Quality Comparison

It's struck me that there really isn't a good way to compare the print quality of the different typed of machines out there (ie makerbot, mendel, prusa, huxley, up! etc.)

I'd really like to start a wiki page with a bunch of different printers making the exact same (fairly simple) part, so you can see the end results side by side. A nice large high quality macro image, specifically.

I realize there is a huge variation between printers of the same type (because of calibration, settings, user skill, etc) but I think a "best possible" print would be quite useful.

Any skilled Print-heads out there willing to help out?

Also, any thoughts on the "standard" test object?

I don't think this is a valid test since the print quality is so dependant on the configuration of gcode generation (eg skeinforge) and the configuration of the machine.

The disparity between the ability and dedication of various builders will be so great that it would be like comparing a drawing by different people and saying it is a valid test comparing the artistic skills of different nations...

I guess the 'best' sample of each machine from a really large sample of machines may give a guide though.

Simply pick a low and high end picture.
Just about anyones first print where the object can be recognized as an uncalibrated machine.
And one print with a well calibrated machine such as nophead for an example of what is possible (referring of course to his Mendel and NOT the Hydraraptor).

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Bob Morrison
Wörth am Rhein, Germany
"Luke, use the source!"
BLOG - PHOTOS - Thingiverse

speed and material are also important factors as well.

This is not meant to be a scientific study comparing and contrasting multiple aspects of different printers.

A small sample of the best from a variety of printers is all I'm looking for.

For somebody just getting into things and saying "what kind of quality can I achieve with X" this will be hugely useful (and hopefully inspiring). I've seen a lot of talking down about reprap on other hobby forums simply because the most common google results are of people showing off their first parts. Having a page full of high quality prints may help.


I'm going to ignore speed, software, and settings since those would make the comparison too complicated for what it is meant to achieve.

Material, part shape, and color wold be the identical parameters, ideally.

this is tough... I think some of the best differences can be seen in extruders variants, ALL of the cartesian bots already are good or can be tuned to be really good... extruders have the biggest variances... and the extruders are generally not particular to one machine. a good percent of the objects on thingiverse are to support using an extruder on a different system... or for example, running an extruder hot end that is meant for multiple systems (arcol.hu / BF

I like seeing peoples side by side comparisons after changing only one variable, nophead has documented a lot of this type of stuff... before and after a cooling fan, that kind of thing.

Let's do it.

This should help anyone getting into this hobby understand.