Help with basic design of multi color prints

[ozonshak]

Hi all!  I’m entering the multi color world for the first time. I’ve done color changes at layers before, but not true multi color printing with several mounted spools at a time. I’d like to design a colored model, but interested in the strategies as far as Fusion 360 goes. For example, if I want to import an SVG image onto a solid plane or just overlay a basic shape like a circle, wouldn’t I have to extrude the edges/lines of the design a bit so that a slicer can see the shape in order to color it with various colors?  I’ve seen really cool coins and coasters that don’t seem to have any extrusions (seems like a perfectly flat multi color design with no obvious extrusion or edge outlines), so wondering how that might be done?  Thanks!

[etfrench]

Here's the adjusted file for the EKG going to the plate.  There is a Fusion file in my first post.

Reducing the number of color change layers will save filament.

[Warmingup1953]

My suggestion re printing in two pieces (one multicoloured) is so your visible surface will be a bed plate finish which I find the most appealing visually (PEI in my case)

[ozonshak]

@Warmingup1953  Thank you for the tip. Per my previous comment, would you be able to provide me with your modified Fusion design file that you imported into Bambu to give that consistent layer colorization for the EKG line?  That seems to be exactly what I need so I’d like to see how you did that. Appreciate the help!

[ozonshak]

@etfrench  Thanks!  I’ll take a look.

[Warmingup1953]

I'm on other tasks this AM (here in Sydney) but here is my essentially unaltered file. I do note that there appear to be Zero YouTube videos that show Bambu Studio multicolour via Objects rather than the Paint by numbers approach.

[ozonshak]

Thanks @Warmingup1953 !  I imported your design into Fusion, exported as 3mf, and imported into Bambu.  I verified I can still see the layering working good (EKG line colored all the way to the rectangle plate).  However, I'm not sure what you did exactly or how to reproduce this.  I can see the original sketches still seem to be the same.  It looks like you split out the base, the heart, and the EKS as separate components.  Using the original file that I uploaded in this thread, how did you do that exactly?  I'd like to understand so I can do this in the future with different designs.

Plus, ultimately I need to take this heart and EKS component and place them on a different base.  I either need to export/import these components "as-is" onto a separate base in a different project or reproduce what you did to separate out these components in a separate project (starting with my original).  Thanks for your help with this!

[etfrench]

Have you looked at Rule #1 yet?  It explains how to set up your file for success.

[ozonshak]

@etfrench You stated:

"Start with Rule #1.

Individual multi-color prints should be subcomponents with the same parent.  This allows you to use different colors for each as well as making exporting easy"

That tells me to split out everything as components.  However, I'm new at this and could use some help with steps for how to break this out with my specific example.  Just seeing the end result/design file doesn't tell me how you guys are getting there.  I'm learning so was hoping for some steps.  Just not obvious to me how @Warmingup1953 example went from my original Fusion file to the final one that seems to work fine ultimately in Bambu.

[etfrench]

When you extrude a body, you have a choice of making a new body, cutting from another body, or making a new component.  Once that choice is made,  you can extrude from the sketch plane or from an object (plane, face, etc.).  You can also do two direction extrudes and symmetric extrudes.

In your file, you extruded the Base with a negative distance from the plane and the Heart a positive distance.  The EKG needs to be extruded both distances.  After extruding the Base and the Heart,  use a two direction extrude for the EKG using those same distances.

It would be a good idea to go through the Learning videos at the top of the forum to get this very basic information.

[ozonshak]

And that is what I’m not following. In my original design file, I simply extruded the EKG one direction - from the base rectangle plate up to the top of the heart. It seemed to fill the area just fine but doesn’t slice well for colorization. I’m not clear how I would extrude this EKG line 2 directions and how that would help me. 

I just need to understand more how @Warmingup1953 created his version from mine and split those elements into separate components. His file is what I ultimately need but I’d like to walk through the steps of how he got there. I’m a visual learner and learn best with step by step details with a specific example. I’ve already been trying to watch some online videos here and there, but I’m no closer to figuring this out. 

definitely appreciate all the feedback you guys are giving me!

[etfrench]

Start with your original file and delete existing bodies. 

[ozonshak]

Hello @etfrench . Thank you for the video.  I reproduced your steps exactly on my original design (pretty easy and straight forward), but this is still not slicing correctly in Bambu for the EKG line.  I see 2 issues here at the moment:

1)  The 2 small parts of the EKG line (top and bottom loops) extend outward from the bottom of the plate.  Ideally, I was trying to keep the bottom plate completely rectangular and flat.  Extruding the EKG line 2 directions is causing this.

2) The bigger issue is that Bambu still isn't slicing this correctly.  The EKG line continues to not solidly go all the way through the heart when slicing/colorizing.  Please refer to this image after I reproduced your steps in Fusion, pulled the 3mf into Bambu, colorized it, and then sliced it.  You can see the layers are just as they were before.  Any additional thoughts how to correct this?

Thanks

[ozonshak]

@etfrench  Here's another odd thing.  I've tried to reproduce @Warmingup1953  design EXACTLY using my original as a starting point.  Here are the design steps I was reproducing from his:

However, I'm still getting the same slicing issues in Bambu.  I simply don't know what I'm doing wrong here.  It is very frustrating.  I also noticed that when I pull in the above design "as-is" to Bambu (export from Fusion as 3mf and import into Bambu), it is automatically getting a purge tower whereas mine is not.  There must be a setting I'm missing somewhere that is telling Bambu this is a multi color design.  The only thing obvious I'm missing is the colorization in the Fusion design, but I thought that was only for distinguishing features in Fusion and nothing else. Besides, I don't seem to have any appearance color options anyway (says "Downloadable material feature will be re-enabled after Fusion finishes the live update and restarts").

Any thoughts as to what I'm missing here?  Thanks.

[ozonshak]

@etfrench  @Warmingup1953  Eureka!  I think I got it.  My issue was not in how I was creating the model (although not the best way to create bodies/components).  It came down to the fact that I was not seeing the appearance/colors in Fusion.  It never carried through to Bambu (in the 3mf) and it had no idea how to color the layers properly.  Even though I was setting the colors in Bambu using its colorizer, the inner parts of the model were all screwed up.  Once I set the colors in Fusion, it started working!  Thanks guys for all of your help!

[etfrench]

The Object tab in Bambu Studio lets you select which slot in the AMS will be used.  You can set it for each body.

The EKG doesn't need to be all of the way through the heart, it just needs to be on the top layer of the heart, the bottom layer of the base, as well as the small area on the side of the heart.