7 Colors on 1 Layer
I would like to print 7 colors into one layer and some more layers on top of it on my MK4S without MMU using Prusa Slicer 2.9.4. The Prusa Slicer allows color changes only layer-wise on the left bar. So I spent many hours trying many things. Let my describe only the promising ones.
- The most straightforward way would be to add filament changes on the bottom bar.
- But this seems not to be supported in Prusa Slicer.
- So I have split my object into 7 parts in the design and imported them as parts of an object as to maintain their relative position.
- I tried to increase the number of extruders to 7, enabled Single Extruder Mutli Material, assigned a different extruder to each part and defined a Tool change G-code M600 (=filament change).
- This didn't work. I discovered that Prusa Slicer handles only up to 5 extruders. Maybe this is why.
- I tried to set the numbers of extruders to 2, enabled Single Extruder Mutli Material, assigned an alternating extruder to each part and defined a Tool change G-code M600.
- This time I got a gcode with only one M600 command, where I needed as least 6. The slicer optimizes the tool changes away. First all extruder 1 parts are printed and then all extruder 2 parts. And I can't help it - especially since this optimization parameter seems to have been recently removed.
- I have looked for an option to manually set the print order of the parts. But I did not succeed so far.
It may be important to know, that the parts have a low distance of e.g. 0.05 mm, since I want the printer to melt the filaments together.
Any idea?
RE: 7 Colors on 1 Layer
I don't know why your 7 color Manual MMU didn't work. I threw together a test 7 tool project using my MK4S profile and it seemed to generate good gcode, but I haven't tried printing it. Here is my sample project: 7ColorMK4Test I don't know if it matters, but this was created in PS2.9.4 on Win11.
I didn't enable single extruder multi material (I usually don't for manual MMU prints), so maybe that is the difference? Note the logic that I have in the Tool change gcode that eliminates the filament change between the purge line and the first layer. The two arguments that I use on M600 are:
- Z75 = move the nozzle up 75mm for the filament change. Most of my manual MMU prints are only on the first couple layers to embed text/graphics on the bottom of a print. I found the default Z lift for filament change was too close to the bed for my ergonomics.
- N = Do not return to previous position. Without this argument the nozzle will touch the model at the position before the color change, often leaving a dot of the new color where there shouldn't be any. The N switch turns that off and after the color change the extruder will go to the first location on the model of the new color.
If you are still having problems (especially if my test project does work on your machine for at least the first few layers) please upload your project file (zip it first like I did or the forum will silently delete the project file from your post) so we can help troubleshoot your issue.
See my (limited) designs on:
Printables - https://www.printables.com/@Sembazuru
Thingiverse - https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/designs
RE: 7 Colors on 1 Layer
Many thanks for your helpfulresponse. You are absolutely right. 7 Colors do not pose a problem!
- I think, for some reason, the slicer setup got corrupted and it refused to slice the 7 colors.
- I restarted the project from scratch and it appeared to work until I tried to tweak some parameters. Then the project got again corrupted. This time, the colors did not pose the problem, but the hollow object was always sliced solid.
- I restarted again from scratch and I this time carried out all essential steps in careful order without touching anything else. Then it appeared to work. The printer is now printing...
In total, I needed 5 restarts and then it worked. I hope, some day, the slicer will become more robust and stable...
RE: 7 Colors on 1 Layer
The model has been published under https://www.printables.com/model/1508462-rainbow-lamp
Many thanks to Sembazuru for your contribution!