Start and end G-code customization in 3D Printing - Mini Project: Build & Apply

Start and End G-code Customization

📖 Scenario: You have a 3D printer and want to customize the commands it runs before and after printing. These commands are called start and end G-code. Customizing them helps prepare the printer and clean up after printing.

🎯 Goal: Build a simple start and end G-code script with basic commands to heat the nozzle, home the printer, and turn off heaters at the end.

📋 What You'll Learn

Create a start G-code section with commands to heat the nozzle to 200°C and home all axes.

Create an end G-code section with commands to turn off the nozzle heater and bed heater.

Use comments to label the start and end sections clearly.

Use standard G-code commands for heating, homing, and turning off heaters.

💡 Why This Matters

🌍 Real World

Customizing start and end G-code is common for 3D printer users to optimize print quality and printer safety.

💼 Career

Understanding G-code customization is useful for 3D printing technicians, hobbyists, and engineers working with additive manufacturing.

1

Create the start G-code section

Write the start G-code section beginning with a comment ; Start G-code. Add a command to heat the nozzle to 200 degrees Celsius using M104 S200. Then add a command to home all axes using G28.

3D Printing

; Start G-code
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use M104 S200 to set nozzle temperature and G28 to home all axes.

2

Create the end G-code section

Below the start G-code, write the end G-code section starting with a comment ; End G-code. Add commands to turn off the nozzle heater with M104 S0 and the bed heater with M140 S0.

3D Printing

; Start G-code
M104 S200
G28

; End G-code
# Your code here

Need a hint?

Use M104 S0 to turn off the nozzle heater and M140 S0 to turn off the bed heater.

3

Add a command to wait for nozzle temperature

In the start G-code section, after heating the nozzle, add a command to wait until the nozzle reaches 200 degrees Celsius using M109 S200.

3D Printing

; Start G-code
M104 S200
# Your code here
G28

; End G-code
M104 S0
M140 S0

Need a hint?

M109 S200 waits for the nozzle to reach 200°C before continuing.

4

Add a command to turn off the fan in end G-code

In the end G-code section, after turning off heaters, add a command to turn off the cooling fan using M107.

3D Printing

; Start G-code
M104 S200
M109 S200
G28

; End G-code
M104 S0
M140 S0
# Your code here

Need a hint?

M107 turns off the cooling fan.