3D Printing Benchmark: 3D Benchy

Model for testing and benchmarking

The 3D Benchy is one of the most used 3D models for testing and benchmarking 3D printers. It’s designed by Creative Tools, to offer a large array of challenging geometrical features for 3D printers, and touch on different issues related to additive manufacturing. They also call it ”the jolly 3D printing torture-test”.

Little boat with many purposes

The 3DBenchy is a little boat and designed to print at 1:1 scale without support materials. The different surfaces of the 3D model reveal typical issues regarding surface finish, accuracy, warping, etc. Next to 3D printers, the benchy is also perfectly suitable to compare and test (hardware and software) settings and filaments.

Benchy on a Tractus3D printer.

In the video above a Tractus3D printer is subjected to the test. The 3DBenchy (from bow to stern measures 60 mm) was printed on our smallest 3D printer, the T650. During printing we did not experience warping or bridging difficulties or any other of the aforementioned possible problems. It took less than 2 hours to complete the 3D print and pass the test!

3D Benchy Settings in Simplify3D

The 3D Benchy object was 3D printed with PLA filament (printing material), according to the following recommended settings for extrusion-based 3D printers (FFF). The exact printing time was 1 hour and 41 minutes.

Scale object: 60 mm x 31 mm x 48 mm
Extruder temperature: 195 degrees Celsius
Heated bed temperature: 60 degrees Celsius
Layer height: 0,2 mm (200 microns)
Infill: 10%
Print speed (extrusion): 50 mm/s
Print speed (travel): 150 mm/s