Skip to content

Glossary of Terms

The world of 3D printing and Klipper is full of specific terminology. This page serves as a quick reference for some of the common terms you will encounter.

  • Klipper: The high-performance 3D printer firmware that runs on your machine. It uses a powerful host computer (like a Raspberry Pi) paired with a simple microcontroller (MCU).
  • MCU (Micro-controller Unit): The main electronics board in your printer (e.g., BTT Octopus). It receives commands from the Klipper host and controls the motors, heaters, and sensors.
  • Host: The computer that runs the main Klipper software (in this case, your Raspberry Pi).
  • Mainsail / Fluidd: The web interface you use to interact with and control your Klipper-powered printer.
  • printer.cfg: The main configuration file for Klipper. All your printer's hardware settings, pinouts, and macros are defined here.
  • Input Shaper: A key Klipper feature that measures and cancels out resonant frequencies in your printer, dramatically reducing "ringing" or "ghosting" artifacts for cleaner prints at high speeds.
  • Pressure Advance: A Klipper feature that regulates extruder pressure to produce sharper corners and reduce blobbing or stringing.
  • CoreXY: The motion system your printer uses, where two stationary motors control the toolhead's XY position through a specific belt arrangement.
  • PID Tuning: A calibration process that fine-tunes your printer's heater control, allowing it to hold a target temperature more stably without over- or under-shooting.
  • G-Code: The command language that 3D printers understand. It's a series of instructions that tell the printer where to move, how fast, and how much to extrude.
  • Slicer: The software (e.g., PrusaSlicer, OrcaSlicer) that converts a 3D model (STL file) into the G-code that the printer can execute.