How to Change Filament Mid-print Using Cura 4.8

by spliffdizzle in Workshop > 3D Printing

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How to Change Filament Mid-print Using Cura 4.8

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Once you have your 3d model ready for printing in Cura, slice it so you can find the layer you want to change the filament at.

Supplies

This example is using the Autobot logo on Thingiverse by MySnoWie uploaded November 14, 2015 https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1131435

Once Sliced, Use Preview Mode to Find the Correct Layer.

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The one you want to choose is the first layer your new color starts on. In this image, I am showing the layer prior to the one I want to change colors for.

This Is the Layer to Start Using the New Filament On.

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In this example, there are new walls being printed for the second level of the logo so it's easy to find the layer (layer 20 here).

Navigate the Cura Menus for Extensions -> Post Processing -> Edit G-Code

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Choose "Filament Change"

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Enter Your Layer Number Here From Step 2 (layer 20 in My Example) and Click Close.

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You can add more Filament Change scripts if you want to do more than one in your print.

Now You Will Have a Small Scripting Icon Next to Your Slice Button in Cura, Showing That You Have Made Modifications

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Slice Your Model Again and Send the Resulting .gcode File Off to Print

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Your slice will not look any different in preview mode, but you will know you have something set up because of the script icon shown in the previous step.

Start You Print. This Is Your "background" Layer.

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Don't mind the lime green, it's just what I had loaded at the time I was writing this up ;)

Once Your Printer Hits the Designated Layer, It Will Unload Your Current Filament and Ask for a New One to Be Loaded.

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I am using a Sovol SV-01 with Marlin 2.0 firmware, so your printer may behave different from mine. My printer will make some beeping sounds to notify me it's ready for the filament swap.Once you load the new filament it will run a purge to get the old filament color out. You can choose to purge more if necessary, say your first color was very bold and your second color not so much. Once you're satisfied, choose to continue.

Watch Your Second Color Magically Appear on Top of the First One!

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Enjoy Your Final Print (or Don't, I'm Not Here to Tell You What to Like or Not Like)

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I did not plan this, but the lime green and black combo looks pretty good! Reminds me of the 90's G2 colors.