Ultimate Guide to Setting Up Input Shaping on Voron Printers

When it comes to high-speed, high-quality 3D printing, Voron printers are some of the best machines available. But to fully unlock their potential, Input Shaping is absolutely essential.

Input Shaping reduces vibrations, ringing, and ghosting by modifying motion commands based on the printer’s mechanical resonances. With proper setup, it allows you to print faster, sharpen details, and enhance dimensional accuracy—without sacrificing surface quality.

In this ultimate guide, we will walk through everything you need to know to set up Input Shaping correctly on your Voron 2.4, Trident, V0, or Switchwire running Klipper firmware.

What Is Input Shaping?

Input Shaping is a motion control technique that cancels mechanical resonances before they affect your printed part.

• When your printer rapidly changes direction, it creates vibrations.
• These vibrations show up as ghosting or ripples on vertical walls.
• Input Shaping “shapes” the motor commands to avoid exciting these vibrations, resulting in smoother, cleaner prints.

Voron printers, with their rigid frames and CoreXY design, benefit immensely from properly tuned Input Shaping.

Requirements for Setting Up Input Shaping on Voron Printers

Step-by-Step: Setting Up Input Shaping on Voron Printers

Step 1: Mount the ADXL345 Accelerometer

1. Print a mount designed for your Voron’s toolhead.
2. Secure the ADXL345 to the mount using screws or double-sided tape.
3. Ensure the accelerometer’s axes (X, Y, Z) are correctly aligned with your printer’s axes.

📌 A firmly attached accelerometer is critical for accurate measurements.

Step 2: Wire the Accelerometer to Your Pi or MCU

Important: Only use 3.3V for VCC—never 5V.

If wiring to a secondary MCU (like an F407 board), follow similar SPI wiring procedures.

Step 3: Install Required Software on the Raspberry Pi

SSH into your Pi and run:

bashCopyEditsudo apt update
sudo apt install python3-numpy python3-matplotlib python3-scipy

These packages are needed for graphing and analyzing resonance frequencies.

Step 4: Configure Klipper for Accelerometer Use

Edit your printer.cfg and add:

iniCopyEdit[mcu rpi]
serial: /tmp/klipper_host_mcu

[adxl345]
cs_pin: rpi:GPIO8
spi_bus: spi0a

Then flash the Raspberry Pi as a secondary MCU:

bashCopyEditcd ~/klipper
make menuconfig

• Choose Linux process as the MCU type.
• Save and run:

bashCopyEditmake
sudo service klipper stop
./scripts/install-octopi-host.sh
sudo service klipper start

This allows the Pi to communicate with the accelerometer.

Step 5: Perform Resonance Testing

Use the following G-code commands from your printer terminal:

gcodeCopyEditMEASURE_AXES_NOISE AXIS=X
MEASURE_AXES_NOISE AXIS=Y

The printer will vibrate the gantry while the accelerometer records resonance data.

Step 6: Analyze the Resonance Data

Generate the vibration plots:

bashCopyEdit~/klipper/scripts/calibrate_shaper.py ~/resonances_x_*.csv -o ~/x.png
~/klipper/scripts/calibrate_shaper.py ~/resonances_y_*.csv -o ~/y.png

These plots will show where your frame’s natural frequencies are highest (vibration peaks).

Step 7: Run Automatic Shaper Calibration

Use this command in the terminal:

gcodeCopyEditSHAPER_CALIBRATE

Klipper will:

• Analyze your vibration data
• Recommend the best shaper type (e.g., MZV, 2HUMP_EI, EI)
• Set the optimal frequencies for X and Y axes

Results are automatically output for review.

Step 8: Apply Recommended Settings

Add the recommended shapers to your printer.cfg:

iniCopyEdit[input_shaper]
shaper_type_x = mzv
shaper_freq_x = 41.2
shaper_type_y = 2hump_ei
shaper_freq_y = 37.5

Save the file and restart Klipper:

gcodeCopyEditRESTART

Input Shaping is now active.

Recommended Test Prints After Input Shaping Setup

• Ringing Test Tower: Check walls for ghosting.
• Acceleration Tower: Push higher acceleration values safely.
• Speed Benchy: Validate surface quality at increased speeds.

📌 You can usually increase acceleration from 2000 mm/s² to 7000–12000 mm/s² after Input Shaping is enabled.

Choosing the Right Input Shaper Type

Klipper often suggests 2HUMP_EI for Vorons because of multiple frame and toolhead vibration sources.

Tips for Best Input Shaping Results

• Secure all belts, screws, and motors before calibration.
• Use a moderate acceleration (3000–5000 mm/s²) during first prints after tuning.
• Recalibrate after major mechanical changes (like frame rebuilds or different toolheads).
• Keep sensor cables short and shielded if possible to reduce noise in measurements.

Common Problems and Solutions

FAQs

Q1: Can I use manual tuning instead of an accelerometer?

Yes, but it is less precise and involves lots of trial and error using printed test patterns.

Q2: Does Input Shaping reduce print strength?

Not significantly. It focuses on motion commands, not extrusion behavior.

Q3: Should I calibrate Pressure Advance before or after Input Shaping?

Always calibrate Input Shaping first, then Pressure Advance second. Vibrations can influence extrusion tuning if not handled first.

Q4: Do I need to recalibrate after changing print speed?

Not necessarily. Input Shaping mainly relates to acceleration, not speed.
However, extreme speed changes may benefit from slight re-tuning.

Conclusion

Setting up Input Shaping on your Voron printer is one of the most powerful upgrades you can make for better prints at higher speeds.
With a simple ADXL345 accelerometer, basic wiring, and Klipper’s tools, you can dramatically improve surface finish, dimensional accuracy, and reduce ghosting—even at aggressive acceleration settings.

Follow this guide step-by-step, and your Voron will move from impressive to elite—producing fast, clean, professional-grade prints consistently.