I have 7 filaments assigned in the “Filaments” section of the Prepare screen that I’ve used to paint a model. I have pauses set up in the Preview screen to allow for replacing no-longer-needed colors with those I’ll need for the next section of the print. The problem is, in the Device section, the options to assign filaments only lets me select from 4 colors it “thinks” are in the machine. It won’t let me select from any of the 7 set-up filaments to start the print with the first 4 I need, even when I lied and made them all “Generic PLA” in the Prepare filaments section.
Also, I painted with 7 colors. If I just load the first 4 colors I need in the printer, those are not the first 4 numbered colors I used when painting, so won’t the machine error out if it’s looking for what I initially assigned as, for example, “color 7” if BS or the machine don’t think there is a color 7 in the AMS?
The problem you have is how you are perceiving the issue.
From what you have said, you have only one AMS, with four available slots, and you wish to print a model that has seven colours total, yet (I am assuming here) due to your PUASE commands, you feel you can safely swap out colours as they do not conflict in any one layer.
This means you have a maximum of four colours in any one layer.
The ‘problem’ you are experiencing is that the software knows you do not have four filaments available, and so it can only present those as options.
It is not possible to tell the AMS that it has more than one filament in any single slot. While a recent update has allowed some flexibility for controlling multiple external filament assignments, that has not yet resulted in the solution you seek.
The good news is that it can be done.
The bad news is that it requires you to think things through, as they are not going to be handled for you.
I will present a simple example that you can relate to, as I have no information about it.
You use red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue and purple in your model.
Layers 1 - 10 use red, orange, yellow and green
Layers 11 - 20 use green, cyan, blue and purple
Layers 21 - 30 use red, cyan, yellow and purple
You have added a PAUSE on layers 11 and 21, so the printer waits for you to swap the filaments.
Copy your existing model to a new plate, solely so you do not destroy your current model painting.
Set up the AMS as follows:
Slot 1 = Red
Slot 2 = Orange
Slot 3 = Yellow
Slot 4 = Green
During the print, you will swap filaments as follows:
Slot 1 = Red, swap at layer 11 to Green and back to Red at layer 21
Slot 2 = Orange, swap at layer 11 to Cyan and no changes at layer 21
Slot 3 = Yellow, swap at layer 11 to Blue and back to Yellow at layer 21
Slot 4 = Green, swap at layer 11 to Purple and no changes at layer 21
Shorthand version:
Slot 1 = Red, Green, Red
Slot 2 = Orange, Cyan
Slot 3 = Yellow, Blue, Yellow
Slot 4 = Green, Purple
You will notice I have planned for the fewest swaps and to make things easier, kept the same colours in the same slot assignments where possible, for when they are needed again.
You will need to create your own plan.
You now paint the model so that anything that is:
Red or Green is painted Red
Orange or Cyan is painted Orange
Yellow or Blue is painted Yellow
Green or Purple is painted Green
When you go to print, you select: Red, Orange, Yellow and Green. You do nothing about Green, Cyan, Orange or Purple.
This is because you made a plan to swap them out at your PAUSE points.
Now, hit print, wait for the first PAUSE and get ready to swap.
When this issue (before going nuts on additional AMS units), I would get the filaments ready in piles near the AMS so I could grab the correct one for the next PAUSE.
A simpler example of the solution above for 5 colours using a 4 colour AMS can be found in an earlier solution I provided to others (more than once).
Thanks for the detailed guidance. I think the solution you’ve pointed out is to paint the model with only 4 colors and then change those colors by swapping filaments at the pauses. I’ve been trying to accomplish this by painting with 7 different colors and setting up 7 filaments - that isn’t working. It will take a bit of mental acuity to “see” the object in 7 colors when painted with only 4, but I do see how that should work.
I’ll leave out the complication that I’m using matte, regular, and metallic filaments that will make swapping filaments while the machine isn’t looking potentially problematic, but if the colors-per-layer allow, I might try setting up, say, slot 1 with a PLA matte profile, slot 2 with a gloss PLA+ profile, etc. I’m not sure that can be coordinated for my print, but I’ll try to minimize the filament type inconsistencies during the swaps.
And, yes, one AMS and like your example, there’s only 2 pause points and never more than 4 colors per layer - by design.
And, I’ve already made several copies of the painted 3mf file so I can play around with these things without defeating the hours I put into painting this fairly complex model.
Thanks. I think I have it figured out, as well as the “compromise” filament profile for each slot. As you suggested, I now have only 4 colors on the painted model. Only 2 colors appear throughout the model so those two slots do not change. The other 4 colors get assigned to 2 slots with 2 different colors in one and 3 in the other - grouping filament types as close to being similar as practical. I had to create a spreadsheet to keep track of which color changes when and in which slot, but once it’s figured out it begins to look easy. Also, working on a copy of the 3mf file is critical as once the device filaments and model filaments get combined, it’s hard to remember which parts of the model are supposed to be which color - they end up looking all wrong in the preview because they no longer correspond with what color will be in the printer when it gets to that layer. It’s important to be able to go back to the un-adjusted 3mf file (and the spreadsheet) to see what the colors are supposed to be.
I have some more painting to do before I try to print this model. If my grand scheme doesn’t work out I might take you up on your offer to take a look, but at the moment, I think the logic is clear and I think it will work.