Printing objects sequentialy, why can't the prime tower activated?

Printing multi color without a prime tower is a fools errand.

Depends on the colors and the purge of each.

As to your question, It would be difficult to place and use. Each color get’s a layer or 4 on the purge tower as it grows.

If you have one file thats 15 mm tall then the tower will be that tall afer that’s finished. When the printer starts the next object the tower it too high. The only way would be two purge towers, which still creates issues. The purge towere would also have to have it’s own area to prevent travel in. In essence you now have 4 objects to print 2, and so on and so on.

Actually wouldn’t the tower only be as tall as the last layer with a color swap? I’m pretty sure I’ve seen that. I’ve also seen a really tall almost entirely single-color tower because the color swap is at the very end.

Yeah. If you want a purge tower with object-at-a-time printing, you need a purge tower for each object. Otherwise, the purge tower has to be as tall as it would be for one object, multiplied by the total number of objects.

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Adding at least two skirt loops will probably do what you’re after. Assuming monochrome objects in sequence, you do not really need the tower for a single color.

Your question has different answers depending on exactly what you meant.

  1. I wish to print identical models on the same build-plate at the same time with a prime tower to make sure the colours change and the quality is perfect.

  2. I wish to print multiple different models at the same time on the same build-plate with a prime tower to make sure the colours change and the quality is perfect.

If your question is 1, do not use order by object as that is not what you are doing. If all the models are the same, printing them in order has no benefits. If you try to remove a model with multiple colours, it is likely it isn’t small as will stick well to the build-plate, you can’t remove during it the print without significant risk of deformation to the base of the model and the potential of affecting other models on the build-plate with your actions.

If your question is 2, the reason the prime tower isn’t supported is for the following reasons.

  • The height of the prime tower is equal to the number of layers in which the colour/filament swaps.
  • Starting the subsequent models would require significant z-axis movements to and from the growing prime tower that would be taller than any layer of all but the first model in the sequence.
  • The extra z-axis movements could make the z position inaccurate, although I doubt this is a significant factor given the accuracy of the these printers
  • The movement to and from the prime tower could cause travel conflicts with the completed models on the build plate
  • Placement of the prime tower could seriously complicate all travel between the sequentially printed models
  • Having a prime tower would drastically reduce the availability of space for sequential models.
  • Having one per model would likely mean just two different models could fit on the build plate

None of these points are unassailable, it is likely the combination of them means the complexity overall isn’t (currently) worth the time vs the number of times it would be used.

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multiple purge towers for sure depending on how many different objects. Sometimes i want to print two different objects twice. Only need two purge towers for that. No support in the slicer for that either, i dont think.

unless your printing multiple objects that are the same. sometimes you want to print 1 x 4 and 1x1 on the same build plate. thats two prime towers.

It was 2. I agree, but it’s a valuable thing to add, for certain. why not have the ability to print as many prime towers as is required by the end user.

Because they require the same amount of space that a model would. If the build plate can only fit four models, adding prime towers reduces that to two.

The reason for the space around the model when in by layer model is so the head doesn’t accidentally collide, this would be true of the prime tower as its height is not always equal to the currently printed object and always higher than the subsequent models that are printed.

As I said before, it isn’t impossible, just a lot of issues in providing it and they work (as most businesses p) by proving the most features to the the most users who will benefit.

The other factor at play depends on which printer is being targeted. The a-series can only print very short models in by-object mode vs a greater height with the P & X series printers.

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