What are e-steps and why do they matter?

E-steps (extruder steps per mm) tell the firmware how many motor steps are needed to push 1mm of filament. Incorrect e-steps cause under-extrusion (too few steps) or over-extrusion (too many). Calibrate by marking 100mm of filament and commanding a 100mm extrusion.

What is a typical e-steps value?

For a standard direct drive with a 7.5mm drive gear: ~93 steps/mm. For a BMG/dual-gear with 3:1 ratio: ~415 steps/mm. For a Bondtech LGX: ~400 steps/mm. Always calibrate rather than relying on calculated values.

What is the benefit of a geared extruder?

Geared extruders multiply motor torque by the gear ratio, allowing much higher push force (useful for flexible filaments and high-speed printing). They also increase resolution (steps per mm) for more precise extrusion control. The trade-off is lower maximum speed.

Direct drive vs Bowden — which is better?

Direct drive gives better retraction control (especially for flexible filaments) and lower retraction distances (1-2mm vs 4-7mm). Bowden reduces moving mass for faster acceleration. Choose direct for flexible filaments and quality; Bowden for speed.

3DPrintCalcs

Extruder Gear Calculator — Gear Ratio & E-Steps

Calculate gear ratio and e-steps for direct drive and Bowden extruders.

Drive Gear Diameter

Effective hobbed diameter

Gear Ratio

1 for direct, 3 for BMG

Motor Steps/Rev

Microstepping

Extruder Type

How We Calculate This

E-Steps Formula

Filament per rev = Pi x Drive gear diameter / Gear ratio
E-steps = (Motor steps x Microstepping) / Filament per rev
Resolution = 1 / E-steps (mm per step)
Max feed rate = Max RPM x Filament per rev / 60

The drive gear grips the filament. Its effective diameter determines how much filament moves per revolution. A gear reduction multiplies the steps and reduces speed proportionally, giving higher torque and finer control.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Last updated: February 2026

All calculations are estimates. Always verify settings with test prints before committing to final prints.