

Verify, whether the PINDA probe cable is plugged into the RAMBo board correctly. If

it is the case, the PINDA probe is broken and it needs to be replaced.

2) Bed leveling failed. Sensor didn’t trigger. Debris on nozzle? Waiting for reset.

This is a safety check to avoid the nozzle to crash into the print bed if the PINDA

sensor stops working or something goes wrong with the printer mechanics (for

example, a pulley slips). This safety check may be triggered as well, if the printer has

been moved to an uneven surface. Before doing anything else, make the Z axis level

by going all the way up and try again.

At the end of the X/Y calibration, the printer measures the reference height above

each of the 9 bed sensor points and stores the reference heights into a non-volatile

memory. During the normal bed leveling, it is expected that the PINDA probe triggers

not further than 1 mm from the reference value, therefore the nozzle is not allowed to

move more than 1 mm below the reference value during the bed calibration.

If you moved the printer, you may need to re-run the Z calibration to sample new

reference Z height values reflecting the twist and bend of the table surface the printer

is sitting on. If that does not help, please verify, that the PINDA probe is aligned with

the sensor points on the print bed during the bed Z calibration. The alignment shall

be ensured by the automatic X/Y calibration routine. If the PINDA probe is no more

aligned during the Z calibration over time, it is possible, that a pulley is slipping or

something on the machine frame got loose.

3) Bed leveling failed. Sensor triggered too high. Waiting for reset.

Similar to case 2). This time the PINDA sensor triggered more than 1 mm above the

reference height. Before doing anything else, make the Z axis level by going all the

way up and try again.

6.3.5.1 Y axis alignment (kit only)

For autocalibration to work properly, it is extremely important for the Y axis to be

perpendicular to the X axis. This can be easily checked by looking at the printer

from the top and visually aligning the X-axis rods with lines on the heatbed. If the Y

axis is misaligned, you can easily adjust the position of the Y axis inside the frame

by loosening the M10 nuts on the Y axis and securing them at the newly adjusted position.

You can see how in the Assembly Manual 7.PSU/Step 18 or in P.I.N.D.A. Probe

Misaligned topic at help.prusa3d.com.

Pic. 5 - X-axis rods must be visually aligned with lines on the heatbed.

If the Calibrate XYZ gives “XYZ calibration compromised. Front calibration points not

reachable.



” error, you don’t necessarily need to adjust the M10 nuts and position of the axis

in the frame, but you can adjust the belt holder position. Y-belt-holder with a slot allows to

make a 1 mm adjustment to both the front and the back. Loosen the Y belt holder

screws, push the belt holder part towards the Y motor and retighten the screws.

6.3.6 Calibrate Z

Calibrate Z is located in Calibration menu. It should be performed whenever you move the

printer to different location. It saves the heights of all 9 calibration points in non-volatile

memory. Stored information is used every time mesh bed levelling is called during a print.

When the measured values are vastly different to the stored value, print is canceled as it is a

good indicator something is wrong. Calibrate Z is a part of Calibrate XYZ routine so there’s

no need to run it after successful Calibrate XYZ.

It is a good practice to run this procedure every time you travel or printer is shipped as the

geometry might change slightly and cause an error.

At the start of the Z calibration procedure the printer prompts you by a following message:

"Calibrating Z. Move Z carriage up to the end stoppers. Click when done.”

After that, the printer asks you to confirm this step: "Are left and right Z carriages all up?"

Please make sure you really move the Z carriage up to the end stoppers until you hear a

rattling sound as the Z stepper motors skip steps. This procedure ensures, that 1) the X axis

is perfectly horizontal, 2) the print nozzle is in a known distance from the print bed. In case

the Z carriage did not touch the end stoppers, the printer could not possibly know the height

of the print nozzle above the print bed and it could therefore crash into the print bed during

the Z calibration procedure.

The Z calibration procedure also prompts you to "Please clean the nozzle for calibration.

Click when done."

If this advice is not followed and there is a plastic debris on the print nozzle, then the debris

may touch the print bed or even push the print bed away from the PINDA probe, so the

PINDA probe will not trigger properly and the calibration will fail.

6.3.7 Mesh bed levelling

Mesh bed levelling can be found in Calibration menu. It is the same procedure which is

performed before every print. You can use it to check the P.I.N.D.A. probe alignment with

the calibration points however it is not necessary during the calibration process as Mesh bed

leveling is a part of Calibrate XYZ and Calibrate Z routines.

Before running this command clean the nozzle tip from any debris and run it while the

nozzle is cold. If the probe is misaligned and the nozzle is preheated, the nozzle can

make permanent impressions in the print surface.

Pic. 6 - The probe must be inside the circles (1st and 9th calibration point) to successfully

level the bed



6.3.8 Loading the filament into the extruder

● You need to preheat the nozzle before inserting the filament (and the bed too if you

like to print right away). The temperature depends on the material used. Detailed

information about nozzle and bed temperatures are described at chapter 10

Materials.

● Press the LCD-knob to enter the main menu on the LCD. Rotate the button to choose

Preheat option and confirm by pressing the LCD-knob. Next you choose the material

you will print from. Choose a material then confirm with LCD-knob. The nozzle and

heatbed will heat to the requested temperature.

●Press the LCD-knob on the LCD panel to enter the main menu. Insert the filament to

the extruder, choose the Load filament option in the menu and press the button to

confirm. Filament is then loaded to the extruder by the extruder stepper

automatically. You should cut the top of the filament as shown in the picture below

(pict.7 - detail).

Pict. 7 -



the



filament



to the extruder

● Check if the filament is flowing from the nozzle.

● If you change the filament for a new one do not forget to completely remove the old

filament before the printing by extruding the filament from Settings - Move axis -

Extruder until the color is completely changed.

If your filament is running out during a print, you can easily change it for a new spool. Just go

to the LCD menu, select Tweak submenu and press Change filament. Printer will pause, go

out of the print area, unload the old filament and guide you on the LCD what to do. You can

even insert filament of different color and make your prints more colorful. Check out chapter

9.5 Printing in color with ColorPrint to find out how to make more intricate color models.

6.3.8.1 Unloading the filament

Similar procedure to the loading operation. Preheat the nozzle for material you used last

time (pre assembled printers are shipped with PLA). Wait for temperatures to stabilize and

use Unload filament option from the menu.

6.3.9 First layer calibration (kit only)

NOTE: The calibration process has been made easier and is now called V2 Calibration. If

the



V2Calibration.gcode



is not present on your SD card you can easily obtain it from our

support or on our



http://www.prusa3d.com/drivers/



page.

Check if your print surface is clean! You can find instructions how to clean it in

the chapter 6.3.2 PEI print surface preparation. Don't forget to complete 6.3.5

Calibrate XYZ chapter or you can permanently damage the print surface!

Now we will finally calibrate the distance between tip of the nozzle and the probe. Preheat

the nozzle for PLA. On the LCD menu, go to Print from SD and run V2calibration.gcode

file from the bundled SD card.

The printer will probe the bed and start printing zig zag pattern on the print surface. The

nozzle will be at the height based on the P.I.N.D.A probe setting, it must not by any means

touch the print surface.

Pict. 8 - How to tune the nozzle height live during the test print

Observe the line which is being extruded on the print surface. Go to the LCD menu and

choose the Live adjust Z option. A new menu will show up where you can tune the nozzle

height live during the test print. The point is to lower the nozzle until the extruded plastic

sticks nicely to the bed and you can see it is being slightly squished. Set value should not

exceed -1 mm, if you have to adjust it more, move the probe slightly higher. Loosen

the two screws on the probe holder to make adjustments. By rotating the probe counter

clockwise, it will raise at 1mm per turn. It is very handy for precise adjustments, but it can

also be pushed in and out when set screws are loosened completely. Then rerun Calibrate Z

followed by the V2Calibration.gcode again.

Pict. 9 - The properly tuned first layer

6.3.9.1 Bed level correction (kit only)

A bed level correction is an advanced feature introduced in the firmware 3.0.6 and is

designed to allow advanced users to correct for the slightest imperfections in the first layer.

This feature can be found in Calibration - Bed level correction. For example if the first

layer seems to be ever so slightly more squished on the right side. You can virtually lower

the bed by -20 microns on the right side. Settings are available for Left, Right, Front and

Back. The limit is +-50 microns and even +-20 microns can make a huge difference. When

you are using this function, do small incremental changes. Negative value will act as

lowering the bed in the selected direction.

6.3.10 Finetuning the first layer

6.3.10.1 Print prusa logo

After finishing the calibration gcode, it is a good idea to print a simple object. The Prusa

gcode from the supplied SD card is a great example. The Live adjust Z function (described

in 6.3.9. First layer calibration) works during every print, so you can finetune at any point.

You can see the properly tuned first layer on the images below.

Calibration might be slightly different for multiple materials. It is a good practice to

check the first layer and adjust accordingly with Live adjust Z when switching

between different types of filament.

Pict. 10 - Perfect Prusa logo first layer

6.3.10.2 Check probe height (kit only)

If the first layer seems inconsistent between multiple prints, the probe might be

too high. Lower it slightly. Loosen the two screws on the probe holder to make

adjustments. By rotating the probe clockwise, it will lower at 1mm per turn. It

is very handy for precise adjustments, but it can also be pushed in and out when set screws

are loosened completely. Then try again Calibrate XYZ. Keep in mind, the probe must be

always higher than the nozzle tip, otherwise it will catch on prints.

Pic. 11 - Probe response diagram.

Now you are done!

7 Printing

● Make sure that the nozzle and the bed are heated to the desired temperature. If you

forget to preheat the printing nozzle and the bed before printing, the printer will

automatically check the temperatures of the nozzle and the bed; printing will start

when desired temperature is reached - it can take several minutes. However, we

recommend preheating the printer beforehand as described in the chapter 6.3.8

Loading the filament into the extruder.

Do not let the preheated printer idle. When a printer is preheated and non-printing

material in an extruder degrades over time - it may cause the nozzle to jam up.

● Watch the first few printed layers to be sure filament has attached to the bed

properly (5 to 10 minutes).

● Press the LCD-knob and choose the Print from SD option from menu, press to

confirm and pick the desired model model_name.gcode. Printer will start printing the

object.

The filename (.gcode) must not contain any special characters otherwise the

printer is not able to display the file on the LCD. If you remove the SD while printing,

printer will pause automatically. When you reinsert the SD, press the LCD-knob and

choose “Continue” option. Confirm and printing will resume.

7.1 Removing objects from the printer.

● When printing is finished let the nozzle and heatbed cool down before removing the

printed object. Always handle the printed objects when temperature of the bed and

nozzle drop to the room temperature, when the bed is hot objects are very hard to

remove. Pull the bed towards you and remove the object gently.

● If you experience any troubles removing the object (especially the small ones) you

can use a flat tool like a spatula with rounded corners to prevent damage of PEI.

Slide the spatula under the corner of the object and gently push, until the print pops

of.

Pict. 13 -



Removing



the



model



from PEI print surface with spatula

If your prints are stuck too well and don’t want to separate, try using a dental floss. Slide a

dental floss under the corner of the object which you previously separated by the spatula a in

saw like motion gently separate the object from the print surface. Dental floss is generally

covered in wax so the print surface needs to be cleaned thoroughly before a next print.

7.2 Printer Control

There are two ways controlling the printer. You can use the LCD panel integrated with the

printer or you can connect your computer with USB cable. We suggest the LCD panel

because of its speed and reliability, and moreover you do not rely on a computer.

7.2.1 LCD screen

● Main screen is an information screen displaying the most important details. These

are the temperature of the nozzle and the heatbed (1, 2), printing time (3) and the

actual Z-axis position (5).

Pict. 14 - LCD layout

1. Nozzle temperature (actual / desired temperature)

2. Heatbed temperature (actual / desired temperature)

3. Progress of printing in % - shown only during the printing

4. Status bar (Prusa i3 MK ready / Heating / model_name.gcode, etc.)

5. Z-axis position

6. Printing speed

7. Elapsed printing time - shown only when printing

7.2.2 Print statistics

The printer tracks printing statistics. When you access this option during a print, you will see

statistics for the running print. If you do so while the printer is idle, you will see the lifetime

statistics. Both filament usage and print time is being tracked.

7.2.2 Silent vs. Hi-power mode

The printer offers two settings for motor power consumption. Silent uses less current and

makes the printer quieter, but less powerful. Hi-power is great for very large (over 200 gram)

prints and for freshly assembled kits before you fine tune everything. If you experience lost

steps (shifted layers) or if you’re manually adjusting speed of printing to more than 100%,

use Hi-power mode.

7.2.3 Factory reset

The factory reset is used when troubleshooting the printer and resetting it to the factory

state.

Entering the factory reset menu:

1. Press and release the reset button (marked X and positioned under the control

knob on the LCD panel)

2. Press and hold the control knob until you hear a beep

3. Release the control knob

Options:

●Language option resets the language preference.

●Statistics will erase all the recorded print time and material from the memory.

●Shipping prep which resets only the printer language selection. All the calibration

data including the Live adjust Z remain intact. Even though the calibration data are

still present and functional, the printer will prompt user once to run the Calibrate Z

function. This light factory reset is mainly used for resetting of assembled printers

before shipping out of the factory, and users are expected to select their language

and run Calibrate Z after unpacking.

●All data which resets everything including all calibration data and whole EEPROM is

cleaned. After this reset, user is expected to go through the calibration flow again,

except setting the probe height.

If you experience random glitches after firmware update or after printer upgrade, use the All

data option.

7.2.4 LCD layout

Items not mentioned below are not used for the common print setup - you should not

change any of the unmentioned items unless you are absolutely sure what you are

doing.

❏Info screen

❏Live adjust Z (during the printing process only)

❏Tune (during the printing process only)

❏Speed

❏Nozzle

❏Bed

❏Fan speed

❏Flow

❏Change filament

❏Mode

❏Pause print (during the printing process only)

❏Stop print (during the printing process only)

❏Preheat

❏ABS - 255/100

❏PLA - 215/55

❏PET - 240/90

❏HIPS - 220/100

❏PP - 254/100

❏FLEX - 230/50

❏Cooldown

❏Print from SD

❏Load filament

❏Unload filament

❏Calibration

❏Selftest

❏Calibrate XYZ

❏Calibrate Z

❏Mesh Bed Leveling

❏Auto home

❏Bed level correct

❏Show end stops

❏Reset XYZ calibr.

❏Settings

❏Temperature

❏Nozzle

❏Bed

❏Fan speed

❏Move axis

❏Move X

❏Move Y

❏Move Z

❏Extruder

❏Disable steppers

❏Mode - Power / Silent

❏Live adjust Z

❏Select language

❏Statistics

❏Support

❏prusa3d.com

❏forum.prusa3d.com

❏howto.prusa3d.com

7.2.5 Print speed versus print quality

Printing a small object takes a few minutes, but printing larger models is time consuming -

there are prints taking tens of hours. The overall printing time can be changed by different

ways. First way to alter the printing speed is changing layer height in Slic3r - upper right

windows shows Print settings option. Default setting is 0.20 mm (NORMAL), you can speed

up the printer by choosing the 0.35 mm (FAST) option. Raising speed will result the model to

be less detailed with visible layer borders. If you prefer quality over speed, choose 0.10 mm

(DETAIL) option. Printing time will double but the model gets the extra detail. Again, higher

printing speed results in less detailed model

Speed can be changed also while printing. LCD shows the FR 100 % item - it’s actual print

speed (feed rate). By turning the LCD-knob clockwise you can increase the print speed up to

999 %. However, we do not advise to increase the speed over 200 %. Watch the results of

increased speed on the printed model and adjust the speed eventually.

When increasing the speed always check the model is cooled properly - especially

when printing small object from ABS increased speed causes the distortion

(sometimes called “warping”) of the model. You can prevent this issue by printing

more similar objects together - layer printing interval is long enough to prevent this

issue.

If the model shows lower quality than desired you can decrease the printing speed - turn the

LCD-knob counterclockwise. Minimum usable printing speed is around 20 % of nominal

speed.

7.2.6 USB cable and Pronterface

We strongly recommend to use LCD panel while printing on Prusa i3 MK2S -

Pronterface doesn’t support all functions of a new firmware (e.g. filament change

while printing).

Keep in mind that when printing from the Pronterface the computer must be connected to

the printer during the whole printing process - computer must be prevented from sleep,

hibernation or shutting down. Disconnecting the computer during the print ends the printing

without the option to finish the object.

● Connect the printer to the computer with the USB cable.

Pict. 16 - You can find USB port here

● Choose connection port in Pronterface (download available with the printer drivers,

see the chapter 8 Printer drivers): Mac users use /usbmodem



port, PC Windows

ports are COM1, COM2, etc.; the correct port is displayed in device manager, Linux

users connect the printer using the virtual serial port. When the printer is connected

click the Connect button. Right column shows the connection information.

● Next step is loading the model with Load model button and choosing the

model_name.gcode (no special symbols in file name).

● You can control the movement of all printer axes at the control area.

● Next you can preheat the printer and prepare it for the printing. Set the temperatures

for the nozzle (heater) and heatbed (bed) and click Set button. Printer starts heating

immediately. Always check that the temperatures set in Pronterface are correct

according to our material guide!

● You can check the actual temperatures of nozzle and bed in Pronterface.

● When model is loaded right column shows the estimated print duration: Estimated

duration (pessimistic)

Pict. 17 - Pronterface

1. Load file button is used to load the desired model.. Model must be in *.gcode file

format.

2. Choose the port printer is connected to computer. (mostly /usbmodem



for Mac,

COM1, COM2, etc for Windows PC).

3. Print button starts the printing process.

4. Disconnect button disconnects the printer from the computer.

5. Printer controls. Here you can manipulate the printer axes.

6. Setting the nozzle and bed temperatures.

7. Thermometer.

8. Confirming the set temperatures, heating start.

9. 2D print process preview.

10. Info panel. Estimated print time, axis position and other info is displayed after loading

the model.

7.3 Printer addons

7.3.1 Different nozzles

E3D, a UK based company, supplies hotends for the Original Prusa i3 MK2 has whole

ecosystem of upgrades and addons. We support some of them.

You can check out how to change the nozzle in section 11.4 Replacing / changing the

nozzle.

7.3.1.1 Hardened steel nozzle

Hardened steel nozzles are a must for highly abrasive materials. Regular brass nozzles will

degrade very quickly and lose their properties.

Most of the abrasive materials are composites, plastics with something mixed in. Some

examples are ColorFabb XT CF20, ColorFabb Bronzefill, ColorFabb Brassfill and some glow

in the dark filaments. Always ask your filament vendor if you are not sure. Slight

disadvantage is that some standard materials like ABS isn't possible to print as fast as with

regular nozzle.

7.3.1.2 0.25mm nozzle

To get finer detail on 0.1mm or 0.05mm print settings, you can use 0.25mm nozzle. But use

it for only very small objects, only couple centimeters big. The print time can be considerably

longer compared to 0.4mm. Ideal use is jewelery.

8 Printer drivers

Latest drivers and information can be found at http://www.prusa3d.com/drivers/.

Driver package contains following settings and programs:

Slic3r - preparing the 3D models to .gcode format for printing.

Pronterface - printing from a computer (in case you don’t want to print from SD)

NetFabb - repairing the corrupted or unprintable models

Settings - optimized print settings for Slic3r, Cura, Simplify3D and KISSlicer

Drivers for Prusa i3 printer - Windows a Mac drivers

Test objects

9 Printing your own models

9.1 Where you can get the 3D models?

The best way to get started with your own 3D printing is to find already created models on

internet - they should be in the .stl or .obj format . Fortunately there are lot of fans and there

are sites from which you can download a wealth of ready-made 3D models - from a simple

shaver holder to a detailed aircraft engine model.

3D models are generally free to download under the Creative Commons - Attribution -

Non Commercial (Models not to be used commercially, you must always include the name

of the author) or for a small fee. We have selected the most interesting sites with high-quality

models:

1. http://www.thingiverse.com/

2. https://pinshape.com/

3. https://www.youmagine.com/

4. http://www.shapeways.com/

5. http://www.123dapp.com/

9.2 In what program you can create your own models?

To create a 3D model yourself, you need a dedicated program. The easiest way to quickly

create a model is TinkerCad (www.tinkercad.com) - an online editor (no installation needed)

- you create your 3D model directly in the browser window. It is free, is easy to operate and

you will find even basic video tutorials, so after a few minutes nothing prevents you to create

your first 3D object.

Other popular tool for creating models is 123D Design (http://www.123dapp.com/design) for

PC, Mac and iPad. Website provides a quick guide along with detailed video tutorials so it’s

a very good choice for novice enthusiasts.

There is a great deal of 3D programs - free or paid - your choice depends more on your

personal taste and preferences. The following is a list of other programs used for making 3D

models: OpenScad, DesignSpark Mechanical, Fusion 360°, Blender, Maya, 3DS Max,

Autocad and many more…

9.3 Slic3r

A 3D printer can print almost anything. Whether you’ve downloaded 3D models from the

Internet or created your own models, you will need to convert the .obj or .stl format into a

.gcode file. Gcode is a file format readable by a 3D printer. The file contains information for

nozzle movement and the amount of filament to extrude. The right tool for this task - and for

many more - is the Slic3r program.

You set the printing material, print quality and the print speed in Slic3r. You can manipulate

the object here, varying the placement on the printbed, resize it, etc.

Pict. 19 - Slic3r interface

1. Add button loads models into Slic3r.

2. Delete and Delete All buttons remove the model(s) from Slic3r.

3. Opens the detailed settings of print, filament and printer.

4. When the model is ready for print this button generates the .gcode file.

5. Quality / Speed setting of a print

6. Material selection

7. Printer selection

8. Right-click on model opens the menu with rotate, resize and other options

9. Type of model preview

10. Model preview

9.4 Bundled 3D models

We asked couple known 3D designers and prepared some printable object for you to print.

They are ideal for the first prints on your new printer. STL and GCODE files are available

after installing the drivers package in “3D Objects” folder or bundled on your SD card. You

can check them out at http://www.prusa3d.com/printable-3d-models/.

Pict. 20 - 50 microns treefrog is commonly used as a 3D printing benchmark.

9.5 Print in color with ColorPrint

There is a simple way on how to create layer based multicolored 3D prints with our simple

ColorPrint app.

Pict. 21- Multicolored object printed with ColorPrint

ColorPrint will not work correctly if your print settings contain hop or z-lift. The app

detects layers in gcode by tracking increase in Z height and the hop/zlift does that

multiple times in the same layer. Turn off this setting before using ColorPrint. The

preconfigured Slic3r in our drivers offers the Original Prusa i3 MK2 ColorPrint

option in the printer selection.

● First of all you need to prepare regular gcode with common print and filament

settings. Save the file.

● Then go to www.prusaprinters.org and choose Color Print in the header menu.

● Drag the gcode to frame and click on Add change button.

● Find the height of the layer where you want to make the color change. This can be

easily found in Slic3r under tab “Layers.” The scale along right side displays the

height of individual layers. Set this number to the box. Number of these changes is

unlimited.

● When you are done with your modification, download the file. This file is ready to be

printed!

Insert the filament which you want to start with into your printer and start printing the file.

When the color change is triggered from the gcode the printer will follow simple procedure:

● Stop moving and retract

● Raise the Z by 2 mm and move quickly outside the printbed

● Unload the current filament

● You will get asked to insert the new filament. When you do so and continue, filament

will be pulled into the hotend and LCD will display “Changed correctly?” with three

options:

1. “Yes” Everything went ok and printing can continue. Check if the new color is clear

without any remains of the previous filament - if yes, choose this option to continue

printing with a new color.

2. “Filament not loaded” If the new filament was not loaded properly, choose this

option and the printer will start the automatic filament load again. When the filament

is loaded properly, you can choose the “Yes” option and the printing will continue with

a new color.

3. “Color not clear” Filament was loaded but the color is still mixed with the previous

filament. Press the button with this option and the printer will extrude more filament

from the nozzle. When the color is pure without any remains of the previous filament

you can choose the “Yes” option and the printing will continue with a new color.

After confirming, printer returns to the original position and continues to print.

Other options for multicolored print is to use the filament change option. Choose

the Tune and then Change filament option during the print. Printer will pause the

printing process, unload the filament and signals you to insert the new filament. The

procedure is the same as above.

You should always use the same material or combine materials with similar print

temperatures and settings.

9.6 Printing of non-standard models

Slic3r helps you while printing the non-standard models as models with overhangs and/or

models larger than a printing bed.

9.6.1 Printing with support material

When you print models you can find special cases different from standard printing. The first

case is printing with support material.

If you print an object with a gradient lower than 45° the material overhang would be

preventing the object to be printed correctly. Slic3r allows you to print such objects thanks to

the ‘Printing with support’ function. Support material is an extra structure printed as

scaffolding for the object - you can remove the support material after the printing is finished.

Choose the Print



Settings



tab (1) and click the Support



Material



option (2) in left column.

First you have to check the Generate



support



material



box (3). Next item - Overhang

threshold



(4) lets you set the minimal angle for printing the support material. Setting this item

to zero lets the printer detect problematic parts automatically and print support where it’s

needed.

Enforce



support



option (5) is used mostly with small models or models with small base to

prevent the object from breaking or tearing out from the bed.

Pict. 23 -



with



support



9.6.2 Large object printing

Another special printing case is when printing objects larger than the heatbed. First option is

to resize the object to a printable size. Right-click on an object in Slic3r opens a menu with

the Scale



…



option, then you choose Uniformly



, if you want to scale down the model evenly;

or you can alter the size of a model along the one of the axes: Along



X, Y,



Z axis



…

Pict. 24 -



Size



change of a printed object

If you need to print an object that doesn’t fit the printer, you have to cut the object using

Slic3r. Right-click and choose the Cut



…



option in menu. You can cut the object horizontally -

if you need to perform a cut in a different axis, use the Flip...



option in the same menu.

Pict. 25 - Cutting the object with the



Cut



option

10 Materials

Temperatures and the heatbed treatment before print according to a specific material.

10.1 ABS

Material suitable for common, robust objects.

● Nozzle temperature: 255 °C

● Bed temperature: 100 °C. You can set the bed temperature between 80 to 110 °C

depending the size of an object (larger object means higher temperature)

● Heatbed: Make sure the surface is clean as described in 6.3.2 PEI print surface

preparation chapter

10.2 PLA

Material suitable for detailed models. PLA is made of renewable sources, mostly from the

cornflour and cellulose. This material only is proven for 50 microns layer height.

● Nozzle temperature: 215 °C

● Bed temperature: 50 - 60 °C

● Heatbed: Make sure the surface is clean, as described in 6.3.2 PEI print surface

preparation chapter

10.3 PET

Material suitable for large objects thanks to its minimal thermal expansion. Universal material

suited also for printable mechanical components.

● Nozzle temperature: 240 °C

● Bed temperature: 80 - 100 °C

● Heatbed: Make sure the surface is clean, as described in 6.3.2 PEI print surface

preparation chapter. Do not use isopropyl alcohol to clean the bed, or the adhesion

may be too strong, if you do not have anything else on hand use the bundled glue as

a separator after cleaning it. Windex or similar windows cleaner is great option for

PET and you don’t need to use the glue after the cleaning. Pour a little amount on

unscented paper towel and wipe the print surface.

10.4 HIPS

Universal, stable material with good heat resistance suited for printable mechanical

components.

● Nozzle temperature: 220 °C

● Bed temperature: 100 °C. You can set the bed temperature between 80 to 110 °C

depending the size of an object (larger object means higher temperature)

● Heatbed: Make sure the surface is clean, as described in 6.3.2 PEI print surface

preparation chapter

10.5 PP

Polypropylene is a flexible and resistant material suitable for printing of the precise objects

requiring the flexibility, firmness and persistence.

● Nozzle temperature: 254 °C

● Bed temperature: 95 - 100 °C.

● Heatbed: The best results are obtained with common scotch tape - just attach the

tape directly to the print surface and clean it after the print is finished.

10.6 Nylon (Taulman Bridge)

Nylon is very tough material suitable for mechanical parts.

● Nozzle temperature: 240 °C

● Bed temperature: 80 - 90 °C.

● Heatbed: Use one coat of glue stick. Clean as described after the print.

10.7 Flex

Flex is a very strong and flexible material suitable especially for the flexible prototypes,

covers, etc. Important: Before you start printing from Flex, clean the nozzle from the

previous material - preheat the nozzle and load PLA to remove any other previous material.

When loading Flex loosen the extruder (idler) screws. Keep in mind that when printing from

Flex the automatic filament exchange function may not work properly.

● Nozzle temperature: 230 °C

● Bed temperature: 50 °C. You can set the bed temperature up to 65 °C depending

the size of an object. (larger object means higher temperature)

● Heatbed: Make sure the surface is clean as described in 6.3.2 PEI print surface

preparation chapter. Some very soft flex materials can bond to the bed too much and

require to use glue on the bed as separator to prevent PEI damage.

10.8 Dialing in new materials

Each manufacturer produces slightly different material even though, they are under the

same group. For example Prusa PLA and ColorFabb PLA will have slightly different output

when printed.

To achieve the best possible output you should experiment with the nozzle temperature,

fan speed, print speed and flow. All of these can be changed even during a print from the

Tweak menu on the LCD panel.

Same also applies even for materials which are not listed here. Take the manufacturer

suggested settings, find the closest match in Slic3r material profiles, modify and save as

new. Continue by printing few simple test pieces and continuously use the Tweak

menu. After each improvement, don’t forget to modify the settings in Slic3r. Reset the tweak

values before every print.

Don’t forget to share your settings on our forums or directly with us.

11 FAQ - Printer maintenance and print issues

11.1 Print surface preparation

Print surface preparation is described in 6.3.2 PEI print surface preparation chapter.

11.2 Clogged / jammed extruder

Material clogged in the extruder can cause problems with the printing or with the loading of a

new filament.

● Heat the nozzle, remove the filament from the extruder and cut the rod cca 10 cm

above the damaged part.

● The next step is to clean the extruder. There is a service hole on the left side of the

extruder where you can access the hobbed pulley (pict. 28).

● Clean the hobbed pulley, then heat the nozzle before reloading the filament.

● If a problem persists you will have to clean the nozzle.

Pict. 28 -



Cleaning



the extruder - you can see the hobbed pulley through the service hole

11.3 Nozzle cleaning

Use a wire brush to clean the nozzle from outside. Heat the nozzle before you do so.

If filament is not extruded from a nozzle (or in very small volume), first check the extruder fan

is working properly and that the temperature is set correctly (PLA 210 °C; ABS 255 °C, HIPS

220 °C, PET 240 °C). Also check that the filament was correctly loaded into the extruder.

If the filament pours out at least a little, check the direction. If it swirls and goes up to the

hotend you need to clean the nozzle.

First you have to move the extruder to the rightmost position, out of the way of the heatbed,

to reach the nozzle from below.

Heat the nozzle according to filament you want to print from, load the filament and put a

bundled acupuncture needle (0,3-0,35 mm) into the nozzle from below - between 1 and 2

cm deep.

Choose Load filament option from the LCD menu and check if filament is extruded properly.

Put the acupuncture needle into the nozzle again and repeat these steps a few times more.

When the filament is extruded properly, the nozzle is clear.

11.4 Replacing / changing the nozzle

Preheat the nozzle (LCD menu -> Settings -> Temperature -> Nozzle) and set the

temperature to at least 200°C. Heating the nozzle is crucial for removing the old nozzle and

putting in the new one.

1) Move the extruder body upwards to get to the nozzle end (LCD menu -> Settings ->

Move axis -> Move Z -> Set the height by rotating the LCD knob and then confirm).

2) Unscrew the screw on fan mouthpiece and the two screws on the print fan and

remove both parts (Pict. 29, part 1).

3) Remove the two front screws on the nozzle fan (Pict. 29, part 2).

4) Unscrew the two screw holding the extruder cover (Pict. 29, part 3). Even though

the nozzle itself is accessible directly, we recommend to take the extruder cover to

get access to the heating element.

5) Now the whole nozzle body is accessible (Pict. 29, part 4).

6) Hold the heating element with a spanner (size 17) and unscrew the nozzle (Pict. 29,

part 5). Be careful, the nozzle is still hot!

When the new nozzle is inserted, tighten it while the nozzle is preheated. While tightening do

not forget to hold the heating element with the spanner. Re-assemble the extruder, insert the

filament and you are ready to print.

Be careful, the nozzle is hot during this whole process and can cause burns!

Be careful around the hotend thermistor leads, you can break them easily.

Be careful and don’t apply force to the nozzle or heater block, you can bend

the heatbreak easily.

It is a good practice to run 6.3.9 First layer calibration after changing the nozzle!

Pict. 29 -



Nozzle change

11.5 Axis fluency

● If one of the axes doesn’t move fluidly you can apply a small amount of oil (e.g. all

purpose machine oil). This will lower the friction.

It is a good practice to clean the rods with a paper towel and lubricate them once every

month to prevent dust buildup and increase the printer lifespan.

11.6 Printing problems

11.6.1 Layers break and split when printing from ABS material

ABS material has a higher thermal expansion than other materials. We suggest other

materials as PET, HIPS or PLA when you print larger models.

11.6.2 Models contain either too much or not enough of the filament

You can manage the filament flow during the print. Use the LCD-knob and choose Tune -

Flow - xx% where you can adjust the filament flow. Pronterface users can enter the value

M221 Sxx into the command line.

When you change the filament flow next print will use the same settings unless you

change it again in menu or you reset the printer or unplug it from the power source.

11.7 Problems with finished models

11.7.1 Model breaks and/or is easily damaged

A typical feature of larger models printed from ABS. If you have set the temperature

properly, the printer is away from drafts and object design is right, the printed object should

not break. The easiest way to avoid breaking or overall model fragility is to choose a different

material. The strongest are PET, HIPS and PLA; while PLA has low heat resistance,PET is

the firmest and has the lowest thermal expansion.

11.8 Updating printer firmware

Firmware update is a simple process which is done via the USB cable and a computer. With

the driver installation a program called FirmwareUpdater V2 is installed on the computer.

Latest firmwares can be found on http://www.prusa3d.com/drivers/ where you can find the

latest guide on which firmware to choose and detailed instructions for the process. Printer

will reset automatically right before the update and after the update is finished.

V2calibration.gcode is required to finish after the firmware update, see chapter 6.3.9 First

layer calibration.

12 FAQ - common issues when assembling the printer kit

12.1 Nozzle/print surface gap is greater in the middle than at the

corners

The reason of this issue isn’t the bent printer surface or bed but a distorted Y-axis. We

suggest to remove the whole Y-axis out of the printer. Follow these steps:

● Align the Y-axis so that each Y-corner is sitting on the table - none should be off the

table.

● Align the tightening of each Y-axis threaded rod so that each Y-corner is

perpendicular (facing upright) to the table surface.

● Align the tightening of each Y-axis threaded rod so that each M8 threaded rod is at a

right angle to the M10 threaded rods - the Y-axis must form a perfect rectangle when

viewed from above (pict. 30).

Pict. 30 - Right angle between Y-axis and M8 / M10 rods

12.2 Printer stops printing soon after start

Extruder is likely overheated. Make sure the nozzle fan is working properly. If not, please

inspect its connection according to the assembly manual.

Pict. 31 -



Proper



wiring of the connectors

12.3 Printer can’t read SD card

First, make sure that the file name on the SD does not contain special characters -

otherwise the file could not be displayed on LCD. If there is no error in the file name, check

the EXT2 wiring (from electronics to LCD). If the cable is connected properly, try to swap the

cables.

12.4 Loose X- and/or Y-axis belts

Check if both belts are properly tightened, loose belts would cause a printer malfunction and

prevent proper printing. The easiest way to check is printing a round object - if any of the

belts are not tightened properly the result is an irregular shape instead of a perfect circle.

Y-axis belt is located under the heatbed, X-axis belt moves the extruder. See the pictures

with properly tightened belts.

Pict. 32 - A



properly



tightened Y-axis belt under the



heatbed

Pict. 33 - A



properly



tightened X-axis belt

12.5 Detached cables to the heatbed

Do not forget to use a spiral wrap on heatbed cables and attach the cables properly so they

won’t restrict movement during printing.

Pict. 34 -



Cables



to be wrapped in a spiral wrap

Notes:





HELP.PRUSA3D.COM

Prusa3d Manual Mk2s En

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