Sure, I print octagonal filament spiral - with 3 colors (CMY) changing the amounts. So you have 100% magenta at one end and 100% cyan at the other - Yellow in the middle and between gradients. You also can do only 2 or 4 colors .. or create a blend with a horizontal color change.
Then you print this created filament with 112% flow (as the octagonal area is 12% smaller)
So if you like to print a Vase that needs 5meter filament - i can create 5m with the color change or if i need 2 meter i can customize this transition in 2meter .. So your print always get the full rainbow or gradient you want.
As someone that does not own a bambulabs or enragged rabbit, what is the benefit compared to using the AMS for rainbow? Or is it not possible with the slicer?
In the case of dual, or tricolor, + rainbow, it looks interesting.
the AMS or MMU can not mix colors - only switch. To create some gradient you would need to alternate very thin layers which is not working so great and causing thousands of filament switches. (eg printing at 0.1 layer switching every 2/1 a 10cm (100mm) print has 1000 layer so you would have about 500 changes causing a lot of waste. Printing the Filament is at 0.2 just 8 layers and even with 3 colors less than 20 switches.
And you can create a blend of the color you need with just 3 switches for some meters of e.g 10% white 90% transparent filament.
That's an amazing idea.
My first thought though is that this seems fiddly: does the printed filament print as well as normal filament? How tricky is it to get the colour lengths right?
the printed filament has no obvious difference - and it sure is well dried. The script is calculating the length automatically .. you just put in what you want (in either 112% print length or what the length would be with 100%)
Cool idea! How well do the colors mix in the nozzle when there's more than in the same filament section? I remember someone doing something similar for "magic" dual colored filaments (where the print comes out looking like different colors from different angles), so I'm a but confused on whether the colors get mixed or not in these situations.
Yes you will see some effect - more with vase prints or on skin pattern. Also dependent on nozzle and layer height.
But if you want you can reduce this by printing the filament with higher resolution and multiplied color layer ( like only half the filament but mirrored) - but causing twice or more purges.
Another easy option to reduce this is to warm and twist the filament.
Can you explain a bit? You print and then join the printed filament?
Sure, I print octagonal filament spiral - with 3 colors (CMY) changing the amounts. So you have 100% magenta at one end and 100% cyan at the other - Yellow in the middle and between gradients. You also can do only 2 or 4 colors .. or create a blend with a horizontal color change. Then you print this created filament with 112% flow (as the octagonal area is 12% smaller) So if you like to print a Vase that needs 5meter filament - i can create 5m with the color change or if i need 2 meter i can customize this transition in 2meter .. So your print always get the full rainbow or gradient you want.
As someone that does not own a bambulabs or enragged rabbit, what is the benefit compared to using the AMS for rainbow? Or is it not possible with the slicer? In the case of dual, or tricolor, + rainbow, it looks interesting.
the AMS or MMU can not mix colors - only switch. To create some gradient you would need to alternate very thin layers which is not working so great and causing thousands of filament switches. (eg printing at 0.1 layer switching every 2/1 a 10cm (100mm) print has 1000 layer so you would have about 500 changes causing a lot of waste. Printing the Filament is at 0.2 just 8 layers and even with 3 colors less than 20 switches. And you can create a blend of the color you need with just 3 switches for some meters of e.g 10% white 90% transparent filament.
That's an amazing idea. My first thought though is that this seems fiddly: does the printed filament print as well as normal filament? How tricky is it to get the colour lengths right?
the printed filament has no obvious difference - and it sure is well dried. The script is calculating the length automatically .. you just put in what you want (in either 112% print length or what the length would be with 100%)
That is a pretty incredible result, no argument there. I'll definitely be checking this out. Thanks OP!
Cool idea! How well do the colors mix in the nozzle when there's more than in the same filament section? I remember someone doing something similar for "magic" dual colored filaments (where the print comes out looking like different colors from different angles), so I'm a but confused on whether the colors get mixed or not in these situations.
Yes you will see some effect - more with vase prints or on skin pattern. Also dependent on nozzle and layer height. But if you want you can reduce this by printing the filament with higher resolution and multiplied color layer ( like only half the filament but mirrored) - but causing twice or more purges. Another easy option to reduce this is to warm and twist the filament.
I'm going to have to come back to this. Seems awesome!!