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3D Benchy
3D Benchy boat is a 3D model of a miniature boat which acts as a benchmark for your 3D printer. It is used to calibrate and is a diagnostic tool for 3D prints.
3D Benchy is also the most liked file on the various platforms due to its testing capabilities, measuring the quality checks for 3D printers moreover people use 3D Benchy for creating print samples for various filaments.
History
Daniel Creative Tools released STL of the 3D Benchy boat in April 2015, since then it is commonly used for testing print quality.
Creative Tools is a company in Halmstad, Sweden whose CEO is Malin Enting. The company deals in a complete range of 2D and 3D software and hardware products it also supplies 3D printers, filament, and other 3D products.
3D Benchy can be used as a single file for single print material but if a user wishes to print it in multiple colors and with different materials, multi-file STL is also available with more than 17 Benchy STL file, each of which will have different settings applied to them.
Uses
3D Benchy tests your printer and print quality on different stages as the design of the file is challenging and it tests the printer on various factors such as symmetry, smooth surfaces, overhanging curved surfaces, planar horizontal surfaces, low-slope surfaces, large, small, and slanted holes, tiny surface details, and first layer details.
The purpose of designing 3D Benchy boat is to examine the defects of the printer and fix them. Since the benchy has fixed dimensions hence it becomes measurable and one can check dimensional accuracy, deviations, warping, and tolerances.
Advantages of 3d benchy boat
Since there are so many prints of the 3D Benchy it allows a direct comparison. One can know the exact problem by seeing the print defect.
The printed Boat is cute and can be used as a sample for the filament. People display 3D benchy boats on their shelves and tables.
3D Benchy is small when compared to other torture tests hence it takes only 1 hour to print which is significantly less time when compared to other torture tests. This is surprising, taking into consideration the fact that 3D Benchy involves a range of complex printing parameters that need to be achieved with a great deal of precision.
Fun Facts about 3D Benchy boat
Since each slicer has its own unique way of slicing. The final print of the benchy also depends on the slicer being used, different slicer gives different results. There will be differences in slicing from Cura or Simplify3D or any other slicer.
A perfectly printed 3D Benchy has the full characteristics of a boat as it also floats on water and can be used as a toy to play with.
The smallest 3D Benchy printed is of the size of 30μm it is so small that it can not be seen with the naked eye it is printed at Leiden University in the Netherlands. It was created for the purpose to research on microswimmers.
Alternative of 3D Benchy
All in one 3D printer test, this 3D model gives more details of the problem with the printer, it is printed with 100% infill with no supports. It tests the printer on various aspects such as support test, hole test, hang test, diameter test, and bridge test.
The problem with the All in one 3D printer test is that it takes much time and uses more filament than compared 3D Benchy, it takes a total of 3 hours to print. Unlike 3D benchy it can not be used anywhere else as it does not look presentable on a desk and neither it can be played with like a boat hence it is not much popular.
Also read: Tips to improve 3d print quality