Creality Print 7.2 — Ender 3 S1 Plus Configuration Guide (PLA & PETG)
Focused on first-layer adhesion and conservative, stable printing. Assumes stock textured PEI magnetic spring-steel plate.
Section 1 — Printer & Bed Setup
1.1 Select or Create a Printer Profile
Creality Print organizes everything into three preset categories: Printer, Filament, and Process. Work left to right across the top preset bar.[^1]
- Launch Creality Print 7.2. In the top-left Printer Presets panel, click the dropdown and choose Add / Manage Printers.
- In the search box type
Ender-3 S1 Plus. Select it from the Creality list and click Confirm.
- The profile pre-fills the build volume at X 315 mm × Y 310 mm × Z 300 mm and sets bed shape to Rectangular, origin front-left. Verify these under Printer Presets → Edit (pencil icon) → Machine Settings.[^1]
- If the values need correction: set X=315, Y=310, Z=300. Confirm bed shape = Rectangular, origin = (0,0). Click Save.
1.2 Auto-Level / Mesh Features
The Ender 3 S1 Plus uses a CR Touch probe. Creality Print does not drive the leveling mesh directly, but your start G-code must invoke it.[^2]
- In Printer Presets → Edit → Machine G-code → Start G-code, confirm these lines are present (add them if missing):
G28 ; Auto-home all axes
G29 ; Run CR Touch mesh leveling
M500 ; Save mesh to EEPROM
M420 S1 Z3 ; Load saved mesh, fade over 3 mm
- Keep the slicer-side Z-offset at 0. All Z-offset tuning is done on the printer touchscreen (see Section 4).[^2]
Section 2 — PLA Profile
2.1 Create the Profile
- In the Filament Presets dropdown (top center), click Add → select Generic PLA as the base.
- Click the Edit (pencil) icon on the new filament entry. Name it
PLA – S1 Plus Conservative.
- In the Process Presets dropdown (top right), click Add → select the closest Creality preset as a base (e.g.,
0.20mm Standard). Name it PLA – 0.20 Conservative.
- To expose all settings, click Advanced: All Object’s Settings (the expand button on the right panel).[^3]
2.2 Temperatures — Filament Presets → Edit → Temperatures
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle temp – first layer |
210 °C |
| Nozzle temp – other layers |
205 °C |
| Bed temp – first layer |
60 °C |
| Bed temp – other layers |
60 °C |
Path: Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature tab
These are well-established conservative starting points for PLA on a PEI surface.[^4]
2.3 Speeds — Process Presets → Edit → Speed Tab
| Setting |
Value |
| First layer speed |
15 mm/s |
| First layer infill speed |
20 mm/s |
| Outer wall speed |
40 mm/s |
| Inner wall speed |
40 mm/s |
| Infill speed |
60 mm/s |
| Top surface speed |
35 mm/s |
| Travel speed |
120 mm/s |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Speed tab[^5]
2.4 Cooling — Process Presets → Edit → Cooling Tab
| Setting |
Value |
| Fan speed – first layer |
0% |
| Fan speed – layer 2 |
30% |
| Fan speed – layers 3+ |
100% |
| Min layer time |
8 s |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Cooling tab
Keeping the fan off for the first layer maximizes bed adhesion.[^6]
2.5 Quality / Layer Settings — Process Presets → Edit → Quality Tab
| Setting |
Value |
| Layer height |
0.20 mm |
| Initial layer height |
0.24 mm (slightly thicker for better squish) |
| Initial layer line width |
110% |
| Initial layer flow |
105–110% |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Quality tab
A thicker initial layer and slightly increased flow improve first-layer contact area.[^7]
Section 3 — PETG Profile
3.1 Create the Profile
- In Filament Presets, click Add → select Generic PETG as the base. Name it
PETG – S1 Plus Conservative.
- In Process Presets, click Add → duplicate your PLA process preset. Name it
PETG – 0.20 Conservative. All modifications below go into this PETG process preset.
3.2 Temperatures — Filament Presets → Edit → Temperatures
| Setting |
Value |
| Nozzle temp – first layer |
240 °C |
| Nozzle temp – other layers |
235 °C |
| Bed temp – first layer |
80 °C |
| Bed temp – other layers |
80 °C |
Path: Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature tab
PETG requires a bed of at least 75–80 °C for reliable adhesion; below 70 °C warping is common on prints wider than ~100 mm. The textured PEI plate provides excellent self-release when the bed cools after printing — do not attempt to remove PETG prints from a hot bed.[^6][^7]
3.3 Speeds — Process Presets → Edit → Speed Tab
| Setting |
Value |
| First layer speed |
12 mm/s |
| First layer infill speed |
15 mm/s |
| Outer wall speed |
40 mm/s |
| Inner wall speed |
40 mm/s |
| Infill speed |
50 mm/s |
| Top surface speed |
35 mm/s |
| Travel speed |
150 mm/s |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Speed tab
High travel speed (150–200 mm/s) is one of the most effective anti-stringing measures for PETG because it minimizes ooze time during moves.[^6]
3.4 Cooling — Process Presets → Edit → Cooling Tab
| Setting |
Value |
| Fan speed – layers 1–3 |
0% |
| Fan speed – layers 4+ |
30–40% |
| Bridge fan speed |
100% (let slicer auto-apply to bridges only) |
| Min layer time |
10 s |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Cooling tab
PETG does not need aggressive cooling and reacts poorly to it on the first few layers — excessive cooling kills interlayer adhesion and causes delamination.[^7][^6]
3.5 Retraction (Direct Drive) — Filament Presets → Edit → Retraction
| Setting |
Value |
| Retraction distance |
1.5 mm |
| Retraction speed |
40 mm/s |
| Minimum travel for retraction |
2 mm |
| Wipe before retraction |
Enabled |
Path: Filament Presets → Edit → Retraction tab
The Ender 3 S1 Plus uses a direct-drive extruder. For direct drive, 1–2 mm retraction is the recommended range for PETG. Exceeding 2 mm risks pulling molten filament into the cold zone, causing heat creep clogs. Set retraction speed no higher than 45 mm/s — above 50 mm/s the extruder gear can strip PETG.[^7][^6]
3.6 PETG Quality / Layer Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Layer height |
0.20 mm |
| Initial layer height |
0.24 mm |
| Initial layer line width |
110% |
| Initial layer flow |
105% |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Quality tab
Section 4 — Z-Offset and First-Layer Tuning (Printer Side)
All Z-offset adjustment is done on the printer touchscreen, not in the slicer. Leave the slicer Z-offset at 0.[^2]
4.1 Initial Z-Offset Setup
- Preheat the printer to printing temperatures before leveling (bed expands when hot — level cold and the offset will be wrong when hot).[^8]
- On the touchscreen: Prepare → Preheat PLA (or PETG).
- Auto-home: On the touchscreen tap Prepare → Home (or the Home icon). Wait for the printer to complete homing.
- Navigate to Settings → Leveling. The printer will home automatically.
- Tap Aux Level (manual corner leveling). Place a standard sheet of printer paper on the bed.
- Tap position ① (bed center or front-left). Use the ↓ Z-offset button to lower the nozzle until you feel slight resistance when sliding the paper — it should drag but not crinkle or tear.[^9][^2]
- Tap positions ②–⑤ in sequence. At each corner, use the leveling knob (turn counterclockwise to raise the bed, clockwise to lower) until the paper resistance matches position ①.[^8]
- Once all four corners match, tap AUTO LVL → Start to run the CR Touch automatic mesh. Wait for it to complete.[^2]
- The mesh is saved in EEPROM automatically. Return to the main menu.
4.2 Live Z-Adjustment During the First Print
- Slice a 100 × 100 mm square at 0.20 mm layer height, 1 perimeter, 0% infill using your PLA or PETG profile. Export as G-code and print.
- While the first layer is printing, observe the lines:
- Too far: Filament looks round, not squished. Lines may not adhere. Lines are separated.
- Too close: Filament is smeared flat, nozzle drags in previous lines, or you hear grinding.
- Correct: Lines are slightly squished, touching adjacent lines, with a slight ridge visible but not raised.
- During the first layer, tap Settings (gear icon top bar) → Z-axis Comp. (or “Z Adjust” depending on firmware version). Adjust in ±0.02 mm steps: tap Z↓ to move the nozzle closer, Z↑ to move it away.[^10][^2]
- When the first layer looks correct, note the final Z Comp. value. This value is automatically saved for future prints.
- PETG-specific note: PETG needs slightly more nozzle-to-bed gap than PLA (~0.05–0.10 mm higher). If the first PETG layer looks smeared and translucent, back the Z-offset up until lines show a slightly rounded top profile.[^6]
Section 5 — Raft, Brim, and Adhesion Aids
5.1 Finding Adhesion Settings in Creality Print 7
In Creality Print 7, brim and raft settings are hidden by default — you must enable Advanced mode to access them.[^3]
To access:
- In Process Presets → Edit, click Advanced: All Object’s Settings (the expand/unlock icon on the right-side panel).
- In the left-side tab list, scroll down and click Brim (it appears as a separate tab in advanced mode).[^3]
- Alternatively, look for Build Plate Adhesion within the advanced tabs.
5.2 Adhesion Types and When to Use Each
| Type |
When to Use |
| Skirt |
Default for most prints. Primes the nozzle. No adhesion benefit. |
| Brim |
Tall narrow parts, parts with small footprints, any print that lifts at corners. |
| Raft |
Very small contact patches, severe adhesion problems, or first-time PETG when troubleshooting. |
| None |
Large flat prints with full-bed contact that already stick reliably. |
Path: Process Presets → Edit → Advanced → Brim tab → Brim Type dropdown[^11][^3]
5.3 Brim Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Brim type |
Outer brim only |
| Brim width |
8 mm (5 mm minimum; 10 mm for tall/narrow parts) |
| Brim-object gap |
0.10 mm (leaves a hairline gap for easier removal) |
Path: Advanced → Brim tab
A brim of 8 mm adds roughly 19 lines of additional contact perimeter at the 0.4 mm standard line width, dramatically increasing hold on the first layer. For PETG, consider 10 mm brim width as a starting point.[^11]
5.4 Raft Settings
| Setting |
Value |
| Raft layers (interface + base) |
3–4 total |
| Raft margin |
5–8 mm around the part |
| Raft first-layer speed |
12–15 mm/s (match your first-layer speed setting) |
| Raft air gap |
0.20–0.25 mm (enough to hold the part, allows peel-off) |
Path: Advanced → Raft tab (if separate) or Build Plate Adhesion → Raft section
The air gap setting controls how easily the part separates from the raft after printing. A smaller gap (0.15 mm) gives stronger hold; a larger gap (0.30 mm) makes removal easier.[^12]
5.5 Physical Surface Prep Routine
Slicer adhesion settings only work when the bed surface is properly prepared. The following should be done physically before printing — these are not slicer settings.[^13][^6]
Every 5–10 prints (or whenever adhesion weakens):
- Remove the magnetic PEI spring-steel plate from the printer.
- Wash with warm water + a drop of dish soap. Rub with fingertips, rinse thoroughly, air dry.
- Wipe down with 99% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) on a lint-free cloth. Let fully evaporate before printing. This removes skin oils and residue that are the #1 cause of adhesion failure.
For PETG specifically:
- Apply a thin film of PVA glue stick (e.g., Elmer’s) to the textured PEI before printing. Spread it thin and even — it acts as a release agent, not an adhesive, preventing PETG from chemically bonding to the PEI surface and potentially tearing it.[^13][^6]
- Do NOT attempt to remove PETG prints from a hot bed. Let the bed cool fully to room temperature (or 30 °C or below) — PETG self-releases from textured PEI as it cools.[^7]
For stubborn PLA:
- A thin PVA glue stick layer can also help PLA on first prints with a new or washed PEI plate, though it is usually not needed.[^14]
Quick-Reference Settings Tables
PLA — Ender 3 S1 Plus (Conservative Profile)
| Parameter |
Value |
Location in Creality Print 7 |
| Nozzle – first layer |
210 °C |
Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature |
| Nozzle – other layers |
205 °C |
Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature |
| Bed – all layers |
60 °C |
Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature |
| First layer speed |
15 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Outer/inner wall speed |
40 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Infill speed |
60 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Top surface speed |
35 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Fan – first layer |
0% |
Process → Edit → Cooling |
| Fan – layer 2 |
30% |
Process → Edit → Cooling |
| Fan – layer 3+ |
100% |
Process → Edit → Cooling |
| Initial layer height |
0.24 mm |
Process → Edit → Quality |
| Initial layer flow |
105–110% |
Process → Edit → Quality |
| Brim width |
8 mm |
Advanced → Brim |
PETG — Ender 3 S1 Plus (Conservative Profile)
| Parameter |
Value |
Location in Creality Print 7 |
| Nozzle – first layer |
240 °C |
Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature |
| Nozzle – other layers |
235 °C |
Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature |
| Bed – all layers |
80 °C |
Filament Presets → Edit → Temperature |
| First layer speed |
12 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Outer/inner wall speed |
40 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Infill speed |
50 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Travel speed |
150 mm/s |
Process → Edit → Speed |
| Fan – layers 1–3 |
0% |
Process → Edit → Cooling |
| Fan – layers 4+ |
30–40% |
Process → Edit → Cooling |
| Bridge fan speed |
100% |
Process → Edit → Cooling |
| Retraction distance |
1.5 mm |
Filament Presets → Edit → Retraction |
| Retraction speed |
40 mm/s |
Filament Presets → Edit → Retraction |
| Initial layer height |
0.24 mm |
Process → Edit → Quality |
| Initial layer flow |
105% |
Process → Edit → Quality |
| Brim width |
10 mm |
Advanced → Brim |
Troubleshooting First-Layer Issues
| Symptom |
Likely Cause |
Fix |
| First layer not sticking at all |
Z too far, cold bed, dirty plate |
Clean plate with IPA, increase bed temp, adjust Z-offset down 0.02–0.04 mm |
| First layer smearing / nozzle dragging |
Z too close |
Raise Z-offset 0.02–0.04 mm steps during live print |
| PETG won’t release from bed |
No glue stick used, Z too close, or bed too hot |
Apply thin PVA glue stick; let bed cool fully before removing |
| PETG stringing between features |
Temp too high, retraction too low, travel too slow |
Lower nozzle temp 5 °C, increase travel speed to 150+ mm/s, enable wipe on retract |
| Corners lifting on PLA |
Fan on too early, first layer too fast, Z offset too high |
Fan off layer 1; slow to 15 mm/s; check Z squish |
| Elephant’s foot (base too wide) |
Z too close or bed too hot for PETG |
Raise Z-offset slightly; for PETG reduce bed to 75 °C after first layer |
References
-
Creality Print Interface Layout Introduction - The main interface of the software can be divided into 8 functional areas: Menu Bar, Navigation Bar,…
-
| [Ender 3 S1 Leveling Failed Fix |
S1 Pro & S1 Plus - Smith3D Malaysia](https://www.smith3d.com/ender-3-s1-leveling-failed-fix-s1-pro-s1-plus/) - Prepare > Auto Home · Click “Move” – “Move Z” and set Z to 0 · Return to previous menu and click “Z-… |
-
Creality Print v7 – Brim/Adhesion settings are basically hidden … - Naturally, I go looking for brim/skirt settings to improve adhesion. Except…they don’t exist. Not in…
-
Best Cura Settings & Profile for Ender 3S1,S1 Pro, PLUS - Creality - In this article, we have compiled the basic printing setting of different pla of Ender-3S1 Series. T…
-
How To Use A 3D Printer：Complete Creality 3D Printing Guide for … - Check slicer settings and filament quality. Print Speed: Reduce both “Default Printing Speed” and “X…
-
PETG Print Settings Deep Dive: First Layer Adhesion, Fan Speed … - Bed temperature: 80°C for the first layer, 75-80°C for subsequent layers. Below 70°C and PETG warps …
-
PETG Print Settings — Temp, Bed & Troubleshooting - Overture 3D - PETG requires a bed temperature of 80–90°C for reliable first-layer adhesion. Unlike PLA, PETG can b…
-
How To Level Your Bed on the Ender 3 S1 Pro - YouTube - In this video, I show you a step-by-step guide on how to level your bed both manually and automatica…
-
How to Level, Set Z Offset, and Make an ABL Mesh, on an Creality … - GreggAdventure will show you my Leveling, Z-Offset, and ABL setup, on an Ender 3 S1 PLUS & S! Pro He…
-
Ender 3 S1 pro bed adhesion issues - Try hair spray (must contain pva) a light spray to the build plate lasts months and improves adhesio…
-
Creality Print Basics - Build Plate Adhesion Types - YouTube - In this video, I’ll be showing 4 different types of build plate adhesions that you can use in Creali…
-
| [Rafts, Skirts, and Brims Tutorial |
Simplify3D](https://www.simplify3d.com/resources/articles/rafts-skirts-and-brims/) - The software also includes many settings that allow you to customize the raft for faster print times… |
-
Too strong bed adhesion on PETG : r/Ender3S1 - I cleared the glue off. Put it in my craft room at 72f degree’s and not the garage. Rough leveled th…
- Print Parameter Settings - Creality Wiki - ¶ 2. Slicing Settings · For printing with regular PLA, select Generic-PLA on the right · For printin…