How one can Print in Multi-Colour with a Single Extruder

After I first began working at MatterHackers all of my pals had been so intrigued by the idea of 3D printing, I’d typically get the query, “What does one thing 3D printed seem like?”. So I made a decision to make myself a key chain I might placed on my automotive keys; one thing I might simply seize out of my bag when folks requested me. The difficulty was, I’m a really colourful particular person. I didn’t need my key chain to be only a single coloration, I wished it to be 5 colours. However, I used to be solely a novice, and the printer I used to be utilizing solely had one extruder. 

With somewhat little bit of chatter with the tech workforce, they knowledgeable me that with the facility of MatterControl, and a few work on my finish, I might have my colourful key chain. 

Women and gents, I did it! And with these easy directions, you possibly can too!

Getting began with Multi-color printing:

Step 1- Open up MatterControl and examine the file you wish to print. As soon as, you might be viewing your file, you have to to go to Layer View.

Choose Layer View, you may be prompted to generate the layers to your file. Hit ‘Generate’ and wait to your layers to load.

Step 2- As soon as your layers have generated. You’ll discover MatterControl reveals you your print time. This is essential as a result of you’re going to have to take your print time and divide it by the quantity of colours you may be utilizing; granted you need the colours to be evenly distributed. 

My file right here, goes to take 93 minutes to print. For this demo, we’re going to use three colours. So meaning, every coloration will print for about 31 minutes. What you may wish to do is use some type of timer that may provide you with a warning each 31 minutes. My alternative is the helpful dandy timer that’s on my telephone and it really works nice.

Step 3– Prep your print house, have all the colours you wish to use close by and know the order you wish to print them in. Upon getting your first coloration loaded, hit print!

Step 4- You will want to start out your timer. However do not begin your timer proper while you hit print! You will wish to wait till you printer really begins extruding, then you’ll begin your timer.

Step 5- So that you wait however, as soon as you might be at about one minute left you may should do some prep. Choose ‘Settings & Controls’ in MatterControl. It’s key to have this up earlier than the next step.

Step 6- When your timer lastly goes off, you’ll choose the ‘Pause’ button.

When your print has paused you’ll then go to your Motion Controls and choose ‘Z+’ between 2-3 instances. You wish to ensure there’s not plenty of time in between pausing your print and shifting your nozzle up. In any other case, you nozzle would possibly soften your print in that one space.

Swap the filament:

Step 7– It’s right now you’ll change your filament. Launch the extruder’s chilly finish leven and take away the present coloration utterly. Load your new coloration. Make sure there are not any clogs and push the filament by means of the new finish till you see the colour change out the nozzle. 

Step 8- With the second coloration swapped in, choose the ‘Resume Print’ button.

When you hit print you’ll restart your timer as soon as extra and anticipate it to be up. You’ll undergo steps 4-8 for every coloration till you might be achieved! 

Now you possibly can have your personal colourful key chain or no matter you select to print!