3DKitbash Celebrates 10th Kickstarter Campaign–Launches 3D Printer Test Kit 2.0

Dear 3DKitbash, must we come back down to reality? Life with Quin and her crew, our favorite 3D printed dolls who came to Earth from the planet Filamento, was so much fun, even when fending off dreadful monsters like Tonpink and Murkagon.

Yet, alas, we must rest firmly on terra firma, and get down to the business of learning about some great new tools just being released by the same creative team that brought us the Kickstarter campaign entreating us all to use our 3D printers to save the planet from marauding creatures.

And behold-no monsters and alien beings for the time being–but a new release of the 3D Printer Test Kit has just launched on Kickstarter (3DKitbash’s 10^th campaign!) that is going to grant you the ability to test your 3D printer’s capabilities, looking at issues like ridges and overhangs and sharp spikes even more clearly than before. Not only that, you can post pictures of your printer’s test results on social media, sharing with your own making community and comparing print quality between hardware and materials.

“The 3D printing community’s input will be what creates a solid, independent comparison system for everyone to use,” Quincy Robinson, 3DKitbash co-founder, told 3DPrint.com.

A follow-up to their original 3D Printer Test Kit from 2013, Release 2.0 brings you eight test chips which work to simulate various 3D printing conditions. Since needs have grown and changed for users in the last two years, several of the chips from the original kit will not be seen in the latest version and the rest will be modified for the most efficient print possible. This particular Kickstarter campaign was launched in hopes of raising $1,500 by December 22 to design these eight 3D printer challenge chips with a hash tag system.

“We search hash tags all the time to see pics of models,” Robinson told 3DPrint.com. “We like this method of comparing because anyone can post to their favorite social media outlet using hash tags. They don’t have to go to any certain website to share a picture of their print.”

This is not only informative and fun, but it’s important to help you streamline your processes and save time, getting a basic snapshot of how your 3D printer is going to handle a range of different printing scenarios.

Made to 3D print within 30 minutes but maintain sufficient surface data, the chips aid in calibration as well as efficient testing of materials you are considering working with. This allows you to adjust settings before going full force into that important project. The kit allows testing of:

• Edges
• Spikes
• Voids
• Positive/negative spaces
• Bridging
• Horizontal hinges
• Vertical hinges
• Flexibility

Not just for the desktop, these 3D printing testers can also be of service to printer and filament companies, as well as 3D printing service bureaus who want to show off what their 3D printers can do. The chips allow for a visual as to how their prints stack up to others. As the 3DKitbash team points out, this is also a great way to comparison shop for 3D printers.

“Right now there’s not a widely-used, efficient way to test prints, then share your results with the online community. We’re hoping the 3D Printer Test Kit 2.0 will make everyone’s life a little easier,” said Robinson.

There are also eight user guides to accompany the chips which include:

• Renderings of actual .stl files for comparison
• Measurements of all surface details
• Troubleshooting tips
• Social media hashtag and instructions

For a $25 pledge you receive the base 3D Printer Test Kit. Those who pledge $45 for this Kickstarter campaign receive the 3D Printer Test Kit and also the 3D Printer Test Kit: Graphica, which includes 12x Test Chips. These are all .stl files that you are able to 3D print yourself.

At $65, supporters receive the new 3D Printer Test Kit, the 3D Printer Test Kit: Graphica, and 3DK’s Bugs Quick Prints Set, which is a ‘creepy, crawly’ set featuring 10x Quick-Printing Chips that snap together to create authentically modeled insects (also .stl files). At $85, supporters receive all of the previously mentioned rewards, but also RukiBot & Boon: The Tiny TRex, allowing you to 3D print the .stl files of the little robot and dino, both articulated.

This is a great way to have fun and pursue excellence in your 3D printing endeavors. To date, 3DKitbash has now created over 30 different test chips to help educate, minimize waste, and maximize creativity. Will you be backing this Kickstarter project?  Let us know in the 3DKitBash forum thread on 3DPB.com.  Check out the Kickstarter video below:

https://d2pq0u4uni88oo.cloudfront.net/projects/2168273/video-609889-h264_high.mp4

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