Forgive me if this is trivial, but…
I’m well-versed in layer-painting at this point. I’m wondering if there’s a way to switch filaments within a flat surface, for instance, if I wanted to print a multi-color plaid pattern on a face-up surface. Is this possible?
Regards,
Ian
Yes, but only if you can edit the GCODE manually to PAUSE between layers.
This option is not easy and will require a thorough understanding of GCODE as you will need to edit the file, work out which actions are being undertaken and edit them.
This is expert level editing that very few people would even try, mostly due to the monotony of the task you would need to undertake.
Layer-painting doesn’t inform you where the changes are.
You need to find all the AMS encoded GCODE elements and swap them out.
Oy vey. I think for the time being, I’ll just print recesses and glue plaid fabric into them. I am familiar with GCODE, having built my own CNC gantry router in the past, but hand-editing GCODE has never been the task I wake up excited to take on, if ya know what I mean. Thanks!
FWIW, this is the plaid I would be trying to replicate:
Regards,
Ian
It would be interesting to draw that pattern in and turn it into collections of components, but if you can make that into an SVG file (or maybe there’s a better way), you extrude all the bits much like adding color to any project. But that fine of a pattern would probably be intense. Simplified and approximated it would get much easier. Since you are set up with an AMS, it could be doable.
What if you used HueForge? I don’t have any experience with it but it can turn a picture in to a 3D print. Just a thought.
Oh also, if you use the paint tool in BS you can draw the grid then use the paint bucket to fill in the squares.
I think it would be possible to get a multi colour top quite easy but NOT with the fine details as in the pic with the pattern.
It is literally just an endless amount of single lines that are filled around with a different colour.
For just a plain pattern you could create a model from multiple parts.
As in the top one or two layers containing models for each colour.
Simply import as a multi part model and assign the colours you like.
For such a fine pattern as what you have in mind and if larger volumes are required check sponge/balloon printing.
On a small scale and in a nutshell it goes a bit like this:
You have two stations, one to apply the ink and one to get the ink onto the stamp.
From a negative template with the patter for a colour you take off the applied paint with the flexible stamp.
Getting a perfectly aligned image on the stamp.
This goes into station one and applies it onto the object in question.
Then you replace the negative to do the same for the next colour.
Provides a really high level of detail and if you use dithering you can even do photo prints similar to what you see in printed magazines or newspapers.
Not worth though on a pure hobby level and with only a few prints per year.
