The 8 tests, in order
Same printer, same filament: a part printed with the factory profile and one printed with the filament calibrated don't look alike. Factory profiles are made for an average spool; yours may need a few more degrees, a little less plastic or less retraction.
Each test prints a piece that doesn't have to look nice: it has to give you a number. Do them in this order, because each one builds on the one before, and repeat them when you switch filament brand or type.
They work for any FDM printer and any filament. The menus named are Bambu Studio's; Orca Slicer has a very similar calibration menu, and in other slicers you print the same tests with downloadable test models.
- 1TemperatureWhat temperature your filament melts well at.
- 2FlowWhether the right amount of plastic comes out.
- 3Pressure advanceHow to make up for the pressure inside the nozzle when the printer speeds up and slows down, so the line comes out even.
- 4Max volumetric speedHow much plastic per second your nozzle can melt with that filament.
- 5RetractionThe smallest retraction that prevents strings.
- 6TolerancesHow much clearance your fits need.
- 7Overhangs and bridgesHow far your printer can go without supports.
- 8Check pieceWhether everything works together.
First: make the menu show up
With a Bambu Lab printer, the Calibration menu (the one with the tests you print and read yourself) only shows up with Preferences › “Develop mode” turned on. Separately there's the Calibration tab, among the tabs at the top of the window: that's where the printer runs its own calibrations and where results are stored.
After calibrating, if something still comes out wrong, look it up in print problems.