For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Hey, I want to create some military vehicle models with camouflage patterns.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_military_clothing_camouflage_patterns
Such a pattern is mostly made from 3 different colors.
Till now, I cannot find filaments with same specs /one manufacturer for printing such patterns.
Would be great, if Prusa would offer a filament set for some of this colors at the same time, when the XL with multi head support is released!
(or earlier, maybe I would try to use MMU again 😉 )
PETG preferred!
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
As a military member, I support this message and can't wait to try it out.
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Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE:
Try spectrum. They have military khaki, light brown and camo green colours. I'm using their PETG and it's pretty neat.
But since you're asking, do you have a good way to generate such multicolour patterns / surface textures? Still hoping to get this eventually in Prusaslicer, once the XL is out.
Edit: just checked back, they have two types of green and a sand colour now as well. Sold e.g. at 3djake.com.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Try spectrum....
NICE!
I found Spectrum filaments named
PET-G Matt Desert Storm
PET-G Matt Olive Green
PET-G Matt Brown
PET-G Matt Sand Khaki
I think, the matt colors are nearby perfect to create camouflage!
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
But since you're asking, do you have a good way to generate such multicolour patterns / surface textures?
not now! but there are several camouflage pattern generators out there. In never tried and I have no idea, how to use for 3D designs!
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
The problem is that for multicolor slicing you need surfaces with a certain depth. Basically one separate object per color. This is not trivial. Try the paint-on function in Prusaslicer, you'll see what I mean. It's fine for text and such, because there you already have the necessary vertices, but painting patterns on a flat surface would not be possible.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
I just tried it with a basic cube and I can paint a a camo pattern that slices
No predefined separate geometry or objects on the base cube. So what difficulty are you having ?
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
It is not trivial but it is not so hard either. All you need is some partial surface, ie the original model split into separate partial nets or so which do not have a depth to them. Load them together with the complete model into meshmixer and one can easily turn those partial nets into proper objects with depth by using the "offset" function in meshmixer. Probably you then have to do some boolean operation to cut out the pattern from the original model and then you just save each colour as stl and load them together into the slicer. If you are lucky you don't need to do that boolean operation and slicer manages to get it right even with overlapping objects but that is often not the case.
Mk3s MMU2s, Voron 0.1, Voron 2.4
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Well, I kinda forgot about the brush function because I've never used it. The reason being it's kind of hard to even create simple stripes or geometric forms (unless I missed something). I agree it's viable to some extent, definitely for camo.
However, what I meant was wrapping objects in patterns from a flat image (I think this is basically what the OP wants to do). Is there a way to wrap a plane around an object in Meshmixer? I think I saw some other slicer can do something similar, but would like to stick with a Prusaslicer workflow.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Great stuff. Keep sharing.
--------------------
Chuck H
3D Printer Review Blog
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
OK I found the video from back when I looked into this:
It can be done with Ideamaker, but unfortunately back then it could not export the modified object. Maybe this changed? Once the bump-mapping is done, one could use difference operations with the unmodified object to get the color parts and recover the original surface texture.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Any color you want.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Unfortunately, its not easy to buy Spectrum Filaments in New Zealand.
Spectrum offer no facility for retail purchase of their products direct.
The nearest stockist is in Australia, and they do not keep the complete range of colors.
Are you able to suggest a retailer somewhere in the world that does do so (?)
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
There seems to be some scope for thinkng this might be possible in Fusion 360, but you would need to have the upmarket add-on that allows this to be done.
RE:
If your budget extrends to purchase of ColorFabb Colour on Demand, and you project can use PLA, then the following is the correct colors for Military Camouflage:
Sand-beige (RAL 1039 F9)
Grey-beige (RAL 1040 F9)
Pale olive (RAL 6040 F9)
Camouflaging grey (RAL 7050 F9)
Sand-brown (RAL 8031 F9)
That said there are in fact many different camouflage color schemes in practical use in the world militaries, so there is no one correct answer. In particular, a different scheme may be used in the winter and the summer, and another in Desert Conditions. These can all be found using a google search. What isn't so easy is finding the filaments. For example even using ColorFabb facility, some of the above colours are not listed on the standard RAL color chart.
And don't get me started on the actual design patterns used.
I am still researching how a design pattern with colors might be overlaid onto an existing model, and used by a MMU unit to reproduce reproduction military articles having a more or less genuine appearance.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Apparently PrusaSlicer 2.7 can wrap SVG on objects now. That should resolve the camo issue, I'm sure some patterns can just be downloaded.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
eagerly awaited. I already have candidate filaments (lol)
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
There is also a dual coloured filament available:
https://us.polymaker.com/products/polyterra-dual-pla?variant=41159581892665
But this will not result in a real pattern. The mentioned alternativ this Prusa slicer 2.7 and a the wrapping of an SVG and colouring by hand should lead the desired result.
I was also thinking about using Fusion360 with the sheet metal option. So design the part in with the sheet metal option an finally unfold the part. Now it should also be possible to emboss a pattern to the part and fold is back latter. But the Prusa slicer solution seems to be easier and could be applied to almost every part.
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
Paramount 3D on Amazon has many of those colors in PLA and PETG
RE: For XL: Filament camouflage colors
"The mentioned alternativ this Prusa slicer 2.7 and a the wrapping of an SVG and colouring by hand should lead the desired result."
I agree that this development looks promising. To get the right design of camouflage, I found "Shutterstock" has photographs that can be bought, and then they would need to be converted to SVG format. At least the pathway to a solution seems to exist.
I have noted that there are several sources of the right colors, including Amazon. I'm leaning towards "Spectrum" Filaments, from Poland, because they, uniquely, offer PETG in a matt finish. I hve some coming one day soon.
For my thinking, a Matt finish is essential for a "real" feel to a finished product. Preference towards PETG, unless fine detail is needed, so maybe got to get both PLA and PETG. What hey ?! Its only money !!