Mirror & Duplicate Mode
Mirror and Duplicate modes use both toolheads at once to print two objects in a single job, roughly doubling your throughput. Mirror Mode prints a mirrored copy of your part; Duplicate Mode prints two identical copies. Both need a little extra care with part placement, bed adhesion, and calibration.
Before you begin
Make sure the printer is calibrated (especially Z-offset) and that both toolheads (T0 and T1) are clean, loaded, and extruding correctly in single-tool mode. Keep the bed clean and clear. Incorrect setup in these modes can cause failed prints or head collisions.
Tools & Materials
- Vision Miner 22IDEX V4 3D printer
- Filament (enough for two parts)
- Slicing software set up for the Vision Miner 22IDEX V4 (IDEX profile)
Print Zones
The 22IDEX V4 has two independent toolheads that share one build plate. Each tool reaches almost the whole bed, except the opposite side where the other tool docks.
In both modes the two tools print at the same time, so your working area is the left half of the bed and the printer produces the second copy on the right. The highlighted zone in each screenshot is where we recommend placing parts. For every mode and exactly where to sit a part inside its zone, see Part Placement.
Before You Print
These apply to both Mirror and Duplicate modes.
Calibrate the printer first, especially Tool 1 Z Offset
Both modes print with two toolheads at once, so print quality depends on the machine being calibrated far more than a single-tool job does. Run Auto Calibration before you rely on either mode.
The parameter that matters most here is Tool 1 Z Offset, the height difference between Tool 0 and Tool 1. Two nozzles can never be aligned perfectly by mechanical means, so the printer compensates for the difference in software. Get this wrong and one side lays its layers at a different height than the other: you see one part squished and the other starved, on the same plate, from the same file.
If your prints come out poorly for mechanical reasons rather than slicer settings, this is the first thing to check. It is also what gives you consistent layer height and the strongest bond between the two materials in dual-material work.
Use a Raft
Use a raft by default in both modes. It gives a stable, even foundation across the large area both heads cover, smooths out minor bed-leveling variation, and greatly improves first-layer adhesion. In PrusaSlicer, turn one on under Print settings > Support material > Raft layers; use at least 3 layers in Duplicate Mode.
Turning the raft on and off, and changing its thickness, is the same single field. Raft layers at 0 means no raft at all. Any value above 0 switches it on and sets how many layers thick it is. Three or more in Duplicate Mode.
Leave the layer height alone
Change the number of raft layers, not the layer height. The height is set by the profile for a reason: it is tuned so the raft separates cleanly from the finished part. Raising or lowering it tends to either fuse the raft to the part or leave it too loose to hold the part down.
If you are experienced and want to experiment, do it on a test print first. It is not a setting to change on a job that matters.
You can try without one only for a single part with a large, flat footprint, and only if you are ready to watch the first layer closely and dial in First Layer Flow Calibration. For most prints, use a raft.
First Layer Flow Calibration
A good first layer needs the right amount of material: enough to squish the lines together with no gaps and no buildup. This matters most in Duplicate Mode, where automatic bed leveling is off.
Print a single-layer test and adjust the slicer's Initial Layer Flow until the lines fuse cleanly. You can also nudge extrusion live in the Web Interface under Status > Extrusion Factors, but that only affects the current layer and resets on the next one.
Don't skip this step for reliable IDEX prints. See the First Layer Flow Calibration Guide.
Mirror Mode
The two heads move as mirror images, reflected across the center line of the bed: one prints your part on the left, the other prints the reflected copy on the right. Automatic bed leveling (height map) stays active in this mode, so it helps level the first layer for both parts.
In the slicer's Printer preset dropdown, select the Mirror Mode preset for your nozzle size.
Place your part inside the highlighted zone below.
For where to position the part inside this zone, see Part Placement, Mirror Mode.
Duplicate Mode
Both heads move in tandem at a fixed spacing, printing two identical copies at the same time. This is the mode that needs the most care from you.
No auto-leveling in Duplicate Mode
Duplicate Mode turns off the height map, so the printer won't correct the bed for you. A clean first layer depends entirely on your manual setup: a level bed, an accurate Z-offset, good First Layer Flow Calibration, and a raft.
In the slicer's Printer preset dropdown, select the Duplicate Mode preset for your nozzle size.
Place your part inside the highlighted zone below.
For where to position the part inside this zone, see Part Placement, Duplicate Mode.
Troubleshooting
Support
If you could not find an answer here, reach out to our support team.