Review on Neoteck Digital Indicator: Precise 4mm Resolution for Accurate Measurements by John Roberts

I recently received a 3D printer from my son as a gift. A "free" way to align the platform needed for good prints is to use a piece of paper inserted under the printhead's extruder nozzle. You adjust the bed corner by corner and pinch the piece of paper between the nozzle and the bed until it has a "small amount" of friction as the paper is pulled out. Repeat for each corner until they all look roughly the same. Since relatively inexpensive printers can print with an accuracy of about 0.1mm, this method is acceptable but not ideal. Printer. My first test was to level the bed using the "sheet paper" method and then check the accuracy with a Neoteck dial gauge. The result showed that the "sheet paper" method deviated by 0.05mm in some cases, which is 50% of the accuracy of the printer itself. The method is to insert the Neoteck into the mount and then slide the printhead into a friction fit. You can then use the G-code file to position and fine-tune your head in each corner. You can also move the head manually to achieve the same thing. It usually takes 2 passes to adjust and recheck each corner to achieve near perfect platform alignment. I've also found that the platform orientation can change from one print job to the next, even if the jobs were printed continuously without turning off the printer. . The bed orientation can also vary slightly depending on the heating of the bed and possibly the air circulation in the room. Heating the bed is necessary for the first few layers to adhere. I've seen what happens when the bed is uneven, even if it's very small. The first layer may not stick at some points, or there may be "strings" on the first few layers if the design needs the printhead to move in a certain way. The Neoteck device looks and feels solid and comes with a very well equipped case. It is very easy to use and you hardly need a small instruction manual. The fit seems to be very good. And all for about $25. Bottom line, this fairly cheap solution has improved print quality and the number of occasional "retouches" when you see the first few passes of a layer not printing properly. If you're still trying to level without a digital sensor and are having occasional printing issues, this may help solve your problem if it's related to bed leveling. If you want to give it a try, search for Bed Leveling Bracket and Neoteck on your favorite 3D template site.