Temperature Tower Step Calculator

A temperature tower is a calibration print used to find the optimal printing temperature for a filament spool. It is a tall vertical print divided into sections, each printed at a slightly different temperature. After printing, you inspect each section visually (looking for stringing, layer adhesion, bridging quality, and surface finish) to choose the best temperature.

How the calculation works: The tower starts at a high temperature and steps down by a fixed amount per section. The number of sections is: (Start Temp − End Temp) ÷ Step Size, plus 1, because both end temperatures get their own section (220 to 180 in 5° steps = 9 sections, not 8). Each section needs to be tall enough to be useful. Typically 5–10 mm per section is standard.

When the range does not divide evenly: Pick a range that is a whole multiple of your step size where you can. If it is not (250 down to 220 in 4° steps, say), the last full step lands at 222 and stops short of the 220 you asked for. This calculator adds a short final section at your exact end temperature instead of quietly ignoring it, and labels that section so you know it is a partial step.

Variables:

• Start Temperature: the hottest section, printed first (the bottom of the tower, since printing starts at the plate)
• End Temperature: the coolest section, printed last
• Step Size: how many °C to drop between each section (typically 5°C)
• Section Height: how many mm tall each section is (5 mm is a common minimum)

Typical temperature ranges by material:

• PLA: 180–220°C, start at 220, step down to 180
• PETG: 220–250°C, start at 250, step down to 220
• ABS: 230–260°C, start at 260, step down to 230
• TPU: 210–240°C, start at 240, step down to 210
• ASA: 230–260°C, start at 260, step down to 230

Tips for reading results:

• Look for clean bridges with no sagging
• Minimal stringing between points
• Good layer adhesion (no delamination when flexed)
• Glossy, consistent surface texture

Run this calculator to find out how many sections your tower will have, the total print height, and the temperature at each layer change height so you can set up your slicer’s change-at-height script correctly.