Technical Guide
Klipper Rotation Distance Calibration Guide
Calibrate your Klipper extruder by measuring a 100 mm extrusion, applying the rotation_distance formula, and iterating until the result is within 0.5 mm of commanded — no E-steps needed.
What This Helps You Do
Correct a Klipper extruder that over- or under-extrudes by calculating a new rotation_distance from a measured 100 mm extrusion test.
This is a manual-input workflow. It does not use live prices, uploaded model files, accounts, saved quotes, or external APIs.
Steps
- Heat the hotend to the normal printing temperature for your loaded filament so it extrudes freely without skipping.
- Mark the filament at a fixed reference point exactly 120 mm above the extruder inlet using a marker or tape.
- Command a slow 100 mm extrusion in relative mode: run M83, then G1 E100 F100. Keep speed low to avoid skipped steps.
- Measure how much filament actually moved. If you marked at 120 mm and now read 25 mm remaining, 95 mm actually extruded.
- Enter your current rotation_distance, the commanded 100 mm, and the measured value into the calculator to get the corrected rotation_distance.
- Edit printer.cfg with the new rotation_distance value, run FIRMWARE_RESTART, then repeat the 100 mm test to confirm. Iterate once more if the first correction was large.
Example Inputs
| Current rotation_distance | 7.5 (example from printer.cfg) |
|---|---|
| Commanded extrusion | 100 mm |
| Actual extrusion | 95 mm (measured with ruler or calipers) |
Example Outputs
| Corrected rotation_distance | 7.125 |
|---|---|
| Equivalent steps/mm | Shown if you enter full steps and microsteps |
Formula
New rotation_distance = current rotation_distance × (actual extrusion / commanded extrusion). Example: 7.5 × (95 / 100) = 7.125. Direction is inverse to Marlin E-steps: under-extrusion lowers rotation_distance, not raises it.
Checklist
- Heat the hotend to printing temperature before every test — a cold nozzle skips steps and ruins the measurement.
- Use relative extrusion (M83) and a slow feed rate (F100) to avoid skipped steps during the test move.
- Measure at the same reference point each time; do not re-mark between iterations.
- Remember the direction: under-extrusion means lower the rotation_distance value (opposite of raising Marlin E-steps).
- After confirming the extruder, calibrate flow rate from a single-wall print, then pressure advance.
FAQ
Is this a general 3D printing article?
No. This guide is tied to a calculator or template and includes concrete inputs, outputs, and a formula.
Does this guide use live prices or uploaded model files?
No. Use your own slicer values, prices, and shop assumptions. PrintCostCalc does not upload models or fetch live prices.