PID Tuning in Klipper

TL;DR

Extruder

PID_CALIBRATE HEATER=extruder TARGET=205

Bed

PID_CALIBRATE HEATER=heater_bed TARGET=65

PID Tuning in Klipper

PID tuning is essential for maintaining consistent temperatures in your 3D printer’s hot end and heat bed, leading to better print quality. Here’s a breakdown of PID tuning in Klipper:

What is PID Tuning?

PID stands for Proportional-Integral-Derivative. It’s a method that helps the printer controller adjust heating power based on the difference between the desired temperature (setpoint) and the actual temperature reading from the sensor. By fine-tuning these adjustments, the printer maintains a stable temperature with minimal fluctuations.

PID Tuning Process in Klipper

Klipper offers a straightforward approach to PID tuning using extended G-codes. Here’s a step-by-step process:

PID Tuning the Extruder

1. Access your Klipper interface: Open your Klipper instance through the web interface (Fluidd, Mainsail, etc.).

2. Initiate PID calibration: In the console, enter the following command, replacing “extruder” with the actual name of your extruder if it’s different:

PID_CALIBRATE HEATER=extruder TARGET=205

For me, 205 typically works the best for PLA.

3. Use the following command to save the PID values into your Printer.cfg:

SAVE_CONFIG

PID Tuning the Heated Bed

1. Access your Klipper interface: Open your Klipper instance through the web interface (Fluidd, Mainsail, etc.).

2. Initiate PID calibration: In the console, enter the following command:

PID_CALIBRATE HEATER=heater_bed TARGET=65

I usually go with the bed at 65 for PLA.

3. Use the following command to save the PID values into your Printer.cfg:

SAVE_CONFIG

Explanation:

• PID_CALIBRATE HEATER is the extended G-code for starting PID calibration.
• extruder specifies that you’re tuning the extruder heater (replace with “heater_bed” for the heated bed).
• TARGET=200 sets the desired temperature for calibration (you can adjust this value).

The PID calibration cycle: Klipper will now run the extruder or bed through heat up, cool down, and heat up again cycles. This collects data to calculate optimal PID values.

Obtaining results: After the cycle, Klipper might display the calculated PID values in the console. You can also find them in the “klippy.log” file.

Saving the new PID values:

• Automatic saving: If configured correctly, sending the SAVE_CONFIG command might automatically save the new PID values in your “printer.cfg” file.
• Manual saving: If automatic saving isn’t working, locate the pid_Kp line (for extruder or heater_bed) in “printer.cfg”, replace the values with the calculated ones, save the file, and restart Klipper.

Additional Tips:

1. Ensure proper configuration before running PID tuning Klipper Documentation: Configuration Checks: https://www.klipper3d.org/Config_Reference.html
2. Consider consulting your printer’s documentation or online resources for specific recommendations on target temperatures.

By following these steps, you can effectively PID tune your Klipper setup and achieve better temperature control for your 3D prints.

References

• Klipper PID Tuning - How to Guide
• Configuration checks