Competition Details

TheAnkerMake Playground launched its first activity which invited users from the community to participate in aspeedboatrace, where the users did their best to push the limits and print the fastestbenchy they could. We provided a firmware update that included unlocked jerk values and acceleration settings, as well as unlocking the controls for motor current, allowing participants to push the limits of their3D printers. The objective was simple: who could print the fastest and highest-quality speedboat?

   

One exceptional participant, lukagra, demonstrated remarkable skill and achieved incredible results. Using an unmodified AnkerMake M5, lukagra managed to print a speedboat in an astonishing 8 minutes and 44 seconds, placing 2nd when compared to other unmodified i3-style printers on thespeedboat race leaderboard. To put this achievement into perspective, a normalbenchy printed on AnkerMake M5 will take 17 minutes 40 seconds in the 500mm/s fast mode. Lukagra was able to do it more than twice as fast! Because of this incredible performance, lukagra took home a free M53D printer.

   

Whilemost printersrequire about 17 minutes or more to print a benchy, an original M5 can even achievea good quality 8-minute print with justa fewsoftware modifications.

You can check out lukagra's print here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUPpLMvPWqk

    

Lukagra also discovered that by slightly reducing the speed and using unmodified firmware that didn’t unlock jerk values, acceleration settings, and motor current controls, he could print a speedboat of even higher quality in just 9 minutes and 44 seconds. This epic performance showcases the impressive speed and potential of AnkerMake M5. Ifyou want to print fast for prototyping or slow it down a little to get high quality, then M5 can help you do both!

Note: It's important to note that these results were achieved under specific conditions with custom firmware released by AnkerMake to the participants.

    

As a beginner, you can easily start your journey to print fast with M5, straight out of the box. If you are an expert, you canunlock M5's potential with just a few software mods, but you don't need any hardware adjustments.

   

8:44 benchyfromanun-modded M5using custom firmware:

9:44 benchy fromanun-modded M5withregular firmware:

Standard fast benchy in 17:40s inM5'sfast mode:

10:32 benchy fromanon-AnkerMakemodded i3 printer inthespeedboat race:

How to PrintFast: Insights from lukagra's G-code

1. Understand the Math:

3D printing speed is not constant and involves different speeds even if it's set at 250mm/s. When you print objects at an angle, the printer needs to move in both horizontal and vertical directions. The way the printer accelerates, or speeds up, during this diagonal movement is a bit different. It's not just the sum of the X (horizontal) and Y (vertical) accelerations; it's a combination of both. This means that the acceleration for diagonal movement is calculated using a formula called vector sum.

In simple terms,3D printing speed can change, even if you set it at a specific value. And when printing objects at an angle, the way the printer speeds up is a bit more complicated, but it's important to understand to get good print results.

2. Know Your Printer:

• Different printers have different characteristics.
• Heavy parts limit the maximum jerk setting for the axis.
• For M5 you can adjust jerk settings manually in the G-code for different values on the X and Y axis.

3. Focus on Jerk and Acceleration:

• For smaller objects like the 3DBenchy, jerk and acceleration settings are more important for faster prints.
• Speed affects extrusion, but acceleration and jerk have a greater impact on overall print speed.
• Calculate volumetric flow by multiplyingthespeed by layer height and layer width.
• High speeds will cause under-extrusion, but it can be acceptable if the print head doesn't move too fast for too long.

4. Choose the Right Filament:

• Select a suitable filament forwhat you need. Some filaments melt at different temperatures and are more tolerant to being printed at higher temperatures.
• AnkerMake white filamentis recommended for printingat 230℃.
• Try and avoidsilk and PETGfilaments as theyare not suitableforhigh-speed printing.

5. Slicer:

• Using a slicer likethePrusa slicer may add quality changes that can slow down the print. Using a slicer like the AnkerMake slicer can help to increase speed.
• Customize G-code optimizations based on your preferences.
• Play with the arrangement of the model, different orientations can give different speeds!
• Different infill patterns and the amount of infill can also affectprinting speed.
• Different surface line alignments can also affect the speed that a model prints as well as the finish it will have.

Remember that achieving faster3D prints requires considering acceleration speeds, jerk settings, filament choice, and slicer settings. It may require some experimentation and adjustments to find the right balance between speed and print quality for your specific printer and project.

G-code from lukagra:

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SlicingVideo from lukagra: