Summary

Use this model to perform a calibration of your hot end temperature to harmonize with your speeds/feeds and filament to get optimum print results. See instructions for more details.

Instructions

I printed this model using a QU-BD TwoUp that is pretty well stock: direct drive extruder, 0.40 mm nozzle, 0.22225 layer height. I think it's obvious, but I will mention that this model should be printed 90 degrees from the way it shows up in Thingiview or in Slic3r so you'll need to rotate it after you bring it in.

The idea is to start at the upper end of the recommended temperature range, print a few layers, reduce the hot end temperature, print a few more layers, lather, rinse, repeat until you either get to the bottom end of the temperature range or it gets too cold to extrude and your extruder jams, starts clicking, and you kill the print. Then look at the resulting print to see what temperature works the best.

Note: Feedback from others has made me realize that my gcode in the Excel file in this following section of course has my speeds embedded in it. Please use it only as a guide for how to edit your gcode unless you print at 20 mm/s as this gcode specifies. I plan to try to write a python script that will edit your gcode as a replacement for the Excel file, but we'll see how long it takes me to get around to that. I'm a Python noob with half a Coursera class under my belt so it could take me a a while to figure out. In the meantime, I'll leave the Excel file and instructions to illustrate the changes that need to be made.

The Excel file has my gcode that I modified with a change in the hot end temperature every 5 mm. I started off intending to make the gcode parametric with respect to all the parameters on the "Parameters" worksheet (tab), but decided it would be much faster to only make the temperature range parametric and leave the physical parameters fixed so changing anything other than temp will not be properly reflected in the gcode.
Just change cells D4 (low temp) and D5 (high temp) to match the temperature range you're trying to test, and the gcode on the "gcode" worksheet will be updated to reflect it. Then save that worksheet as a text file, and copy-paste the text from the text file into Slic3r.

Note: To make the edits manually, just search your gcode in a text editor and do a find on "G1 Z5", G1 Z10" and so in and insert the "M104 S___" command after those lines where the blank is your temperature for the upcoming layers.

Then print your model out and see what temperature band gives you the best results.

Hot End Temperature Calibration Model