Solved Might be an issue with Cura, but there's a pattern

When you do the Z-Offset wizard, what do you use for a gap gage?

 

That paper card is around 0.11 mm thick. Do you have a paper printer? The 20 weight white standard sheet of paper is 0.1 mm thick. Cut yourself a piece of that ordinary paper - say 3 inch by 3 inch. Run the Z-Offset wizard. move the platform closer to the nozzle while moving the 3x3 paper between the platform and the nozzle. Eventually, the paper will feel like it is dragging on the nozzle. Back the platform away from the nozzle . Change the scale of movement - possibilities are 0.2 mm, 0.1 mm and 0.05 mm. Use the smallest scale. move the platform toward the nozzle until you start feeling resistance. The correct distance is when you back off the platform and resistance goes away, then move it toward the nozzle in the finest step and feel resistance. - Summary, back off and no resistance, advance and feel resistance. At that point (feeling resistance), you exit the wizard so that the distance is saved.

 

I re-measured the same card supplied with my C2 printer. The nominal thickness is 0.12 mm and the lettering is 0.13 mm thick. The C2 printer is spec'ed at printing layers at 0.02 mm. I suggested using plain paper because it is uniform in thickness and is a common distance to set the nozzle to printing platform gap. You can use the fine offset wizard to tweak the distance for best results.

 

That is great news, Brian. The Z Offset wizard sets the appropriate nozzle to platform distance provided you do the adjustment correctly. The auto-leveling routine - think of it like this:

The lowest and highest distance is like a virtual slice of bread. Using the Z Offset wizard, you are trying to get the "nozzle to platform" distance to somewhere in the middle of the virtual slice (thickness-wise). That way the auto-level routine can properly compensate for variations in the relative platform height without exceeding either limit. If the distance is too low, the nozzle will gouge the platform. If the distance is too high, the filament will not properly stick to the platform. Thus you are shooting for the middle height and the auto-leveling routine should then compensate. Of course, shimming (tramming) a platform to get the platform as flat as possible helps a lot. Suggestion: anytime you shim / tram a platform, rerun the Z Offset wizard to insure the nozzle distance is good.

Does this explanation make better sense?

 

You are asking about some basic operations of Cura. Here are some tips to help get your model(s) situated in Cura.

The cube that you see in Cura represents the 3D volume that the C2 printer is capable of printing in. Not all models fit nicely into that volume. Check-mark the sizing options in the General tab of the Preferences menu (see attached image)

Once you have loaded your model, simply click on the model itself. The left panel of Cura will activate and the model will be outlined in blue. Hover your mouse over each item in the left panel to see what that option is.

Click on the Move option and make sure the "Z" box is showing '0'. If not, erase the number and set it to '0'. To the right of the printing cube (in a clear area of Cura), right click (and hold) and tumble the printing volume to get to the overhead view. Now going back to the Move option, plug in offsets for X and Y and watch your model move within the printing volume. When you get the model to the position where you want it, click on the 'lock model' option in the Move box. If you wish to print a second (or more) models at the same time with the same filament, simply load each additional model, move them to clear areas for printing and lock them in place.

If you move the model outside of the printing volume, the model will 'grey out' meaning that Cura is indicating an error in placement. Next, for the C2 printer, each square on the bottom of the printing volume represents a 10 mm X 10 mm area. In the left panel, there is an option for scaling (resizing) the model, Play with that option and see what it does.

Finally, once all is setup with the models and the printing options are set (right panel in Cura) and your C2 printer has filament loaded for printing, Click on the 'Prepare' button and then send the 'g-code' file to the C2 printer.

In case you are wondering which side of the printing volume is the front of the C2 printing platform: Look closely at the printing volume in Cura. One corner shows an X/Y/Z indicator (X = Red, Y = Green, Z = Blue) That X/Y/Z indicator is the left front corner of the C2 printer platform.

One other item: Once you get everything situated, save the entire setup as a 'project' in the file menu of Cura. That way you can reload and not have to repeat a setup.

Hopefully, I have answered some of your questions.

Good Luck and let the community know how it goes.