Hi
Took me some time to get that sorted out when setting up my dual extrusion printer. There are different situations to consider:
1) You want to print objects with one or the other extruder with its associated material
This is useful if you have e.g. PLA in one and ABS in the other extruder and depending on the objects requirements you want it to print with PLA or ABS.
Software Setup
- Setup slic3r: In Printer Settings/Capabilities/Extruders=2
In Printer Settings/Extruder 1/Extruder offset x=0, y=0 // yes no offsets in slic3r because offset is handled by repetier firmware
In Printer Settings/Extruder 2/Extruder offset x=0, y=0
In Print Settings/Multiple Extruders/Perimeter+Infill+Support all set to 1
In Filament Settings: Make one entry for each filament you will be using
- Setup Rep. Firmware:
In config.h you must have set: #define NUM_EXTRUDER 2 under Basic Settings, recompile and load firmware to your controller
Either in firmware source or eeprom settings: X2_offset x= -3320 y=0 // In repetier these are nbr of steps the ext2 is to the left of ext 1. value is specific to your printer. Can be calculated using the value for steps/mm for your machine.
Slice and Print
Slicing using slic3r (standalone or via Repetier Host
- In Plater select the correct Printsetting, Filant Setting and Printer Setting. You have two selection fields for the filament. Slic3r will use the upper one to slice your .stl object, which you add with the add button in Plater. Press Export G-code in standalone slic3r or slice with slic3r in Repetierhost. This will create the G-code for your single color object. It does not contain any extruder specific codes.
Printing the object: If you used slic3r standalone load the g-code produced by slic3r into RepetierHost, when sliced via RepetierHost its already loaded. Go to Manual Control in RepetierHost, select either Extruder 1 and the Start Job or Extruder2 and then Start Job.Your object will be printed with the extruder you selected.
2)You have the same type of material in your 2 extruders, probably with different colors and want to print a two color object
Software Setup
- exactly the same setup as described under 1)
Prepare your two color object, one for each color
You need two objects which result in two .stl files. One of the methods is, to use OpenScad and do a difference() of the objects color parts, render it (F5,and F6) and export it as color1.stl. Then do an intersect() of the same objects color parts, render it (F5 and F6) and export it as color2.stl.
A very simple example for such a two color object in Openscad is:
color1.scad:
color2.scad:
So far these are absolutely normal, simple .stl files representing two separate parts without any extruder or color specific information in it.
Slice and Print[ the two color object/u]
-You have to use slic3r in standalone mode for this step
In slic3/File select "Combine multi-material .stl files... then a window opens, slect color1.stl and color2.stl and press "open", on the next window select quit/Abbrechen (as you have no more additional .stl files), then the next window opens where you can save a special file named "color(1 or2).amf.xml", click save.
Now in the Plater of slic3r press "Add", in bottom right select AMF files (*.amf), select the colorx.amf.xml created before and press open.Now your two color object is loaded as one single object into slic3r. Select the proper PrintSettings, both proper FilamentSettings and the correct PrinterSetting. Then slice it by pressing "Export G-code".Select a name for your generated g-code.
-Printing the two color object
In RepetierHost press Load (or F2) and select the g-code file you saved in the previous step. In the file you will see T0 and T1 commands to switch extruder
The two colors of your object will be at the right place, i.e. the object will be printed "logically" correct but this does not mean, that it will look good...
Many objects downloaded from thingiverse are created with a built in fixed offset for specific printers, which do not necessarily work on your printer, where the shifting of the extruder is managed by the firmware on tool change m codes Tx.
3) You have some material in one extruder and support material in the other extruder
Software Setup
- exactly the same setup as described under 1)
This one I have not tried yet. Its probably simple. just select in the slic3r PrintSettings under MultipleExtruders the other extruder for support material.
Took me some time to get that sorted out when setting up my dual extrusion printer. There are different situations to consider:
1) You want to print objects with one or the other extruder with its associated material
This is useful if you have e.g. PLA in one and ABS in the other extruder and depending on the objects requirements you want it to print with PLA or ABS.
Software Setup
- Setup slic3r: In Printer Settings/Capabilities/Extruders=2
In Printer Settings/Extruder 1/Extruder offset x=0, y=0 // yes no offsets in slic3r because offset is handled by repetier firmware
In Printer Settings/Extruder 2/Extruder offset x=0, y=0
In Print Settings/Multiple Extruders/Perimeter+Infill+Support all set to 1
In Filament Settings: Make one entry for each filament you will be using
- Setup Rep. Firmware:
In config.h you must have set: #define NUM_EXTRUDER 2 under Basic Settings, recompile and load firmware to your controller
Either in firmware source or eeprom settings: X2_offset x= -3320 y=0 // In repetier these are nbr of steps the ext2 is to the left of ext 1. value is specific to your printer. Can be calculated using the value for steps/mm for your machine.
Slice and Print
Slicing using slic3r (standalone or via Repetier Host
- In Plater select the correct Printsetting, Filant Setting and Printer Setting. You have two selection fields for the filament. Slic3r will use the upper one to slice your .stl object, which you add with the add button in Plater. Press Export G-code in standalone slic3r or slice with slic3r in Repetierhost. This will create the G-code for your single color object. It does not contain any extruder specific codes.
Printing the object: If you used slic3r standalone load the g-code produced by slic3r into RepetierHost, when sliced via RepetierHost its already loaded. Go to Manual Control in RepetierHost, select either Extruder 1 and the Start Job or Extruder2 and then Start Job.Your object will be printed with the extruder you selected.
2)You have the same type of material in your 2 extruders, probably with different colors and want to print a two color object
Software Setup
- exactly the same setup as described under 1)
Prepare your two color object, one for each color
You need two objects which result in two .stl files. One of the methods is, to use OpenScad and do a difference() of the objects color parts, render it (F5,and F6) and export it as color1.stl. Then do an intersect() of the same objects color parts, render it (F5 and F6) and export it as color2.stl.
A very simple example for such a two color object in Openscad is:
color1.scad:
color ("red")
difference() {
cube([50,50,2],center=true);
cube([15,15,2],center=true);
}
// F5, then F6 then export as color1.stl
color2.scad:
color ("black")
intersection() {
cube([50,50,2],center=true);
cube([15,15,2],center=true);
}
// F5, then F6 then export as color2.stl
So far these are absolutely normal, simple .stl files representing two separate parts without any extruder or color specific information in it.
Slice and Print[ the two color object/u]
-You have to use slic3r in standalone mode for this step
In slic3/File select "Combine multi-material .stl files... then a window opens, slect color1.stl and color2.stl and press "open", on the next window select quit/Abbrechen (as you have no more additional .stl files), then the next window opens where you can save a special file named "color(1 or2).amf.xml", click save.
Now in the Plater of slic3r press "Add", in bottom right select AMF files (*.amf), select the colorx.amf.xml created before and press open.Now your two color object is loaded as one single object into slic3r. Select the proper PrintSettings, both proper FilamentSettings and the correct PrinterSetting. Then slice it by pressing "Export G-code".Select a name for your generated g-code.
-Printing the two color object
In RepetierHost press Load (or F2) and select the g-code file you saved in the previous step. In the file you will see T0 and T1 commands to switch extruder
The two colors of your object will be at the right place, i.e. the object will be printed "logically" correct but this does not mean, that it will look good...
Many objects downloaded from thingiverse are created with a built in fixed offset for specific printers, which do not necessarily work on your printer, where the shifting of the extruder is managed by the firmware on tool change m codes Tx.
3) You have some material in one extruder and support material in the other extruder
Software Setup
- exactly the same setup as described under 1)
This one I have not tried yet. Its probably simple. just select in the slic3r PrintSettings under MultipleExtruders the other extruder for support material.