The rise of color in 3D printing

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I remember THE say consternation I felt When I was look has buy My First of all 3D printer. They all seemed has to print In just A color. Plastic things were all around We, And they doesn't seem has be limit has just A color — SO Why I could not 3D printers to print In a lot of colors, Also? He was not until I begin impression that I began has to understand THE technical challenges of get more that A color In A model that was built A G-code double has A time.

For This article, GOOD to focus on based on filaments 3D impression, Also known as FDM (merged deposition modeling) Or FFF (merged filament manufacturing), specifically In THE consumer And amateur kingdom. Color impression do exist has THE industry level with A variety of other technologies, but none are has A price indicate that can be easily escalation down has THE consumer level.

What to have become accessible And frequent are THE familiar printers that can precisely recreate A 3D model by merger filament of miscellaneous polymers. SO OUR multi-colored issue East, how TO DO You stop impression In A color filament And to start impression In A second color? What about A third, fourth, Or even 10th color?Resolution This issue has has been A challenge that has has been approach Since several directions. In rough historical order, they are:

Independent double extruder (IDEX): THE First of all multi-colored hobby level printers were developed with two separated extruders, each able has to print A different filament, allow two-tone models. These Machinery can to print In several manners, with a few provide THE ability has to print THE even model twice has THE even time. IDEX printers are always popular Today And are available Since several the manufacturers, For example THE Sovol SV04 printer.

Two in, a withdrawal color blend extruder For Geeetech A30M printer. Photo by Geeetech

Color blend extruder: Other businesses, as Geeetech, took A different approach has multi-colored impression by bringing two Or three filaments In THE even hotend. This color blend configuration, along with customizations In THE slicer, given THE printer THE aptitude not only has to print In several colors but Also has blend THE colors together. He can to print THE model with A slope through colors, Or to use A percentage blend between THE two, Or to print specific colors In certain locations.

This style of impression has stayed more niche, partially due has challenges with nozzle clogs And material reliability, And partially because THE software is not it General public And can be difficult has decipher (I was Never able has get he functioning beyond basic degraded). However, a lot to have appreciated impression multi-colored prints This path. Geeetech always sell their two- And tricolor printers as GOOD as A new Mizar M model that combined both approaches: double extruders And color blend In A nozzle.

And For those to want has to modify their existing 3D printers, replacement blend nozzle hotends to have recently become popular, with several brands sale hotends with two, three, And four filament inputs.Filament exchange : HAS to have TRUE multi-colored impression, A combination of new material And software was necessary. In 2017 Prusa Research made his debut their Multi-Materials Upgrade (MMU), A additional filament exchange module For their Prusa MK2 i3 printer that do impression In up has five different colors A possibility. This was coupled with model paint And to slice Functionality In PrusaSlicer software has create A G-code deposit that could say THE printer has to print In A color, retract that collar...