Software/firmware based feature request to improve AMS Auto-Refill.
Currently Auto-Refill is triggered when the filament runs out at the extruder. This causes the print to pause, while the new filament is added, the nozzle purges and the print resumes. In general this leaves a visible layer artifact, particularly in single color prints with no tower.
The AMS has the capability to detect the filament run out at the AMS slot and at the buffer/hub.
The suggestion is that the system should push out the refill filament while the filament that ended is still within the bowden tube, thus keeping both filaments back to back for uninterrupted printing.
This is how the Infinity Flow S1 works and it is brilliant for print farms running single color prints.
An easy improvement that would make the AMS an equivalent auto-refill for perfect continuous prints, justifying its use by print farms.
Given there is a run out sensor at the tool head, another at the buffer and another in each AMS slot, it should be quite easy for the system to measure the length of bowden tubing within the setup and plan accordingly. Every time a filament is loaded it is possible to measure the distances between ams slot, buffer and tool head. This information can be used to plan AMS push so there is no collision with the filament in the extruder/bowden tube and to plan for edge cases such as the print finalizing before the first filament actually finished even if it’s end already left the spool and is past the AMS, somewhere in the bowden tube. (currently the printer knows to purge that leftover filament).