Stringing test
Hi, I'm trying to learn the abilities and limits of my MINI.
Now I'm not sure how to tell what is just usual technical limit of the printer and what can be improved.
Could someone please print the attached stringing test? It's 18 minutes test printing three pointy towers.
Preferably with prusament, preferably lipstick red.
Cannot attach gcode here (why?)
It's my related file here:
https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/4908-stringing-test-prusa-3s/user-gcodes
Do you have some other test? Share gcode and let's compare them.
I have come here to chew bubblegum and perfect my MINI ... and I'm all out of bubblegum.
RE: Stringing test
This is normally a good indication on how well your printer is set up
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2972285
Not done this one myself yet.. but Its also good from what I understand
https://www.prusaprinters.org/cs/prints/32321-tolerance-test-prusa-performance-level
My Mini has: A SuperPINDA + Bondtech Heatbreak + Bondtech Extruder installed
RE: Stringing test
I'll try the 3 tower test in about 2.5 hours on my MK3S. I'm printing a Please Wear Your Mask sign right now. I've printed the Prusa Performance Level Test. It strictly tests the accuracy, not overhangs or stringing or anything.
The stringing test is great to benchmark and tweak your settings, for each material you use. But not necessarily great on comparing one printer to another. Meaning your nozzle temp could be registering slightly different, so 220 might be the optimum temp for Prusament on hawwwran's Mini, but maybe 224 is the sweet spot on hawwwran's 2nd mini. Then you can start a whole new data sheet as soon as you grab another mfg filament.
RE: Stringing test
Full disclosure: I designed the Prusa Performance Test linked above by @stephensmith. I'd appreciate it if you'd try it and RATE it. Minor rant: I see a lot of designs with 1,000+ downloads (not mine, I'm only 30 days into the print game) and a zero rating. Ratings don't register until you get 3 reviews, but it shouldn't be that hard to get 3 opinions back from that many downloads. I think my Performance Test already has 3 ratings, so this is just a general comment on my other designs and many others I've seen here.
When my Mini arrives in September I'll start designing stuff for that too.
Back to our regularly scheduled programming ...
RE: Stringing test
I had found a posting on using multiple "fake" extruders to be able to use different setting on one print. I can't find the reference again, but I used it to print 9 string tests using 9 extruders. Since the mini only has one actual extruder, it still prints everything using the one extruder, but you can go into the settings for each "fake" extruder and make things like retraction different. There are a lot of variables though. Increasing the retraction may help with stringing, but going to far will result in a poor surface and solid infill quality.
Temperature also has an unexpected effect. Low temps results in less fine stringing on stringing tests, but on some prints resulted in globs and large strings. It was a tradeoff, as is everything. With the Bowden extruder, some things are just going to be worse on this printer than some others. Some things will be better. In general, I'm pretty happy with it and the fine strings are easier to clear off after printing than the larger ones.
Regards,
Mark
RE: Stringing test
I've got notes on using multiple "virtual extruders" here. I can post more details if anybody is interested. I first saw the idea used for multiple color printing without an MMU, but realized it works well for tuning printer settings such as retraction.
and miscellaneous other tech projects
He is intelligent, but not experienced. His pattern indicates two dimensional thinking. -- Spock in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan
RE: Stringing test
@bobstro
Thanks, I could not find it again, and my google-fu is usually good. Your explanation there was more than enough to implement it on the Mini. I put a couple examples I used on the Mini on my Newbie site.
Regards,
Mark