Shimko3D Guides

Calibrate every new filament in OrcaSlicer: the 10-step order

Generic filament profiles get you close, not dialed in. OrcaSlicer has every calibration test built in; the trick is running them in an order where each result doesn't throw off the next one.

Video: OrcaSlicer Calibration - Getting the most out of EVERY filament! by Covenant Custom (12 min). All credit for the walkthrough goes to them; go subscribe.

The checklist

1. Dry the filament first. Wet filament makes every test lie. His ASA got 18 hours at 70 °C; follow the drying temperature for your material. If your printer has an enclosure, let it warm up before testing. ▶ 0:53
2. Set up the profile, then fix the obvious basics. Pick your printer, build plate and the closest generic material, and save a copy as this filament's own profile. Settle the bed temperature before anything else: his ASA was coming loose at the default 60 °C and printed fine at 100 °C. ▶ 1:07
3. Temperature tower. Judge every section on overhangs, bridges and small details, not just how shiny the surface is. ▶ 1:48
4. Flow rate, pass 1. If two blocks look equally good, take the higher flow. Pass 2 only fine-tunes downward. ▶ 3:30
5. Pressure advance, before flow pass 2. Corners that bulge or round off would throw off your read of the next flow test, so fix them first. Rounded corners mean the value is too low; wavy ones mean too high. ▶ 4:47
6. Flow rate, pass 2. Pick the block with a smooth top and no gaps between lines, and put it through Orca's formula to get the final flow ratio. ▶ 6:18
7. Retraction. Use the lowest setting on the tower with no strings. More retraction than you need just adds wear and risk of clogs. ▶ 7:16
8. Max volumetric speed. Push the test past where you expect it to fail so you can see the failure point, then set your limit a bit below it. ▶ 8:11
9. VFA (vertical fine artifacts). Find the speed band where walls come out smooth, set the outer wall speed there, and let inner walls run faster. ▶ 10:05
10. Save the extras, then do one real test print. Put the vendor and spool price in the profile so cost estimates work and reordering is easy. Then print a small cube to check the values together. ▶ 11:20