Printing multiple colors with single extruder

[femyers01]

I'm pretty new at 3D printing. I have a project where I'm printing a clock dial. The base layers of the dial are white PLA while the numbers and other raised markings are black PLA. I somewhat successfully printed one of these but the swap over from white to black filament was messy. I left a blob of white plastic on the dial where the changeover took place.

Is there a good way to change filament colors during a print on an M2?

Thanks,
Forrest Myers

[insta]

There's a command in newer Marlin versions (which I emailed Rick if he ever wants to post it -- if not I'll send you the firmware directly) that has an explicit "Change filament" command. As soon as you press it, it moves the head way off to the side, retracts, waits for you to add the new filament back in, purges some (which you'd pick off with the tweezers), then resumes. It's designed explicitly for this.

[femyers01]

Thanks for that answer on the "change filament command". I was wondering why there wasn't such a thing. I'm controlling my M2 via pronterface and or the LCD display. I don't run windoze, just Linux. If you wouldn't mind, would you send me the code for the change filament command?

Thanks,
Forrest Myers

[insta]

Thanks for that answer on the "change filament command". I was wondering why there wasn't such a thing. I'm controlling my M2 via pronterface and or the LCD display. I don't run windoze, just Linux. If you wouldn't mind, would you send me the code for the change filament command?

Thanks,
Forrest Myers

It's the M600 command, your firmware may already support it. http://forums.reprap.org/read.php?146,179790,179794

[femyers01]

I tried the M600 command by sending it via pronterface. My new,last week, M2 simply ignored the command as far as I can tell.

Forrest Myes

[insta]

Are you comfortable flashing firmware? My changed firmware is attached -- be warned, it changes a lot of things (for the better, in my opinion). It's for single-extruder V3B 24v machines with Viki, ONLY!

[Matt_Sharkey]

what is Viki and how can i quickly tell if im using 24v?

[jimc]

viki is the lcd screen and the 24v machines have the single large power supply. the 12/19v machines have 2 power bricks.

[femyers01]

I downloaded M2-single.zip. When I tried to compile Marlin.ino, I got the following error;" 'LiquidTWI2' does not name a type". I had previously downloaded the firmware for the Viki and it compiles and installed OK. I also tried Marlin.pde and got the same error. My machine is a MakerGear M2 24V single V3B extruder and Viki.

I must be missing something.

Forrest Myers

[insta]

Download LiquidTWI2 from here: https://github.com/lincomatic/LiquidTWI2 and put it in your ~/Documents/arduino/libraries/ folder. Reference: http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/Libraries