MAKE 3D Shoot Out Team Releases Files for In-Depth 3D Printer Quality Testing

Formnext Germany

Share this Article

downloadThe quality of what your 3D printer is producing should obviously be measured by more than layer height, but it is easy to focus on that one aspect. With so much competition in the 3D printing marketplace, we should remember to delve deeper in exploring what type of print quality we are receiving. Recently, test model files were released from MAKE 3D Shoot Out 2015 so you can do just that.

Andreas Bastian from the MAKE 3D Shoot Out 2015 testing team focused on looking at print quality under more of a microscope, to gain real quantitative data, with his new set of Fusion 360 designed test models. With the release of these files on Thingiverse, anyone can use the test models, and can share their information. That should lead to some very interesting conversations in the 3D printing community.

So exactly what fine details should we be looking into? When comparing 3D printing quality, the user needs to be aware of: test models

  • Dimensional accuracy
  • Surface finish
  • Overhang capabilities
  • Deposition control
  • Motion mechanics
  • Motion control
  • Material properties
  • Slicing algorithms

What makes measuring these factors more complex though is that what you modify or change in one of the aforementioned aspects or qualities can relate to the others, as they are often entwined in the printed processes. What was necessary was for each of those ‘geometries’ to be measured individually in terms of quality, and Bastian provides that level of in-depth evaluation with a ‘more parametric and quantitative assessment of print quality than could be achieved by comparing any number of more traditional printed models.’

Bastian recommends that for looking at performance of the printer, software, and materials you should print the models using either default or medium settings, which should be a layer height of 0.2 mm, and default speeds and temperatures. It’s very important to note also that if you are measuring quality data from multiple machines, use the same printing materials for each one for consistency. Click here for a detailed, technical list of what you should be looking for in each item being evaluated.

You are invited to make an “I Made One” button, and your results are welcome for sharing, provided you include:

  • Photo(s) of your completed test prints
  • Machine make and model
  • Slicer and slicing settings (layer height, number of shells, print temperature, extrusion multipliers, speeds)
  • Print time
  • Filament source

All 26 machine reviews were published in Make’s Annual Guide to 3D Printing 2015 (Volume 42). Will you be producing an “I made one” button? Please let us know, as well as sharing your thoughts regarding the 3D printed models used for measuring 3D printer quality in the 3D Printer Quality Testing forum at 3DPB.com.

A few more previews of the print accuracy tests:

Test for dimensional accuracy

Dimensional accuracy test preview

Negative space Tolerance Test

Preview for negative space tolerance test

kit



Share this Article


Recent News

Lawmakers Reignite Effort to Block Online Sharing of 3D Printed Gun Files

Juggerbot 3D and ORNL Collaborate on 3D Printing of Thermosets and Thermoplastics



Categories

3D Design

3D Printed Art

3D Printed Food

3D Printed Guns


You May Also Like

3D Printing News Briefs, June 11, 2025: Sustainability, Automotive Tooling, & More

We’re starting with sustainability news in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs, as EOS has strengthened its commitment on climate responsibility, and Zestep is making 3D printing filament out of eyewear...

3D Printing 50 Polymer Stand-In Parts for Tokamaks at the PPPL & Elytt Energy

Of all the world’s things, a tokamak is one of the hardest, most complex, expensive and exacting ones to make. These fusion energy devices make plasma, and use magnets to...

3D Printing News Briefs, May 17, 2025: Color-Changing Materials, Humanoid Robot, & More

We’re covering research innovations in today’s 3D Printing News Briefs! First, Penn Engineering developed 3D printed materials that change color under stress, and UC Berkeley researchers created an open source,...

Featured

Firehawk Aerospace Partners with JuggerBot 3D, Gets $1.25M from AFWERX for 3D Printed Propellants

Texas-based Firehawk Aerospace, an advanced energetic materials firm that works with aerospace and defense applications, announced a strategic partnership with JuggerBot 3D, an Ohio-based large-format 3D printer manufacturer. Together, the...