Calibrate Pressure Advance on the Sovol SV06 Plus with Klipper
Installing Klipper on a printer like the Sovol SV06 Plus allows for a significant increase in print speed. However, to maintain dimensional accuracy, it is essential to correctly configure the Pressure Advance parameter. If this value is not appropriate, the filament flow becomes irregular when the extruder changes speed, resulting in visible defects on the corners of the models. 🛠️
Why this adjustment is fundamental
The goal of calibrating Pressure Advance is to compensate for the pressure inside the hotend. This ensures that the material extrudes consistently, regardless of whether the print head accelerates or decelerates. A misconfigured value ruins the accuracy the machine can achieve, causing parts that should be perfectly square to have rounded edges or gaps.
Consequences of an incorrect value:- Value too low: Corners appear bulging and rounded because there is excess material.
- Value too high: Gaps or lack of plastic occur at the corners, creating a "sunken corner" effect.
- Loss of precision: The final dimensions of the part do not match the digital design.
The real challenge is not running the script, but convincing yourself that the fifth test tower is really necessary.
Practical method for calibration
The most straightforward procedure uses the PA_CALIBRATE script included in the Klipper firmware. This command makes the printer generate a test tower where the Pressure Advance value varies automatically in each segment of its height. The user must visually inspect this tower to find the area where the transitions at the corners look cleanest.
Steps to follow after the test:- Identify the section of the tower with the sharpest corners and uniform side surfaces.
- Note the Pressure Advance value associated with that specific height.
- Enter that numerical value into the printer's configuration file (usually printer.cfg), in the section corresponding to the extruder.
Interpret and fine-tune the results
The first test usually provides an approximate range. To obtain the optimal value, it is crucial to repeat the process with a narrower range of values, centered on the number that seemed best in the first attempt. Successful calibration results in sharp and consistent corners on all objects, even when printing at high speeds. This step is the key to unlocking Klipper's full speed potential without sacrificing quality. ✅