Testing 3D printers is an extensive process. Printers often don’t use the same materials or even the same process to create designs. I’m testing SLAs, 3D printers that use resin and light to print, and FDMs, printers that melt plastic on a plate. Each has a unique methodology. The main qualifiers I look at include:
- Material quality
- Ease of configuration
- Bundled software
- Appearance and accuracy of prints
- Repairability
- Business and community support
A key test print, depicting the (now old) CNET logo, is used to evaluate how a printer fills gaps, creates precise shapes, and handles overhangs. There are even little towers to help measure how well the 3D printer handles temperature ranges.
In the speed test, we slice the model using the standard slicer the machine ships with with its standard settings, and then compare the actual print time to the statement completion time on the slicer. 3D printers often use different slicers, and these slicers can vary greatly depending on what their estimated completion time is.
We then use PrusaSlicer to determine how much material the print should use and divide that number by the actual time it takes to print, giving us a more accurate number for speed in millimeters per second (mm/s) that the printer can reach. run to.
Each build plate is supposed to heat up to a certain temperature, so we use the InfiRay thermal camera for Android to check if they are successful. We set the build plate to 60 degrees Celsius – the most commonly used temperature for build plates – waited five minutes for the temperature to stabilize, then measured it in six separate locations. We then took the average temperature to see how close the 3D printer got to the advertised temperature.
Testing the resin requires different criteria, so I use the Ameralabs Standard Test: printing of a small resin model that looks like a small town. This helps determine the accuracy of the printer, how it handles small parts, and the effectiveness of UV exposure at different points on the model.
Many other anecdotal printing tests, using different 3D models, are also run on each printer to test part longevity and the machine’s ability to adapt to various shapes.
For the other criteria, I researched the company to see how well they respond to customer support requests and how easy it is to order replacement parts and install them yourself. Kits (printers delivered only semi-assembled) are judged on the length and difficulty of the assembly process and the clarity of the instructions.
