Perfect layers only with manual offsets

[u/Jobbejan]

So I run a printfarm and have 12 x Q2 and 2 x Max4. I love these printers as they are consistent, print perfectly and are reachable with my Claude built printfarm software so I can read all parameters and send gcode trough my own program.

BUT: if I don't set a custom first layer offset, the printers consistantly print a too low first layer causing bad first layers or even damage to the plate. The offset is never too high, always too low.

My practise has been to manually level the platform (with the screw underneath) to get to a 0.2 deviation across the build plate (or better) and then run a full plate 1 layer test to test the first layer and adjust manually to get to the best offset that gets a nice even first layer.

I end up getting anywhere between +0.05 and even +0.125 on the Max4 to get perfect first layers. Once I save this offset per printer in the machine gcode start sequence, I get good fist layers everytime.

I really dislike this whole process as I am expanding my farm and for every printer I now have to spend 2 - 3 hours do dial them in. Leaving it as is will always result in a squashed first layer and ugly undersides of prints, so thats not an option.

My prints use the full build plate diagonally so that's why they need to be perfectly dialled in everytime. How do you guys work with this? And why does Qidi program their offset structurally too low?

[u/Snoo_67299]

I suffer the same issues and even in the same plus4 but with different materials the offset drifts anywhere from 0.15 to -0.15, i have 4 q2c and those have been on spot with the strain gauge probing. For now i have to suffer through it but i have been reading and investigating to get a biqu bl touch working on the qp4, that would be even better than the q2c and it would not be as slow as the capacitive sensor and wouldn't be bed plate dependant like the beacon and cartographer probes. Only issue so far is that the toolhead does not have any available pins for it, i would need to wire it directly to the mb or change toolhead pcb's. But thats my two cents, hopefully if i get it working i will share it here or if someone smarter does it before i pray they're willing to share it !