If you’ve just received your 3D printer or are looking forward to 3D printing a complex design, starting with a test print is essential. Doing so will allow you to see what your printer, whether it’s one of the Best 3D Printers or not, is capable of and ensure that you won’t waste your time and materials on a project that won’t work.
Test prints allow you to see how your 3D printer handles overhangs and holes. You can also find out which settings, such as temperature, speed and layer height work best with your filament or 3D printer. You can use test prints even to find out how fast your printer can move. There are several models designed especially for testing your printer. Below we’ve chosen the six best test models for 3D printing.
1. 3D Benchy
3D Benchy can be used to test your 3D printer’s capabilities. Creative Tools created it and you can purchase it at Official website of 3D BenchyYou can access the STL files by clicking on any of these websites.
You must print the file as is, without any adjustments. It is the ideal print for troubleshooting and tuning your machine due to its complex design. The small size and the overhangs of varying angles will allow you to test your machine’s ability to handle bridges.
The circular holes, rectangular windows and sections of the design are all sized to a certain extent (as shown in the brochureYou should measure the model once it has been 3D printed to determine how accurate your 3D Printer is.
You can test the temperature control of your 3D Printer by looking at the overall print quality. For example, if you notice that the surface is smooth or has rough surfaces or blots. Then, adjust the settings in your slicer.
Test your machine’s ability to handle intricate and fine designs by using the small holes and wheel-like shapes. The sections will be printed well if your 3D printer has been set up correctly. However, if you have issues, the holes may not be as large as expected.
Check your 3D Slicer’s settings to see if the holes are well or poorly visible. You can uncheck certain options, such as the Remove all Holes Cura has an option to prevent the removal of holes.
2. Calibration Cube
It is important to note that the word “you” means “you”. XYZ calibrating cube It helps you tune the dimensional precision of your 3D Printer. It is a precise size, like 20mm each side. You can use a caliper to check the size of your print after printing. This will allow you to determine how precise your stepper motors are when they move. You should use this test print if your prints are not the same size as the digital files.
For this model to print correctly, it must be oriented properly in the Slicer. Make sure the letters run parallel to the axis that you are measuring as shown below.
In most cases the model will be imported with the correct orientation. After 3D-printing, measure and record the values of the three sides.
Then you can compare the values for length, width and height in the slicer, to determine if they fall within the same range.
You will need to fine tune your machine if the sizes are very different. This can not only help you to know if the machine is calibrated correctly, but it will also identify any issues with under- or overextrusion as well steps per millimeter.
3. All-in-1 3D Printer Test
The name implies that the all-in-one 3D printer tesTests how your 3D Printer handles different designs. Overhangs and supports are tested, as well as temperature, bridging, and hole tests. The designer recommends using 100% infill without supports after downloading and slicing.
After 3D-printing, you should inspect every part and see how it is handled by your machine. This will allow you to determine if any parts are problematic and what action to take.
As an example, when I was designing my design, I found that some areas had stringing. To fix this, I adjusted the retraction setting and the temperature.
You can also change the temperature, speed and other settings in order to print it accurately.
4. Retraction Test
It is important to note that the word “you” means “you”. Test for retraction The model allows you to test the way your 3D printer pulls back the filament to the nozzle when it is moving from one end of the machine to the other. Stringing can occur if your retraction settings have not been set correctly. Stringing occurs when thin filament strands build up on your design as shown in the image below.
If you are experiencing stringing you may need to adjust the speed of retraction in your slicer. You will most likely need to increase this a little to ensure that the filament retracts rapidly and does not have time to ooze when the print head moves.
You can also increase the distance if the strings still appear after increasing the retraction. In my case, i only increased the speed and it came out with no issues, although the tip of the Towers were slightly affected.
5. Smart Compact Temperature Calibration Tower
Smart compact temperature measurement tower It helps calibrate both your 3D printers and filament. It lets you evaluate the print quality and determine the best temperature range for your filament. The temperature segments in the design increase gradually, and it’s easier to know how each section has been 3D printed.
You should not use supports. The designer recommends printing with an infill rate of 15%, a resolution 0.2mm and an infill rate of 15%. After 3D printing, you can adjust the temperature setting after analyzing the design.
6. Flowrate calibration print
Print Flowrate Calibration Another test print is available to calibrate the 3D printer flow rate. The flow is the rate that the extruder pushes filament through the nozzle. This is measured in mm per second. It impacts the speed and quality of printing. A lower flow rate slows down the printing speed, but produces finer prints. A higher rate, on the other hand, reduces the 3D printing time, though if it’s too high, it can result in issues like over-extrusion.
If you experience issues like oozing, over-extrusion, and poor-quality prints, it’s essential to 3D print this test model and use it to troubleshoot the problem.
These are only a few examples of the test prints available. If you already know what issue you’re trying to resolve, you can choose the right design for testing. If you want to test all aspects of your 3D printer, start with a simple cube. Then move on to more complex designs, like the 3D Benchy, before you do an all-in one 3D Printer Test that covers it all. Most of these just take a few minutes or hours to print, so you can be sure they won’t waste your time or material.
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