Live data from Hacker News

Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

blog.prusa3d.com

21–30 of 79 posts

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#21

It would be nice if additional colours would be supported, à la Hexachrome by Pantone (this was a 6-colour ink system which covered more than half of the PANTONE spot ink colour space and made quite vivid photo reproduction possible). Even better would be a mechanism like to Cerilica's Truism which would allow one to use arbitrary filaments and preview how they will blend when printed.

Photo reproduction should be the target here... And it looks like the software support needs work too - the obvious way to do it is being done able to import a jpeg or png to project or wrap onto the surface, a bit like texture maps in video games.

> Photo reproduction should be the target here...

There's an app called Hueforge that produces models that color mix to reproduce photos:

https://shop.thehueforge.com/

It's been around for years. There are databases of filaments with their TD values and color measurements to use. The blog really sells Prusa's attempts to do this with their own PLA, but there's a long history of color mixing in the community with extensive measurements of filaments that anyone interested should check out, too.

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#22
post #16
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The big thing for me is this plus the INDX from Bondtech. And at least for now they are the exclusive partner for that (you can still buy on your own and add to any machine). INDX already has fast color changes and produces far FAR less waste than an AMS. And that’s what sold me. Then the coloring mixing stuff started coming from the community. Now you don’t need to buy 30 colors of filament for many uses. Thats a se…

The AMS doesn’t cause the waste, it’s purging the old filament out of the tool head. The H2D and X2D can print two colors with an AMS without needing to purge and the H2C can do 7 without purging. You still need a prime tower when switching tool heads, but that is significantly less than a full purge. But I believe the INDX has the same restriction. I do agree though that direct feeding each tool head offers the best…

> You still need a prime tower when switching tool heads, but that is significantly less than a full purge. But I believe the INDX has the same restriction.

INDX no longer needs a tower. They say there is 13 milligrams of waste (which they call less than a grain of rice) on each filament change. So a print with 1,000 changes wastes 13 grams of filament. Details:

https://blog.prusa3d.com/prusa-core-one-indx-orders-now-open...

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#23
post #16
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The big thing for me is this plus the INDX from Bondtech. And at least for now they are the exclusive partner for that (you can still buy on your own and add to any machine). INDX already has fast color changes and produces far FAR less waste than an AMS. And that’s what sold me. Then the coloring mixing stuff started coming from the community. Now you don’t need to buy 30 colors of filament for many uses. Thats a se…

The AMS doesn’t cause the waste, it’s purging the old filament out of the tool head. The H2D and X2D can print two colors with an AMS without needing to purge and the H2C can do 7 without purging. You still need a prime tower when switching tool heads, but that is significantly less than a full purge. But I believe the INDX has the same restriction. I do agree though that direct feeding each tool head offers the best…

I'd kind of considered printing a rather small thing (seriously, 3x3x3 cm or so) in grey using this technique (using white and black filament). It told me it'd require 140 (== number of layers) filament changes and it'd take 5 hours. (In fairness, if I wanted to print 10 at once it'd probably take a similar time.)

So... honestly it's kinda silly IMO. If I wanted to mix colors in a hacky way I'd just... wait, hold my beer.

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#24

It would be nice if additional colours would be supported, à la Hexachrome by Pantone (this was a 6-colour ink system which covered more than half of the PANTONE spot ink colour space and made quite vivid photo reproduction possible). Even better would be a mechanism like to Cerilica's Truism which would allow one to use arbitrary filaments and preview how they will blend when printed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZe5zvMEsp0

https://primed3d.com/

primed3d can do photos onto models. still limited by print resolution, but very cool concept.

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#25
post #9
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This was already available in an OrcaSlicer fork (the one they used as an inspiration) which works with Bambu and Prusa printers. They're just putting the technique into their branded slicer which should make it easier to access for people who don't like using OrcaSlicer.

The big thing for me is this plus the INDX from Bondtech. And at least for now they are the exclusive partner for that (you can still buy on your own and add to any machine). INDX already has fast color changes and produces far FAR less waste than an AMS. And that’s what sold me. Then the coloring mixing stuff started coming from the community. Now you don’t need to buy 30 colors of filament for many uses. Thats a se…

at home printing values, is filament waste really such a problem?

I understand OSS people don't like Bambu, but as pure end user, they are great and well put together.

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#26
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The big thing for me is this plus the INDX from Bondtech. And at least for now they are the exclusive partner for that (you can still buy on your own and add to any machine). INDX already has fast color changes and produces far FAR less waste than an AMS. And that’s what sold me. Then the coloring mixing stuff started coming from the community. Now you don’t need to buy 30 colors of filament for many uses. Thats a se…

at home printing values, is filament waste really such a problem? I understand OSS people don't like Bambu, but as pure end user, they are great and well put together.

Waste is waste, if you end up using 2 to 4 times the filament (depending on the number of colour change) it's still something to account for.

This might seems like a lot but this is the reality of the system.

Re: Print with dozens of colors: Our new open-source ColorMix for PrusaSlicer

#27
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The big thing for me is this plus the INDX from Bondtech. And at least for now they are the exclusive partner for that (you can still buy on your own and add to any machine). INDX already has fast color changes and produces far FAR less waste than an AMS. And that’s what sold me. Then the coloring mixing stuff started coming from the community. Now you don’t need to buy 30 colors of filament for many uses. Thats a se…

at home printing values, is filament waste really such a problem? I understand OSS people don't like Bambu, but as pure end user, they are great and well put together.

Well depends on what a problem for you is. But the purging on complex models can be more plastic then the model itself needs.

And it also takes time. The difference can be a few hours vs a day of print time. Plenty of videos online that show case examples.

Post reply on HN