Layer height

Understand the Z-axis increment

The full-step increment comes from travel per motor revolution, motor step count, and any gearing. Use screw lead rather than pitch when a multi-start screw advances more than one pitch per turn. A nearby full-step multiple can be a reference setting, not a guarantee of better print quality.

Check the print, not only the number

A smaller layer height does not automatically improve every surface, and it usually increases the number of layers. Check overhangs, top surfaces, flow, and the slicer's supported range for your nozzle. The calculation does not model extrusion width, first-layer setup, or the printer's positioning accuracy.

Comparing motion increments and layer settings

For a screw that advances 8 mm per revolution and a motor with 200 full steps per revolution, the full-step travel is 0.04 mm without additional gearing. A 0.20 mm layer corresponds to five of those increments. Microstepping provides intermediate commanded positions, but that arithmetic does not describe the complete mechanical accuracy of the axis.

Layer height should also suit the nozzle and extrusion process. A number that aligns with a full-step increment can still be unsuitable if it demands more flow than the printer can deliver or gives poor layer formation. First-layer height may intentionally differ from later layers, and adaptive layers can vary through a part. Check how the slicer handles those settings before interpreting one chosen height as the entire print's layer plan. If changing layer height to reduce print time, compare the slicer's revised time and surface requirements together. The worksheet is a geometry and setting check, not a simulation of bonding, finish, or dimensional accuracy.

Formula

Z increment = screw lead / (full steps × drive ratio).