20 Free Test Prints for Calibrating 3D Printers for 2024

This collection offers a variety of free test prints, all carefully designed to help you refine and improve your 3D printing process. Whether you’re just starting out and need to adjust your printer’s settings or you’re a seasoned enthusiast aiming for top-notch quality, these benchmark models are crucial for calibration and testing.

Make sure your printer delivers optimal performance from the initial layer to the smallest details. Every STL file in this collection is crafted to evaluate particular performance aspects of your 3D printer, including dimensional accuracy, ability to handle overhangs, bridging performance, retraction effectiveness, and more.

Benchy

This boat is a widely used benchmark test in the 3D printing community. It can identify issues such as overhangs, bridging, surface quality, dimensional accuracy and other common challenges. Thingiverse

All in One Test Print

A comprehensive assessment of a 3D printer’s capabilities and settings all in one model. Incorporates a wide range of features, geometries and challenges. Thingiverse

Torture Toaster

Is your printer capable of popping up toast? This fun and interesting model will test your 3D printer’s clearances, bed adhesion and overhang handling. Printables

Clearance Test

Test the clearance between moving parts. Features 5 testing wheels with a clearance of from 0.15-0.5mm. A valuable test print to figure out if moving parts will fuse together. MyMiniFactory

Ball Joint Calibration

This STL file is ideal for testing your prints for smooth movement of ball joints in your model. Perfect for testing your 3D printer quality for making articulated models. MakerWorld

Stringing & Retraction Test

Stringing and retraction towers are designed to help you find the optimal settings for travel between two distances. Helps to reduce filament stringing and achieve clean retractions. Thingiverse

Calibration Cat

A cute alternative to boring shapes while having the same dimensioning tests of a calibration cube and more. Features intricate details and geometries to help identify and address common issues. Thingiverse

Lithophane Calibration

Calibrate and optimize 3D printer settings for creating high-quality lithophanes. The perfect model for testing varying levels of translucency to create images when illuminated from behind. Thingiverse

Temperature Tower

A vertical tower with multiple segments, each printed at different temperatures. Pinpoint the ideal temperature for your filament and minimize issues such as overhangs, bridges and stringing. Thingiverse

Parametric Overhang

A series of 3D prints accompanied by a measurement indicating the degree of the overhang. The best STL file for measured testing of gradual overhang angles. Printables

Calibration Dragon

Combine the charm of a baby dragon model with the practical purpose of calibrating and optimizing your 3D printer’s settings. Test for layer consistency, stringing, overhangs and ghosting. Printables

Tower Torture Test

A beautiful yet challenging architectural model with a cool twist. This creative STL file will help optimize your printer and slicer settings for fine details, overhangs, slopes and smooth turns. Thingiverse

Calibration Cube

A simple yet effective model designed to help calibrate and fine-tune a 3D printer’s accuracy and dimensional settings along the X, Y, and Z axes. Thingiverse

Test Model Pack

This collection of test models covers 7 different tests including: dimensional accuracy, bridging performance, negative space and much more. Cults3D

Lattice Cube Torture Test

An excellent benchmark model to evaluate performance under demanding conditions. Test your 3D printer for temperatures, overhangs, retraction and cooling. Thingiverse

Bridging Test

This seashell-like design will help assess a 3D printer’s ability to successfully create bridging structures without the need for support material. Features customizable varying bridge lengths. Cults3D

Octagon Test Print

A simple yet unique model that covers a variety of tests. Check for warping, dimensional accuracy, overhangs, sharp edges, print fonts and much more. Thingiverse

Filament Samples

These nifty tags are not so much to test your printer’s calibration, but for you to keep a well documented collection of filament samples in your workshop. Printables

Mascot Phil A Ment

MatterHackers’ mascot Phill A Ment makes a fun way to showcase filament samples while providing important performance tests of your 3D printer. Thingiverse

First Layer Calibration

A well-calibrated first layer is the foundation for successful 3D prints. This simple print can help address issues with bed leveling, nozzle height, print speed and extrusion rate. Printables

Fish Gap Test

This fish model is for testing the accuracy of gaps with 4 types of movable parts. The fish’s body, eye and tail needs a well-calibrated 3D printer in order to move freely. It also makes a cute keychain! Thingiverse

20 Essential Calibration Test Prints