5. 3D Scanning and printing

Group assignment

• Test the design rules for your 3D printer(s)
• Document your work on the group work page and reflect on your individual page what you learned about characteristics of your printers.

List of 3D Printers in the Laboratory

Our laboratory has the following 3D printers:

• Creality Ender 3 – a popular budget printer with an open frame and a print area of 220×220×250 mm. It supports PLA, PETG, TPU, and other materials.

• Creality Ender 3 Pro – an improved version of the Ender 3 with a more stable frame, an upgraded power supply, and a magnetic platform.

• Creality Ender 3 V2 – a modernized Ender 3 with silent stepper motor drivers, a convenient display, and a glass platform.

• Creality CR-30 (PrintMill) – a conveyor belt 3D printer with an infinite Z-axis, designed for serial production and printing long objects. Print area: 200×170×∞ mm.

• Elegoo Neptune 4 Max (2 units) – a large-format printer with a print volume of 420×420×480 mm, supporting high-speed printing and equipped with a direct filament feeding system.

• Anycubic Mega X – a mid-sized printer with a print area of 300×300×305 mm, featuring a sturdy metal frame and a glass platform.

• Qidi Q1 Pro – a professional 3D printer with a heated chamber, dual direct extruder, and automatic calibration. Print area: 245×245×245 mm.

Feature	Creality Ender 3	Creality Ender 3 Pro	Creality Ender 3 V2
Image
Mechanics & Frame Type	Cartesian, Open-frame	Cartesian, Open-frame	Cartesian, Open-frame
Print Volume (mm)	220×220×250	220×220×250	220×220×250
Extruder Type	Bowden	Bowden	Bowden
Heated Chamber	No	No	No
Max Nozzle Temp (°C)	255	255	255
Max Bed Temp (°C)	110	110	110
Auto-leveling	No	No	No
Firmware	Marlin	Marlin	Marlin

Feature	Creality CR-30	Elegoo Neptune 4 Max	Anycubic Mega X	Qidi Q1 Pro
Image
Mechanics & Frame Type	Belt Printer, Open-frame	Cartesian, Open-frame	Cartesian, Open-frame	CoreXY, Enclosed
Print Volume (mm)	200×170×∞	420×420×480	300×300×305	245×245×245
Extruder Type	Direct Drive	Direct Drive	Bowden	Dual drive Extruder
Heated Chamber	No	No	No	Yes (Max 60°C)
Max Nozzle Temp (°C)	240	300	260	350
Max Bed Temp (°C)	100	85	90	120
Auto-leveling	No	Yes	No	Yes
Firmware	Marlin	Klipper	Marlin	Klipper
Special Features	Infinite Z-axis printing	Large-format, high-speed	Large-format	High-speed, Heated chamber

Testing

As part of our group assignment for the 3D printing week, we decided to test the 3D printers available in our laboratory. The main goal of this testing was to study their capabilities, features, print parameters, and the quality of the produced objects. We wanted to understand how different printers work with various materials and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

We decided to test the Creality Ender 3 and Ender 3 V2 using PLA and PETG, two Elegoo Neptune 4 Max printers with the same materials, and the Qidi Q1 Pro with PLA. The tests included temperature stability, performance, tolerance, and surface quality at different speeds. These tests allowed us to assess the stability of the extruder and bed temperatures, evaluate print speed, determine the dimensional accuracy of printed parts, and analyze the surface quality of models at various print speeds. The goal was to obtain objective data on the capabilities of each printer and identify their strengths and weaknesses.

Slicer

For testing and calibrating the 3D printer in our project, we chose Orca Slicer. It is an advanced slicer that represents an improved version of programs like Bambu Studio and PrusaSlicer. We chose Orca Slicer because it provides convenient and fast tools for testing, as well as efficient calibration of printers, which significantly speeds up the setup and testing of models.

Unlike other slicers, Orca Slicer is particularly well-suited for simplified work with test prints, allows quick checking of print parameters, and precisely adjusting the process. This is important for us because efficiency and speed in testing play a crucial role in the project.

While Cura and PrusaSlicer are also great slicers, we found that Orca Slicer offers the best combination of performance and simplicity for our needs, especially in testing and calibrating printers.

Here’s what we were talking about. The slicer has a calibration tab at the top that has some test files with the ability to change the g-code.

Temperature Tower

Before starting the testing, we decided to divide the tasks among ourselves. Jirair tested the Ender 3 and Ender 3 V2, Derenik worked with the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max, and Mkhitar tested the Qidi Q1 Pro.

As I mentioned earlier, the slicer offers many useful tests, and one of them is the temperature tower. This test helps determine the optimal printing temperature for each type of filament.

When opening Temp Tower in the slicer, a window automatically appears where you can set the initial and final nozzle temperatures, as well as the temperature change step. This makes it easy to fine-tune the printing parameters for the best quality. s

Qidi Q1 Pro / PLA

This specific test was conducted by Mkhitar on the Qidi Q1 Pro printer using PLA filament.

As you may have noticed, when we change Line Type to Temperature in the slicer, it displays a multicolored tower, ranging from cool to warm colors. On the right side of the screen, you can see the temperature corresponding to each color.

Here is the result of the test.

It can be said that the Qidi handled PLA at all temperatures, but at higher temperatures, there were issues with bridges, starting from 215°C to 225°C. The best result, it seems, was achieved at temperatures between 185°C and 210°C.

Ender 3 / PLA

In the future, we will not be showing screenshots from the slicer, as everything was done in the same way.

This test was conducted on the Ender 3 using PLA. As you noticed, there were issues with the hotend on the Ender — waves appeared between printed objects, with some overhangs, but overall the print quality was quite good.

As for the bridges, the best result was achieved at temperatures up to 200°C. Overall, the tower printed fine in the range of 190°C to 220°C.

The test was conducted by Jirair.

Ender 3 V2 / PET-G

The next test was also conducted by Jirair on the Ender 3 using PET-G.

The PET-G test was much shorter, in the range of 230-240°C, as we already knew the approximate temperature for PET-G. This test shows typical PET-G retraction issues. However, it’s worth noting that the best print quality was achieved at 235°C.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PLA

The next test was conducted by Derenik on the Elegoo Neptune 4 Max using PLA. The result was much better on this printer than on the Enders. We tested temperatures from 190°C to 230°C. The overhangs were excellent, and since there is dual-direction cooling, the bridges also printed well. However, the best result was achieved at temperatures between 190°C and 215°C.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PET-G

For example, PET-G on the Neptune 4 Max was tested in the range of 230°C to 250°C, and the result was practically the same at all temperatures. Overall, PET-G is much easier to print than PLA. It can be said that on this printer, PET-G can be printed even at high temperatures like 250°C.

Conclusion

This test is more focused on specific materials and demonstrates how different printers handle printing at various temperatures. The test also serves as an indicator that will help us test each type of plastic separately in the future. This is an important step that will give a more comprehensive understanding of how various manufacturers and plastic compositions behave at different temperatures and how printers respond to it.

In the future, we will conduct tests to evaluate the behavior and compatibility of new plastics with different printers.

Maximum Volumetric Speed Test

The second test we conducted was the Maximum Volumetric Speed Test.

This test is essential for determining the maximum filament flow rate at which the extruder can operate stably without skipping steps or overheating. It helps establish the upper limits for high-speed printing to prevent under-extrusion, bubbles, or filament overheating.

Conducting this test allows us to:

Identify the highest possible print speed without quality loss. Optimize speed and temperature settings for different filament types. Improve layer adhesion and minimize defects caused by extruder overload. This test is especially important when working with high-speed printers, as it helps find the balance between speed and print quality.

For this test, we also used Orca Slicer.

This test disables the limitation on Volumetric Flow Rate (VFA) in the slicer, allowing us to check the actual maximum extrusion capacity of the printer’s extruder and hotend. Normally, slicers impose flow restrictions to prevent extrusion issues, but by removing this limitation, we can determine how fast the printer can feed filament without under-extrusion or overheating.

It is important to note that this test is related to a specific type of filament since different materials have different flow characteristics and require individual settings. In Orca Slicer, the VFA parameters are located in the settings of the specific filament, so this test should be conducted separately for each new material to properly adjust the printer to its properties.

Ender 3 V2 / PET-G

This specific test was conducted by Zhirair for the Ender 3 Pro using PETG.

On the right side of the top image, we changed the material type to Volumetric Flow Rate, and from this, it’s clear that we specifically tested this material from 5 to 20 mm³/s.

As seen in the image above, when we activate this test, the Volumetric Speed Limitation is set to 200 mm³/s, whereas initially, for generic PETG, it is limited to 10 mm³/s.

We printed with transparent red PETG, and here are the results.

For clarity, we created this image to show how much the printer has printed, and we made an equation to calculate how many mm³/s the printer printed acceptably. start + (height-measured * step)

The result is not very satisfying because, despite the fact that the filament settings specified 10 mm³/s, the actual result was 9 mm³/s.

Ender 3 PRO / PLA

Next, we tested PLA on the Ender 3 Pro. We used the same approach as in previous tests: parameters for PLA were set in Orca Slicer, and then we conducted a test for maximum volumetric speed.

The result was more acceptable, although not significantly different from the previous test. However, this time, using caliper measurements, we determined the height of the printed section that appeared more consistent. With the help of calculations, we found that the optimal flow rate was around 11 mm³/s.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PET-G

The results of the flow test on the Neptune 4 Max with PETG were better than on the Ender 3 Pro. The printer managed to achieve a higher material flow rate without significant issues, indicating that the Neptune 4 Max handles PETG more effectively.

We measured this sample, and the best result was at a height of 18 mm. This means: 5 + (20.66 × 0.5) = 15.33mm³/s.

On the Neptune printer with PETG, the value was set to 10 mm³/s, but in our test, the result came out to 15.33mm³/s. This confirms that the printer can operate faster if this value is increased, but since we need to leave a margin for printing stability, we will stick with the value of 10 mm³/s. This is the optimal value for achieving a good balance between quality and performance when using PETG.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PLA

For PLA, we set the maximum value to 40 mm³/s, as there were concerns about whether the printer could handle higher speeds.

The result was better than with PETG, and when measuring, issues started occurring at a height of 20.16 mm .

Flow=5+(20.16×0.5)=5+10.08.5=15.08mm³.

Using the equation, we calculated that the maximum value was 15.08mm³.

Qidi Q1 Pro / PLA

The last test was conducted on the Qidi printer. We set the parameters up to 20 mm³, as this is the maximum value supported by the slicer for this printer. The results showed that the print was perfect at all heights, so measurements were not taken as there were no issues with the quality.

Results

Printer	Max Flow	Optimal Flow
Qidi Q1 Pro	20+ mm³/s	20 mm³/s
Neptune 4 Max + PLA	15 mm³/s	12 mm³/s
Neptune 4 Max + PETG	15 mm³/s	12 mm³/s
Ender 3 V2 + PETG	9 mm³/s	7 mm³/s
Ender 3 Pro + PLA	12 mm³/s	10 mm³/s

Tolerance Test

This tolerance test aims to assess the dimensional accuracy of both the printer and the filament. The model consists of a base with six hexagonal holes, each designed with a different tolerance: 0.0 mm, 0.05 mm, 0.1 mm, 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, and 0.4 mm. The hexagon size is 6 mm.

Ender 3 PRO / PLA

Ender 3 Pro with PLA — This printer showed good results with a tolerance of 0.15 mm. The hexagon entered with slight effort up to 0.1 mm. From 0.05 mm to 0 mm, the hexagon entered with difficulty, but still passed.

Ender 3 V2 / PET-G

Ender 3 V2 with PETG — This test gave the worst result. The printer showed a tolerance of 0.15 mm, with the hexagon entering freely up to 0.1 mm. Starting from 0.1 mm, it entered only with difficulty, and at 0 mm, the hexagon did not fit at all.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PLA

Neptune 4 Max with PLA — This printer showed good results with a tolerance of 0.10 mm. The hexagon entered freely up to 0.05 mm, and starting from 0 mm, it entered with difficulty.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PET-G

Neptune 4 Max with PET-G also showed good results with a tolerance of 0.10 mm. The hexagon entered freely up to 0.05 mm, and starting from 0 mm, it entered with difficulty.

Qidi Q1 Pro / PLA

Qidi Q1 Pro with PLA — This printer showed the best result with a tolerance of 0.05 mm. The hexagon entered freely up to 0 mm, in some cases with slight effort. This result was the best among all the tested printers.

Vertical Fine Artifacts

For precise and high-quality 3D printing, it is essential to consider not only temperature and material flow settings but also the optimal print speed. We conduct various tests to determine how speed, accuracy, and other parameters affect the final result.

One of the key tests is the VFA (Vertical Fine Artifacts) test in OrcaSlicer, which helps us find the optimal printing speed. This test allows us to see at which speeds defects such as vibrations and fine artifacts appear, affecting surface quality. We print a special model—the speed tower—where each section is printed at a different speed, gradually increasing. This helps us identify the speed that achieves the best balance between print quality and efficiency.

Ender 3 V2 / PET-G

So, let’s start with the Ender 3 V2 using PETG.

In the calibration menu, under additional tests, there is a VFA test. When we launch this test, it automatically disables speed limits. In the pop-up window, we configure three parameters:

Initial speed, Final speed, Step, by which the speed will increase. This test allows us to determine how different print speeds affect quality and helps find the optimal settings for the printer.

So, we set up the test with this parameters, and here’s what we got.

If you look in the upper right corner, you can see speed values indicated in different colors.

After printing, we needed to analyze the results to determine the optimal speed. The model has markings that we used as reference points. For example, in this photo, we counted 7 markings, after which the print quality significantly deteriorated. This means that the 7th marking indicates the maximum speed limit.

And to calculate the speed, we used the following equation:

Speed ​​at mark n = Initial speed + (step x (n - 1))

The speed at mark 7 is calculated as follows:

Speed = 20 mm/s + (10 mm/s × (7 - 1))

Speed = 20 mm/s + (10 × 6)

Speed = 20 mm/s + 60 mm/s

Speed = 80 mm/s

Thus, the speed at mark 6 is 80 mm/s.

So, we determined that on the Ender 3 V2 with PETG, the maximum speed is 80 mm/s.

It is important to note that this test is designed to identify speed ranges where artifacts such as ripples, belt marks, and stepper motor imprints do not appear. However, at such low speeds, it is impossible to completely eliminate these artifacts. Therefore, we concluded this test.

Ender 3 PRO / PLA

The next test was conducted on the Ender 3 Pro with PLA, using the same settings as with PETG. Here is the resulting outcome.

This time, the maximum mark was the 10th one.

Speed = 20 mm/s + (10 mm/s × (10 - 1)) =110mm/s

This is the maximum speed at which printing can be done without significant issues. However, starting from the 7th mark, which is also 80 mm/s, extrusion problems start to appear at the corners.

In this photo, if you look from the 4th to the 7th mark, you can see visible ripples from the belts. There’s also some rippling visible at the 1st mark.

Speed = 20 mm/s + (10 mm/s × (4 - 1)) =50mm/s

This means that on this printer, you can achieve quality results at speeds ranging from 20 to 50 mm/s. At higher speeds, artifacts like belt ripples appear, which reduce print quality.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PET-G

The next test was on PETG on the Neptune 4 Max. Since this printer supports high printing speeds up to 500 mm/s, we decided to test the range from 40 to 450 mm/s with a step of 25 mm/s.

To simplify the process and avoid complex measurements, we decided to create a special ruler with marked increments of 25 mm/s for this test. For the Qidi, we used a ruler with increments of 20 mm/s.

In this photo, it’s clear that starting from 40 mm/s to 115 mm/s, there are very noticeable artifacts from the belts and motors. From 115 mm/s to 165 mm/s, the artifacts become less noticeable.

On this photo, you can see that from 165 mm/s to 300 mm/s, the surface is perfect. After that, extrusion-related defects start appearing.

Elegoo Neptune 4 Max / PLA

In this example, the results are not entirely clear-cut, but it can be said that when using PLA, extrusion defects are less pronounced compared to PETG. This is due to PLA being more easily melted and having a lower viscosity than PETG. Additionally, it is worth noting that this Neptune 4 Max is better calibrated than others, which also contributes to the better results. Finally, it is difficult to find defects on this lemon-colored material.

Finally, as for the results, up to 90mm/s, some artifacts from the retraction are visible, but from 90mm/s to 440mm/s, the surface remains almost the same, flawless.

Qidi Q1 Pro / PLA

For the Qidi Q1 Pro, it’s important to note that it is a high-speed printer with a claimed maximum speed of 600mm/s. Therefore, we decided to test it from 50mm/s to 600mm/s.

After printing, we can say that despite some minor defects, the printer handled the entire speed range almost equally well, delivering consistently better results.

Up to the 6th mark, at 150mm/s, visible artifacts from the retraction and motors can be seen. Above 150mm/s up to 600mm/s, the ripples disappear, but artifacts become visible along the edges. This is likely due to acceleration and deceleration at these points, with the affected areas being around 4mm long. In some spots, the speed is significantly lower than in the rest of the print, which may contribute to these artifacts.

It should be noted that the edges printed better, with no defects, and the thickness remained consistent across the entire print.

Results

Printer	Max Speed	Speed Range (High Quality)	Artifacts (Belts & Motors)
Qidi Q1 Pro + PLA	600 mm/s	150-600 mm/s	70-150 mm/s
Neptune 4 Max + PLA	450 mm/s	90-450 mm/s	50-90 mm/s
Neptune 4 Max + PETG	450 mm/s	165-300 mm/s	40-115 mm/s
Ender 3 V2 + PETG	80 mm/s	20-30 mm/s	30-80 mm/s
Ender 3 Pro + PLA	110 mm/s	20-50 mm/s	50-80 mm/s

Conclusion

These tests helped us determine the capabilities of our printers and understand their limits when printing with different materials. However, it’s important to note that these tests are individual, and they may yield different results on two identical printers. Also, each filament is unique, and even if we use the same material from the same manufacturer, the results may vary slightly. Tests like temperature or flow need to be done for each filament to fine-tune the settings for optimal results. Despite this, the test results have certainly helped us identify the potential capabilities of our printers, as the differences in results are minimal, and based on them, we can choose the optimal settings for printing.

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Last update: February 24, 2025