Rinkhals & The Klipper Ecosystem: Firmware Sovereignty in 3D Printing
~7 min read
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A root-cause-first troubleshooting guide for 3D printing — learn to diagnose stringing, warping, layer shift, under-extrusion, over-extrusion, and Z-banding using calibration baselines and first-party diagnostic tools
When I upgraded from an Ender 3 Pro to an Anycubic Kobra S1, the firmware decision was the most impactful choice I made. Going with Rinkhals — a Klipper-based custom firmware — transformed how I interact with the printer. But Rinkhals is just one option in a growing ecosystem of Klipper variants, each with different tradeoffs.
This article maps the Klipper ecosystem: what Klipper is, the different flavors available, where Rinkhals fits, and how to decide which firmware is right for your printer and workflow.
Klipper is not just another Marlin alternative — it's a fundamentally different architecture. Instead of running all motion planning, acceleration control, and thermal management on the printer's mainboard MCU, Klipper uses a two-processor design:
This separation is powerful because the application processor has vastly more computing power than a typical printer MCU. Complex calculations like input shaping, which would bog down a Marlin board, run at full speed. The MCU becomes a simple command executor, and its firmware rarely needs updating.
| Feature | Klipper | Marlin |
|---|---|---|
| Input Shaping | Built-in, configurable per axis | Not available on most boards |
| Pressure Advance | Software-defined, easy to tune | Linear Advance, requires compiled firmware |
| Config Changes | Edit printer.cfg, restart firmware | Recompile and flash entire firmware |
| Web Control | Moonraker API + web UI widgets | Optional, needs separate host |
| Step Rates | Up to several MHz (Pi-driven) | Limited by MCU clock speed |
For me, the killer features are Pressure Advance (eliminates bulging corners) and Input Shaping (removes ghosting at high speeds). Combined, they make a 1000 one.
Klipper has grown beyond its bare-metal roots. Here are the main options available today:
| Distribution | Base | Best For | Web UI | Setup Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stock Klipper | Manual install on Linux | DIY printers, full control | Optional (Moonraker only) | Hard |
| MainsailOS | Raspberry Pi OS image | Generic printers, ready-to-run | Mainsail (built-in) | Easy |
| Fluidd | Raspberry Pi OS image | Generic printers, lightweight | Fluidd (built-in) | Easy |
| Rinkhals | Custom OS for Kobra S1/S1C | Anycubic Kobra S1/S1C | Mainsail (customized) | Very Easy |
| KlipperScreen | Touch UI overlay | Printers with tablet displays | Touch-native UI | Moderate |
Stock Klipper is the upstream project at github.com/Klipper3d/klipper. Installing it means setting up a Linux host, installing Python dependencies, compiling MCU firmware, and configuring everything manually. You get absolute control and the latest features, but the setup is involved.
If you run stock Klipper, you'll likely add Moonraker (the API layer) and then a web UI like Mainsail or Fluidd. This is the most flexible approach and works with any printer that has a supported MCU.
Both MainsailOS and Fluidd are pre-built Raspberry Pi OS images that bundle Klipper + Moonraker + web UI into a single flash-and-go image. They're the easiest way to get Klipper running on a generic printer:
Both support the same underlying Klipper + Moonraker stack, so the difference is mostly UI preference.
Rinkhals is a specialized Klipper distribution built specifically for the Anycubic Kobra S1 and S1C. Created by the community (jbatonnet on GitHub), it replaces the stock Anycubic firmware with a complete Klipper environment that runs on the printer's built-in application processor.
What Rinkhals adds:
What Rinkhals changes vs stock Klipper:
Upstream compatibility: The Rinkhals maintainer tracks Klipper releases and merges updates regularly. In practice, the lag is usually 2-4 weeks — acceptable for a printer you're actively using, but worth noting if you need the very latest Klipper feature.
Installation is straightforward: download the latest release from the Rinkhals GitHub page, copy it to an SD card, insert into the Kobra S1, and power on. The printer boots into Rinkhals automatically. First-time setup walks you through Wi-Fi, and then you can access Mainsail from any browser on your network.
KlipperScreen adds a touch-native UI for printers with a dedicated display (like a 7-inch tablet running a web browser or a Waveshare screen). It's not a standalone firmware — it runs alongside Klipper and displays printer status, print progress, bed mesh visualization, and control options on a local screen.
Which firmware should you choose? Here's how I think about it:
| Use Case | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| You own a Kobra S1 or S1C | Rinkhals — no contest. Zero-config Klipper tuned for your hardware |
| You're building a Voron or DIY CoreXY | Stock Klipper + Mainsail — maximum control, latest features |
| You have a Creality, Prusa, or other generic printer | MainsailOS — easy install, great UI |
| You want the lightest possible UI | Fluidd — fast and simple |
| You want a local touch display | Add KlipperScreen to any of the above |
| You want plug-and-play with maximum stability | MainsailOS or Rinkhals (depending on printer) |
My setup runs Rinkhals on a Kobra S1, and I access Mainsail from my laptop and phone over Wi-Fi. For my next DIY build, I'll likely go with stock Klipper + MainsailOS for maximum flexibility.
Once you have Klipper running, there are several configurations worth investing time in beyond the defaults.
Well-designed start and end macros are the foundation of consistent prints. Here's a basic START_PRINT macro for Rinkhals/Klipper:
[gcode_macro START_PRINT]
description: Start print sequence
gcode:
{% set BED_TEMP = params.BED_TEMP|default(60)|int %}
{% set EXTRUDER_TEMP = params.EXTRUDER_TEMP|default(200)|int %}
; Home and preheat
G28
M140 S{BED_TEMP}
M104 S{EXTRUDER_TEMP - 40}
M190 S{BED_TEMP}
M109 S{EXTRUDER_TEMP}
; Mesh bed leveling
BED_MESH_CALIBRATE
; Prime nozzle
G92 E0
G1 E10 F200
G92 E0
The key design principle: macros receive temperature parameters from the slicer, so your START_PRINT works with any material without hardcoding temperatures. The params dictionary at the top is the standard Klipper convention for passing slicer variables.
Configure your bed mesh to balance accuracy vs speed:
[bed_mesh]
speed: 120
horizontal_move_z: 5
mesh_min: 15, 15
mesh_max: 215, 215
probe_count: 7, 7 ; Higher = more resolution, slower
algorithm: bicubic
bicubic_tension: 0.2
For a known-good bed, probe_count: 5, 5 is sufficient. For problem beds or first-layer-sensitive prints, 7, 7 provides more resolution. The bicubic algorithm gives smoother interpolation than the default lagrange.
Pressure Advance is set in your extruder configuration:
[extruder]
pressure_advance: 0.04
pressure_advance_smooth_time: 0.040
The value is material-dependent. Use OrcaSlicer's Pressure Advance calibration (line method) to find the optimal value for each filament and save it in your PRINT_START macro or in the slicer's custom G-code field. I cover the calibration process in detail in the OrcaSlicer Calibration Guide.
The calibration values you dial in through OrcaSlicer (Pressure Advance, flow rate, temperature) feed directly into your Klipper config. For the complete calibration workflow from the slicer side, see the OrcaSlicer Calibration Guide.
For diagnosing firmware-related issues and general print problems, the 3D Printing Troubleshooting Guide covers root-cause diagnosis for common failure modes.