For the unfamiliar, in SM Orca, four colors were painted (yellow, red, black, and white). By right clicking on the timeline, I added a Pause command just below his nose.
Then to start the print, brown is first loaded into black, and pink in for white. When the printer paused halfway through the print, I unloaded the brown and pink and loaded the black and white, then resumed printing.
Using the 1 pause to change 2 colors, we printed a 160 mm tall, 6 color Pikachu in about 5h 45m all together, including the pause to swap two spools. A 141g model with only 24g of waste.
Great post. A lot of people will appreciate that the U1 can actually print five, six or even seven colors via pausing and swapping filament l. Of course it’s model dependent, but still very useful, especially when using Hueforge like in my case.
Yeah. And for a tool changer that, depending on the model, you may only need to pause once rather than multiple times. Since you can swap out multiple colors at once then walk away again. If you’re clever with how it’s painted
It’s a neat trick to stretch the capability a little further! Depending on the model, of course.
For sure this is expected capability, but it’s cool to see it in action.
It would be great if @Snapmaker_Official can incorporate this into the software.
Allow >4 color painting in orca.
Automatically detect if filament swap can accommodate the painted model during slicing.
Automatically generate the most efficient color swap pattern.
Automatically update print parameters for new filament.
Automatically place pauses into generated gcode for the color swap.
Add additional purge for color change
Send notification to mobile for color change (in 5 mins, now, etc.)
In the example above, user will paint the Pikachu with yellow, red, black, white, brown, and pink. This gives the user a good visual representation of what the end result will be. Then during slicing, orca will figure out yes, you can achieve this result using filament swap and instructs user to load brown, pink, yellow, and red first. Orca will also figure out the ideal spot to place a pause for filament swap. In this case, a single pause at layer 399 will do (other prints might require multiple pauses). Then at 399, the printer will instruct the user to replace brown with black and pink with white.
Thank you for sharing your detailed suggestions and ideas. I’ve collected your feedback and passed it on to our product team. If there are any clear plans or updates regarding these features in the future, we will make sure to share them with the community.
I was using pauses in Simplify3D years ago for multicolor prints. Yes, they were full color layers, not multicolor within a single layer but it was ahead of what others were doing Love that it’s still an effective way to get more colors in modern systems
Just flying a kite here, but it strikes me that (even with 4 heads) the U1 could benefit from an AMS feeding one or more heads. I think the ability to add AMS would be the best of all worlds. I appreciate the connection port for an AMS probably hasn’t been built in, but would it be possible to adapt some other port?
Filament changes take time of course, but they could take place while another head is busy.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and suggestions. We’ve seen similar feedback from other community members who would like to see AMS support, and your input has been added to what we’ve shared with our product team for consideration. If there are any developments or plans regarding these features in the future, we’ll make sure to update the community.
Ditto, but a recent forum discussion elsewhere made me realise there are benefits to AMS which are not replicated by a tool changer, specifically (with daisy-chainable AMS) almost unlimited colours.
Tool changers are far better for multi-material, but just four colours is a bit limiting (manual changing notwithstanding), and if one tool head is dedicated to support material you’re down to three colours…
Even without daisy-chaining, a 4-reel AMS option could be an optional fit to each filament path on the U1, giving up to 16 colours, or 12 colours plus one head dedicated to support.
Snapmaker doesn’t even have to come up with their own AMS – some other (existing) AMS could be leveraged if we had a means to connect to it (and support in the firmware and the slicer).
An AMS option would expand the appeal of the U1 enormously. Prospective purchasers would no longer be faced with choosing between a tool changer or some other printer (fill in your own list here) which has AMS support. As things stand, choosing a U1 means losing out on AMS. With AMS, choosing a U1 is almost a no-brainer.
At least an AMS option might be practicable! How could it be even possible to add another row of docks in a U1?? That would have to be a U2 (perhaps along the front edge, with a double-sided docker on the gantry).
@CrazyIvan So many great points!!! I’m a HUGE fan of Support for material! And you nailed it… it literally makes me sad when I think of 3 Toolheads instead of 4.
I’m just so over all the waste of time and filament with the AMS system that I am being stubborn. I am definitely way happier with the AMS 2 Pros and their capability but right now they’re only being used as filament dryers; which I absolutely love! Eight spools at once is pretty sweet
Yeah, I don’t see a way to stack another set of Toolheads. I was just fantasizing out loud
I’ve discovered some stuff online about OpenAMS, a project to adapt a Bambu AMS for any Klipper-based printer via CANbus. I’ll start a new thread when I’ve done enough reading about it.
Awesome, feel free to tag me! I’ve got 2x AMS and 2x AMS 2 Pros that I’m willing to help test with. The original units only have a slot or two that still work but I can try them out
Planning out filament swaps is a good idea to get more colors.
Love that it’s still an effective way to get more colors in modern systems 
That would have to be a U2 (perhaps along the front edge, with a double-sided docker on the gantry).