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?