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Can someone please clue me in on what setting in Simplify3D sets the height of the bed and then zero's it out at that level.
I have been going through setting after setting and every time I start a test the nozzle tip touches the glass.

IF I understand your question correctly S3D doesn't actually zero out the physical printer. It defines tool paths starting from Z zero which should be the top surface of the plate.

Physical Z zero on the printer is set manually. Using the manual controls on the printer LCD, go to the Advanced screens, then Home the axis ad jog the nozzle down until it is touching the bed and its proxy (sheet of paper, feeler gauge), then set Z zero. This becomes your permanent Z zero and if you home the towers the Z position shown on Repetier for example is the max height of your parts. Sorry I don't have a printer in front of me to give you the exact sequence and commands.

If you then command the nozzle to Z zero it will now place the tip on the bed plus the height of your proxy depending on how good your feel was in setting zero. Likewise if you start a print and the first layer is at 0.2mm the nozzle should go to that height and start to print.

The physical Z zero should be the same and independent of S3D, Repetier, Cura, etc.

That setting is usually configured in the firmware of the controller. If you're using the rambo controller you can set it through the LCD.


Although it's possible to do it though S3D's communication window. It doesn't have a EEPROM interface like some other slicers.

Once connected issue a M205 command. That will list your firmware settings. (some controllers don't have this feature and will not work with the following)

M206 followed by the value change will write that change to the firmware.


This link should give you an idea of what's required.
https://forum.simplify3d.com/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=2189" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also if you're close to having the Z set correctly, you can use the First Layer Height % to fine tune the first layer.

In the G-Code tab of your process you can change the z-axis offset of the Global G-Code Offsets section.

Just be aware that if you go negative by more than the first layer thickness, the first layer will disappear under the virtual bed... learned that one the embarrassing way. It still prints, but you have to rotate the print to see it under the bed.