# Possible Error in Microstepping **URL:** \ **Category:** Software\ **Created:** [February 22, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994 "2016-02-22T02:57:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![peter347](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@peter347](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/peter347)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/1 "2016-02-22T02:57:13Z")
Hi guys. I am currently faced with this problem of my Lulzbot TAZ 3 printing only half of the desired part height. A friend told me it might have something to do with the compatibility between the layer heights issued for the STL file and the one read by the machine. I checked, and they were the same. I tried reducing the layer thickness by half to ensure compatibility, and it bore the same half-height results. Eventually, I measured the Z-axis displacement, and found out for every 10mm input, the extruder moved only 5mm. I wonder if it has something to do with the microstepping of the motor. I am using Printrun, I couldn’t find out why. Please help. 😢 It has been affecting all my prints for a while now. ---
**Author:** ![i-t-w.com](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/i-t-w.com/32/65_2.png) [@i-t-w.com](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/i-t-w.com)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2016, 3:23am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/2 "2016-02-22T03:23:44Z")
What firmware version is installed? When you turn the printer on, the LCD will display the printer model and version. If you installed TAZ 4 firmware, the Z height will be off as you described because the Z lead screws on the 4/5 have a different pitch than the 3. ---
**Author:** ![peter347](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@peter347](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/peter347)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 1:39am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/3 "2016-02-23T01:39:05Z")
> [@i-t-w.com](#): > > What firmware version is installed? > When you turn the printer on, the LCD will display the printer model and version. > If you installed TAZ 4 firmware, the Z height will be off as you described because the Z lead screws on the 4/5 have a different pitch than the 3. Thanks for the reply. The firmware is indeed TAZ 4. How do I solve the problem then? ---
**Author:** ![i-t-w.com](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/i-t-w.com/32/65_2.png) [@i-t-w.com](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/i-t-w.com)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2016, 8:31pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/4 "2016-02-23T20:31:53Z")
Here’s how to flash firmware from Cura: [https://www.lulzbot.com/learn/tutorials/firmware-flashing-through-cura](https://www.lulzbot.com/learn/tutorials/firmware-flashing-through-cura) Assuming you have the stock Budaschnozzle hotend, and haven’t upgraded to the V2 hexagon, this is the firmware to use: [https://devel.lulzbot.com/TAZ/3.1/software/2014Q2/firmware/marlin/Marlin\_taz3.1.cpp.hex](https://devel.lulzbot.com/TAZ/3.1/software/2014Q2/firmware/marlin/Marlin_taz3.1.cpp.hex) ---
**Author:** ![peter347](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc348/32.png) [@peter347](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/peter347)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 11:49am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/5 "2016-02-24T11:49:00Z")
Thanks again. The initial values I got for the all steps/mm are: X- +100.50 Y- +100.50 Z- +1600.0 E- +850.0 I increased the Z-step/mm to 3200, and got the Z-displacement right at last. But this implied too hight a speed for the motor whenever I tried homing, as it caused the thread of one of the rods to slip every now and then, resulting in uneven Z-displacement on both rods. May I know how to set the stepping speed? ---
**Author:** ![kmanley57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/13edae/32.png) [@kmanley57](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/kmanley57)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/6 "2016-02-24T13:23:52Z")
> [@peter347](#): > > Thanks again. > > The initial values I got for the all steps/mm are: > X- +100.50 > Y- +100.50 > Z- +1600.0 > E- +850.0 > > I increased the Z-step/mm to 3200, and got the Z-displacement right at last. But this implied too hight a speed for the motor whenever I tried homing, as it caused the thread of one of the rods to slip every now and then, resulting in uneven Z-displacement on both rods. > > May I know how to set the stepping speed? That is the wrong Z step rate for a TAZ 3. The firmware update Z step rate for the TAZ 3 Z rod thread pitch should have been correct after the update and not needed changed. ---
**Author:** ![piercet](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.lulzbot.com/piercet/32/12_2.png) [@piercet](https://forum.lulzbot.com/u/piercet)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://forum.lulzbot.com/t/possible-error-in-microstepping/2994/7 "2016-02-25T01:43:10Z")
There is at least one copy of the stock taz 4 firmware labeled as taz 3 running around the site somewhere. It shows up from time to time, but I’ve never gone looking for it.