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I've found many Youtube videos of makers upgrading to BLTouch sensor.

I have a Creality CR-10S Pro, so far bed leveling hasn't been an issue (after some days of trial and error).

My question is what are the problems/issues users need to face in order to need (or justify) an upgrade?

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A touch or an inductive/capacitive sensor is useful when you cannot get prints to stick to the build surface because of a skew bed platform/heated plate or if the plate has a bend, large concave or convex area.

Even with such a sensor, you need to provide a bed that is as level (trammed) as you can get. Automatic Bed Levelling (ABL) is not magic, it is just a tool that can help out if you have a problematic bed surface. But, recent versions of Marlin have "manual bed levelling"; i.e. you can map the surface using your printer without a sensor and store that geometry in memory.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your answer. In my case, the CR-10S PRO, has a 'auto level' feature that you can include in your pre-print g-code. This means you can set different temperatures and run the auto level function before printing, it will add around 1 minute. So, I'm still not sure if the BLTouch would improve my printing. $\endgroup$
    – Philippe Delteil
    Apr 20, 2020 at 18:15
  • $\begingroup$ @PhilippeDelteil You asked what issues you need to face in order to use an ABL sensor, so I've answered that. But indeed, if you have no problems with the first layer adhesion (from an irregular shaped build plate surface), it doesn't always add something to the printer. For some the biggest pro is the ease of use. I'm running printers with touch, inductive and no sensors, they all work fine! Sometimes it is fine to "Not change the winning team!". $\endgroup$
    – 0scar ♦
    Apr 20, 2020 at 21:14
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I don't know your printer but I don't have BLtouch, and I have to set the height every time because the bed expands with heat.

If you print at variable bed temperature (PLA, ABS, PETg, nylon require different values) then that sensor helps a lot.

BL touch can also speed up bed calibration: you scan the bed, see the values to be corrected, adjust the bed without having to guess (given the thread pitch and required correction).

Also, if you print only in the center it's easy but if you print fully using the size of the bed, I doubt you can get very flat bed. The BLtouch helps for that too.

Also, there are clones like 3D touch which were tested and work equally well. Depending on your budget, they may be an interesting alternative.

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  • $\begingroup$ Thanks for your answer. When I change filaments or temperature I just re run the auto leveling function of the printer. I'm using a mirror as a bed, it works much better than the stock bed surface. $\endgroup$
    – Philippe Delteil
    Apr 20, 2020 at 18:19
  • $\begingroup$ @PhilippeDelteil how does the auto leveling works then? $\endgroup$
    – FarO
    Apr 20, 2020 at 20:12
  • $\begingroup$ Pretty much like this all3dp.com/2/auto-leveling-3d-printer-do-i-really-need-it . In my case I can add it to the beginning of the printing process. $\endgroup$
    – Philippe Delteil
    Apr 20, 2020 at 20:21

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