A10T color mixing

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MH_A10
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2019 7:26 pm

A10T color mixing

Post by MH_A10 » Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:05 pm

Hello together,
I just bought an A10T, assembled it and made the first printing test. I have already an A10 and I am very satisfied!
Especially the color mixing and separate colors on various objects are my first tests.

The first results are disappointing regarding colors on the objects.
But I am pretty sure that it is my "fault" and I have to tune on the setttings of the RepetierHost software/printer settings.

My Setup:
Win 10, RepetierHost 2_1_6 app based on the recommendations of the A10T manual with Cura Engine and the *.rcp Files, Color Mixer (Beta) for Win app.
The result of a test with 3 small cubes with the filament delivered with the A10T Grey, white, yellow.
Bottom view.jpg
Bottom view.jpg (197.59 KiB) Viewed 12954 times
In the bottom view the grey bottom has yellow outside, the white bottom has grey outside and the yellow bottom has white outside!
Bottom view.jpg
Bottom view.jpg (197.59 KiB) Viewed 12954 times
What is the problem here? I need help!

Thank you in advance and best regards
Mario
Attachments
Top view.jpg
Top view.jpg (257.45 KiB) Viewed 12954 times

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William
Site Admin
Posts: 6340
Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2016 9:38 am

Re: A10T color mixing

Post by William » Wed Feb 26, 2020 9:34 am

Hi,if you need to mix colors, you can download the color mixer on the official website, then import the cut gcode to mix the colors, and then export the gcode for printing.
-Keep your mind and try to test it. :)
-Everything will be fun!-Support all Getech printer.
-You can ask me the questions and I will kindly reply.
-Respect others is the best way you can get help!

Sodium100mg
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:45 am

Re: A10T color mixing

Post by Sodium100mg » Wed Feb 26, 2020 12:33 pm

The 3 in 1 out configuration needs a prime pillar to purge out one color, before starting the next. The A10T seems to be able to drag out a lot of color from the filament being turned off, before the next filament runs clean. I tested a 2.5x2.5 cm square prime pillar patch and the old color was still visible. (switching from red to white).

the 3 into 1 has a toothpaste effect, where when mixing, the color from 1 filament in 1 side of what is being extruded, while the second color will be on another side of extruded filament. So if making a vase with 3 colors, one side will be highlighted in Grey another in white and another in yellow.

I just got my machine myself, so i'm still working on this myself.

MH_A10
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2019 7:26 pm

Re: A10T color mixing

Post by MH_A10 » Thu Feb 27, 2020 2:55 am

Thank you for your comments.

Let me tell you my requirements to the A10T printer:

- I want to print 3 items with separate color each
- I want to print e.g. a cube 30mm Z axis, x+y axis 10x10mm, every 10mm height a different color

My questions are:
- Do I have to upgrade the firmware?
- Which Slicer is better to use Cura 4.5 or RepetierHost 2_1_6?
- Is the first Color Mixer app usable for my requirements?

Thx
Mario

Sodium100mg
Posts: 66
Joined: Tue Feb 11, 2020 9:45 am

Re: A10T color mixing

Post by Sodium100mg » Thu Feb 27, 2020 6:51 am

I do not have upgraded firmware. I use simplify3d and not have used any other.

In general, 3d printing is not designed to do color and all of the color stuff has been added on. Switching colors takes a prime block to purge out one color and extrude the next. The A10T has 3 extruders and 1 nozzle. The prime block allows one filament to push out enough material to clean out the prior filament/mix before drawing the object. Going from red to white is hard, while white to red easier. a 2.5x2.5cm block is not enough to push all the red out, so white has a touch or red.

Starting with a single object in simplify3d, the object is assigned an extruder, the infill, support and addition can select any of the 3 extruders or mixes can be defined and a tool added to the script and the virtual extruder selected like any other extruder.

A process can be used to split the object and extras to do one thing from 1-10mm, then a second process go from 10-20, and a third from 20-end. Within each process, the filaments can be re-defined. so if the object starts printing with extruder 1 (red), the second process can use extruder 2 (white) and the third process use extruder 2 (blue). So this will print a res/white/blue object.

In simplify3d, 2 objects (or different parts in 1 object) can be defined as 2 processes and then multiplied by 3 processes like above. so 1 object could print starting with red and the other object as blue. I made a captive ball, that the ball inside the cage was 1 color and the cage was another.

I don't believe there is a way to print 3 objects at 1 time, where the base had one start with red, one start with white and the third in blue, but maybe some future upgrade will allow it.

Printing out a single object, red/white/blue, the prime block only needs to be a single square, but if 2 or 3 different colors are used on a single layer, each color needs its own square. Once a prime block needs 3 squares, the entire print will use 3 square, but will print the entire 3 squares on a single color. Processes can also by used to turn off the prime block after a given height. So time and material can be saved by turning off the prime block when the last color is in use.

MH_A10
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2019 7:26 pm

Re: A10T color mixing

Post by MH_A10 » Fri Feb 28, 2020 9:23 pm

Hi Sodium100mg,
Thank you for your valuable information.

For me it is only a hobby and so I will not buy the Simplify3d at the moment. I will play around with RepHost and Cura in a first step.

With the Geeetech Color Mixer I achieved good result. With some workarounds published here I will improve my result with the A10T.

As a rookie in 3D printing, but old engineer I see some potential workarounds.

I must dive deeply in the machine code.

Kind regards
Mario

MH_A10
Posts: 4
Joined: Fri Nov 01, 2019 7:26 pm

Re: A10T color mixing

Post by MH_A10 » Sat Feb 29, 2020 11:43 pm

After looking into the gcode I found that the M163 command is responsable for mixing or not per item.

As a profile base I used the "Configuring Cura 4.1.0 for Geeetech A10T.pdf" and changed the M163 command in the Startcode to

M163 S0 P1
M163 S1 P0
M163 S2 P0

This change alone improved the colors of the 3 cubes (30x30x30mm; blue, red, yellow). Every cube has its separate color, but with some strings of the previous color.

The base setting of the prime tower was only around 30mm diameter, I increased it to 50mm. Also the volume of filament to 40mm³ to squeeze out the "old" color before it starts printing with a new color.

Important is to check that the settings of all 3 colors are the same!

Please find attached my A10T 3 item/3 colors profiles.

I printing mostly functional parts, so the difference in color of a 1 item/1 color print is not so important to me.

The profiles is not 100% perfect, but a good starting point to improve the 3 items/3 color printing with the A10T.

Please give me a feedback after your tests.

Regards Mario
Geeetech A10T.zip
(442.25 KiB) Downloaded 529 times

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