Printer 101

Basic Information, Nomenclature, and Assumptions

• For the purposes of documentation, it is assumed that the origin (0,0,0) is at the front left of the print bed for Cartesian and CoreXY Printers. Typically, it is either front left, or rear right. If it is rear right, you can just picture turning the printer 180 degrees and that will put it in the proper orientation.

• On a Delta printer, origin is in the center of the bed. Home position is at the top, near the endstops.

• Location of endstops does not mean that your origin is there. It is possible to home to X_Min and Y_Max or even X_Max and Y_Max. If in doubt, assume front left on a non-Delta printer, center on a Delta, and then print the Left/Right Orientation Test Part. This part should print LEFT RIGHT and show if you have your orientation correct.

• In OctoPrint, on the Control tab, there are a set of arrows that control the print head. These move the print head as if the print bed were stationary. On the X/Y section, the Up Arrow will move the print head away from the origin, towards the back of the printer. Right Arrow will move the print head to the right, away from origin. In the Z section, the Up Arrow will move the head up away from the print bed.
  • Remember, all movements are as if the print bed is stationary!!

• Recommended order of setup: Make sure your axis movements are in the correct direction first. It does no good to set up your endstops and homing if your Y axis is moving the wrong way. Remember, all movements are in relation to a stationary print bed, so if you have a print bed that moves downward (such as a CoreXY design), clicking the Z Up arrow will move the bed DOWN.