A practical calibration order and checklist for Orca Slicer users

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# Orca Slicer Calibration Checklist

A practical checklist for tuning a new filament profile in Orca Slicer.

Calibration works best when the tests are completed in a sensible order because changing one fundamental value can affect the tests that come after it.

## Recommended Order

1. Temperature
2. Flow Rate
3. Pressure Advance
4. Retraction

## 1. Temperature

Start by finding the nozzle temperature that gives the filament the best balance of:

* Layer bonding
* Surface quality
* Bridging
* Overhang performance
* Low stringing

Do this before fine-tuning extrusion behaviour.

If you change temperature significantly later, it can affect flow and retraction behaviour.

## 2. Flow Rate

After temperature is stable, calibrate flow.

The goal is to make sure the amount of plastic being extruded matches what the slicer expects.

Watch for:

* Rough or overfilled top surfaces
* Visible gaps
* Excess material around walls
* Thin or inconsistent extrusion

Save the resulting value to the correct filament profile.

## 3. Pressure Advance

Pressure advance compensates for pressure changes inside the nozzle when the printer accelerates and decelerates.

A good value can improve:

* Sharp corners
* Line consistency
* Direction changes
* High-speed printing

Do this after basic flow has already been corrected.

## 4. Retraction

Retraction should normally come after the main extrusion behaviour has been tuned.

Its job is primarily to reduce unwanted material during travel moves.

Look for:

* Stringing
* Small blobs
* Material between separate parts

Use the shortest retraction distance that produces a clean result rather than increasing it unnecessarily.

## Quick Checklist

* [ ] Correct printer profile selected
* [ ] Correct filament profile selected
* [ ] Temperature calibrated
* [ ] Flow rate calibrated
* [ ] Pressure advance calibrated
* [ ] Retraction calibrated
* [ ] Values saved to the filament profile
* [ ] New normal project opened after calibration

For a more detailed explanation of the built-in tests and their order, see this **[Orca Slicer calibration checklist](https://orcaslicer.org/calibration/)**.

## Tip

Do not change several calibration values simultaneously.

Change one variable, print the test, inspect the result, save the value, and then move to the next calibration.