I see that now, after firmware and software updates, it is possible to do multi color printing without the AMS, even changing color in mid-layer.
What I would like to know is: How do I know which color will be printed next?
I couldn’t find any other way than after slicing to use the scroll bars at the layers where the color will be changing and make a note at the order that the objects will be printed in that layer. That gets to be cumbersome when more than 3-4 colors are used per layer.
Just purchase an AMS and save yourself the headache of manually swapping filament.
Due to space constraints that is not an option.
In the preview tab there’s a slider on the bottom that will show you exactly how each layer will print. However there is no way to pause in the middle of the layer from the slicer. Technically you can figure out at what point one color is done and when the next starts, but it’ll be a big pain. If you’re serious about multicolor, WN1X is right. AMS is the way to go. If space is a concern, there are a couple of top mount designs, however I’ve never personally tried them. Hope this helps.
Thanks for your reply. I was aware of the slider bar (and I did mention it above).
But……. I may have found the magic button. Or rather the Customize Plate button (along the right edge of the plate in the slicer, at the bottom. There I can customize the color order and override the slicer. That can be done for individual layers. Most of the time I am interested in only the first 2 or 3 layers. I haven’t checked it with an actual print but when I use that slider bar I can see that the custom color order I set is respected.
Tried an actual print test using 7 colors. I defined the color order for the first and second layer. The first layer used the colors in the order I defined. However on the second layer it went bonkers. I loaded the colors in the order I defined for the second layer but the A1 printed over the wrong objects. The way the second layer printed was completely different than what it was shown in the preview.
Ran a second test after leaving the filament sequence at Auto and making a note of the sequence shown in Preview. This time the 7 colors printed correctly.
I would appreciate it if someone with an AMS Lite would write here the workflow to achieve this. The first 2 layers have the color changes. The 2 layers are the same in my case. I am uploading a picture of my test. Colors used: Purple, Yellow, Green, Red, Gold, White and Black.
From what I’ve read so far, the only way to do this with AMS Lite is to NOT use the AMS and instead do the filament changes manually. With AMS it can only be done using 4 colors or fewer.
I wish I could help, but I have no idea what kind of wizardry you’re doing. Are you swapping filament colors mid layer? AMS could be useful if you wanted to do multiple color changes are on different layers, but on a single layer it’ll only divide your total filament swaps by 4. Idk if that helped.
Hahaha… If I was into wizardry I would be here asking for help.
I don’t know how things worked before the recent Studio and A1 firmware updates, but the way it is now it is relatively easy to do multi color printing on the same layer manually, more than 4 colors, without the AMS. See the picture I posted above. There I used black for the background, and the other six colors are used on the first 2 layers. In the slicer I assigned the colors to the respective objects and when printing I selected the box labeled “Multicolor printing with external” (or something like that). Each time there was a color change on the same layer, the printer unloaded the current filament and waited for me to insert the next one. On the printer’s screen I only had to tap the button telling the printer that filament was extruded after which the printer continued with the newly loaded color until the next change. So, I basically had to babysit the printer for the first 2 layers only.
The problem is that the printer does not tell which color it wants next. So, I had to do a Preview in the slicer for the first 2 layers and write down the color sequence. But in all its wisdom, if I made a change to the model the printer would decide for a different color order. So again, go to Preview to write down the order.
So, I ordered the AMS Lite. And that’s where I am now.
Calculate the length of filament for each change, and then physically join the filament so you can feed in a single roll.
I think there’s some machine that can help automate this (called Palette or something)
That’s a good one. 
I would like to see that work.
