Many cheap 3D printers utilize cheap, noisy stepper drivers which can produce a rippling effect that propagates in the x and y directions. This is known as "salmon skin" and was present on the Ender-3 Pro. To mitigate this issue to a less-noticeable extent, stepper smoothers which utilize diodes can be installed in between the control board and the stepper motor wires.

I first came across this issue with my old Tevo Tornado and later the Ender-3. I wanted a way to characterize the salmon skin removal after stepper smoother install, so I designed this rounded cube. The slightly curved faces, when aligned with the X & Y axis, will exemplify any tendencies for the rippling salmon skin to be produced, and should clearly show the effects of stepper smoothers.

Category: 3D Printing Tests