Filament Flow and Tolerance Testing Tile

I use this quick test after changing filaments to ensure that flow calibration is dialled in for good first layer adhesion, squish, and tolerance.

Different colour filaments, even of the same brand, can have very different flow characteristics leading to under extrusion or over extrusion that can affect print quality and binding between parts.

The test tile prints two layers at the selected layer height with circular cutout for tolerance testing. A good print should have good first layer squish so the layer lines don't separate or show gaps when held up to the light, and don't have over extrusion causing a bumpy surface finish. The tile should be able to separate away from the build plate independent of the tolerance circle.

STLs are included for different layer heights, grouped by tolerances. The uploaded STLs assume first and second layer are the same height. The included OpenSCAD file can be used to create custom tiles with custom first layer height settings.

I run the