Hello,
I have been having fun designing a coin with Pi and its value that I want to 3d print.
I want to print the text in a different color than the coin itself.
How do I have to proceed?
Kind regards
Pi-2.3mf (630,4 KB)
The 3mf uploads do not work right now.
You need to use a different service, like WeTransfer and share the link here.
You could instead read my answers in this topic, which answer the same questions you have.
This is the link to the first one, the next is down a short bit.
Here is a link
As it is a rather complicated matter I didn’t manage to find the solution by basing myself on the other thread.
Can’t I print the coin first, and then start the text at the height of the coin’s surface? With my old Ender 3 I was already able to print in 2 colours by starting the second colour on another height.
Is my assumption correct?
You can do so, just add a break in the slicer to switch your color (if you don’t have an AMS).
I do have an AMS but I don’t know how to proceed to print the coin + edge first and then print the text on the surface of the coin, i.e. deeper than the already printed edge.
I also still haven’t figured out how to tell the printer to print the text in a different color than the coin.
Assumption: no AMS
There are a couple of ways to do this.
The easiest, as noted earlier, is to Slice your coin, then use the vertical slider in the Preview tab to get to layer where the letters start - and go up one layer. Why? If you start at the layer where the letters begin, you’ll end up switching filaments for the entire layer, including the top layer of the coin. Right-click on the vertical slider and add a Pause. The pause happens at the beginning of the layer. Then, you can print. The printer will print the coin and stop. You’ll have to close the dialog that appears on the screen, navigate to filament, unload the old filament, load the new, then go back to Home and Resume.
The next method:
Select your coin. Then, select the Color Painting tool. Choose the color you want to paint the letters and choose the paint method of your choice (Fill or Height Range should work nicely). Once the letters are painted, Slice and Save. Do not print. Go to File, Export, then Export .gcode.
Open the .gcode file with a text editor (Notepad or Text Edit). Search for “toolchange start.” Once you find it, you’ll see the comment block for the tool change. Right after the comment block, add the pause:
M400 U1
Search for other “toolchange start” blocks and repeat the process.
Save the .gcode, copy it on to a microSD card, insert it in to your printer, then use the screen to open it and print it. Like previously, wait for the pause, then switch filaments.
Note: Make sure the correct filament type is selected in “Ext” in BambuLab Studio, under Device before doing this and that you have the same filament type when you slice. You will have to + the second color filament in Project Filaments when you start, as well.
But I do have an AMS! And it should be easier with an AMS!?
Your second method approaches my method with the Ender 3 Pro.
But isn’t it the case that the coin is printed without the raised edge, the upper edge of which is higher than that of the text?
I wanted to avoid the printer having to change the filament on every layer from the bottom layer of the text onwards, which is why I was looking for a way to print the coin first, including the raised edge, and then the text, so that only one change would be necessary without knowing whether this is possible.
Oh - if you have the AMS, use the paint method and print. Very easy with the AMS.
An idea for you: Why raise the text if you merely want it as a different color? Try this: lower the profile of the text, so it is .01mm below the surface of the coin. When you import the model, it will, initially, appear that there is no text! But, when you take the paint tool to it, you’ll see your text is there, waiting for you. Then, paint that lowered surface. You can then have both sides of the coin print with text.
I should say that I do this all the time. I can use the same model - one with designs on it - and print it plain (one color) or multiple colors.