Pressure Advance Explained (Why Corners Bulge)
Pressure Advance explained for 3D printing: what it is, how it works, and why it fixes corner bulges, thin line starts, inconsistent extrusion, and seam defects. If you use Klipper Pressure Advance, Marlin Linear Advance, or Bambu K-Factor, this video breaks down the same core concept in a simple visual way.
In this video, we look at how pressure inside the nozzle changes when the printer slows down or speeds up, and why that causes common print defects. Using animated examples and calibration patterns, this video shows what happens with no pressure advance, too much pressure advance, and a properly tuned pressure advance value.
You’ll see how corner bulges form, why thin lines and weak adhesion can show up when the setting is too aggressive, and how a balanced value keeps line width consistent through corners and speed changes. The video also compares the naming used across different printer ecosystems, including Pressure Advance in Klipper, Linear Advance in Marlin, and K-Factor on Bambu printers.
We also compare common pressure advance calibration methods, including:
corner examples
calibration patterns
line pattern tests
tower-based calibration
If you’ve been trying to tune Pressure Advance / Linear Advance / K-Factor and want to understand what the printer is actually doing at the nozzle, this video is for you.
00:00 Corner Bulges, Thin Starts, and Inconsistent Extrusion
00:10 How Pressure Advance Relates to Retraction
00:21 Pressure Advance vs Linear Advance vs K-Factor
00:39 What Happens at a Corner
00:43 No Pressure Advance Example
01:15 Too Much Pressure Advance Example
01:52 Correct Pressure Advance Example
02:20 Comparing Calibration Methods
02:24 Line Pattern Calibration
02:41 Picking the Best Value
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