Real-Time 3D Printing Sensor For A Level Bed!
In the world of 3D printing, you want your bed to be perfectly level with respect to the print head at all points. Things are rarely ever perfect, but your printer may be able to compensate by probing the bed surface before the print process starts. This type of compensation in real-time is normally out of the question due to the need to physically approach the bed for measurement, but Mark’s Bed Distance Sensor presents a non-proximity option, eliminating the need for this touch-off probing operation altogether.
The sensor is able to measure the distance from bed to nozzle as the print progresses, with a resolution of .01mm (accuracy +/- .005mm), at a distance of up to 7mm. This non-contact measurement setup can even account for changes in the bed after the print process starts. This is demonstrated in an amazing manner at around the1:15 mark in the video below. A tool is stuck under the bed while printing, and the print head keeps going without missing a beat:
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As of now, the sensor is only compatible with Marlin firmware, and you’ll need a control board with 2 free GPIO pins to hook it up. The code and further information on how the device works is found on GitHub.