Feature Request: Manual Filament roll-over (on the fly)

U1 Toolchanger
1

Issue:
Cannot manually select an existing filament to replace another filament run-out. Auto-Refill and Filament Auto Mapping turned off.

Environment:

  • Snapmaker U1
  • Firmware Version 1.1.0
  • Four different filaments loaded on the U1. Three of the four are PLA, fourth is PETG.

Causation:

  1. Object is a single filament model (PLA).
  2. Toolhead #1 runs out of filament and issues warning.
  3. Because Auto-Refill and Filament Auto Mapping are turned OFF, the only option is to refill the filament for Toolhead #1. You cannot select another toolhead to continue the print.

Expectation:
Error trap the “out of filament” error path with the option to manually select another filament of the same type,

How

  1. Error from run-out sensor issues print stoppage and runs filament outage subroutine on U1 screen.
  2. Tap “Cancel.” Routine shows main screen.
  3. Tap “Run/On” (Red triangle menu selection).
  4. Error subroutine detects missing filament (new filament not loaded for that toolhead).
  5. UI message : “New filament not loaded. Do you wish to select another toolhead?”
  6. On-screen selections are: Cancel and Select
  7. Selecting Cancel sends the user back to the main screen.
  8. Selecting Select sends the user to the Filament/toolhead screen.
  9. User can tap one of the toolheads, with the following caveats:
  • User cannot select an "empty" toolhead, meaning they cannot select the toolhead that ran out of filament.
  • There is an additional error trap that won't allow the user to select another filament which doesn't match the missing filament. In my example, the user cannot select toolhead #1 (run-out) and cannot select toolhead #4 (PETG).
  1. The U1 switches to the new toolhead and performs a pre-print diagnostic (connect to toolhead, heat filament, purge a bit, etc.) and continues with print job.
1 Like
2

As far as I can remember, I could only select a different head by renaming the filament type in the other head to exactly match the type and color of the depleted filament. I ran out of white filament in head 1, and head 3 had the same filament loaded but in gray. After renaming the gray filament to white, I was able to select it as a replacement.

2 Likes
3

The three filaments were all labeled “Snapmaker Snapspeed” PLA. But you are saying that if I changed the color label to match, the U1 interface will accept that as identical to the empty spool. Correct?

I had a real world run-out but I suppose this could be tested by printing a model, allow it to print a bit, then snip the filament before it gets to the automatic feeder. That would simulate a run-out.

However, I don’t see how that would allow me to restart the print if Refill and Automatic mapping is turned off before the print.

So in the meantime, the workaround is to turn Auto-Refill and Filament Auto Mapping to ON before printing as a matter of general operation.

4

I’m not really an expert and have only had the printer for three weeks, but the automatic continuation with a different roll worked perfectly for me. I had used up my first PETG roll printing the lid frame and a few desiccant boxes + lid clips, then inserted a second roll. However, I had also prepared and configured everything for automatic switching (intuitively, without reading much). I also didn’t use Snapmaker filament with an integrated RFID-chip. Perhaps the chip prevents cheating by renaming filament of a different color.