Greatest Multicolor 3D Printers of 2024: Print the Rainbow
Greatest Multicolor 3D Printers 2024
The competitors for the most effective multicolor 3D printers is heating up, and now shoppers have extra decisions in the case of 3D printing in coloration.
Bambu Lab didn’t invent multicolor 3D printing however made it dependable, accessible, and pretty inexpensive with its AMS (Automated Materials System). Earlier than the launch of the X1-Carbon in 2022, we could have seen the occasional two-headed IDEX printer or costly coloration add-on units just like the Mosaic Palette 3 Professional. Nevertheless, these machines have been usually inaccurate and troublesome to dial in. Solely Prusa Analysis endured with its MMU system and at last launched a dependable “full coloration” mod for its 3D printers.
Anycubic Kobra 3 with ACE was the primary to clone Bambu Lab’s AMS. And Creality is predicted to launch a four-color Core XY later this 12 months. Many others will certainly comply with.
Not all multicolor printers are created equal. We’ve examined and in contrast among the finest available on the market that can assist you make an knowledgeable shopping for determination. Beneath, you can see a listing of the most effective Multicolor 3D Printers. And if multicolor is not your high precedence, try our checklist of the most effective 3D printers general.
Fast Record
1. Bambu Lab P1S with AMS
AMS appropriate with Bambu Lab X1-Carbon and P1P
The Bambu Lab P1S AMS combo is a powerhouse multicolor printing machine. With 4 filament slots obtainable and help for as much as 16 colours. It runs at amazingly quick speeds, is dependable, and is straightforward to make use of. It is an excellent alternative for anybody who needs to attempt coloration 3D printing for the primary time or to start out a print farm. It prices $349 by itself and $849 for the combo ($100 cheaper). Obtainable on the Bambu Lab on-line retailer or a Micro Middle close to you.
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2. Bambu Lab A1 Mini with AMS Lite
Additionally appropriate with Bambu Lab A1
The Bambu Lab A1 Mini with AMS Lite is a small however mighty coloration machine that’s nice for novice customers and is kid-friendly. It’s tremendous simple to arrange, and you will get nearly good prints every time. It additionally runs as quick because the P1S however for $500 much less. In case you can dwell with a smaller construct quantity, then the A1 mini with AMS Lite is value contemplating. Obtainable straight from the Bambu Lab web site and at Micro Middle.
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Suitable with Prusa Analysis MK3S+ and MK4S
Not for the faint of coronary heart, the MMU3 requires an skilled maker to put in and use. It is an add-on software for Prusa 3D printers, enabling 5-color printing utilizing a single extruder. It is an superior mod if you’re up for the problem. It is also eco-friendly as per our testing outcomes, it outputs clear outcomes with little or no waste.
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Constructed into the Prusa XL Software Changer
Designed for multicolor and multi-material printing, the Prusa XL permits you to mix PLA and PETG filaments in your print jobs effortlessly. Nevertheless, this comfort does come at a premium. You should buy the XL semi-assembled for $2,499 with a single toolhead or add as much as 5 toolheads for a whopping $3,999.
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5. Anycubic Kobra 3 with ACE
ACE – Solely Suitable with Kobra 3
The Anycubic Kobra 3 with the ACE Professional system permits 4 to eight coloration high-quality prints and doubles as a filament dryer throughout printing and for storage. You should buy ACE Professional individually for $289 or get the Kobra 3 combo at an inexpensive $379 and save your self $160.
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Denise Bertacchi
Denise has been utilizing 3D printing as a inventive outlet since 2020 when she obtained her first Creality CR10s. She’s been a contract newspaper reporter, on-line columnist and craft blogger with a watch for child’s STEM actions. She’s added YouTube to her social media expertise and has traveled cross county and abroad to speak 3D printing with fellow makers. She’s analyzed almost 100 completely different 3D printers, from a tote bag sized delta to a meter broad Elegoo OrangeStorm Giga at the moment camped out in her front room. When she’s not constructing 3D printed RC vehicles or stirring glitter right into a batch of resin, you’ll discover her on the newest superhero film along with her husband and two sons.
Greatest Multicolor 3D Printers You Can Purchase Right this moment
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Greatest Enclosed Multicolor 3D Printer
Bambu Lab’s AMS is the primary of its type, and has launched many to the world of multicolor printing. Many of the unit is enclosed in a neat shoebox sized contraption that may sit on high of or subsequent to your Bambu Lab P1S, X1-Carbon or P1P. The P1S is a superb alternative for coloration 3D printing, because the enclosure permits it to print excessive temperature filaments like ASA and ABS.
The AMS (Automated Materials System) comes absolutely assembled and solely wants just a few wires and tubes related as a way to work. As much as 4 AMS models may be daisy-chained collectively to attain a 16-color print. The system may be very user-friendly at first, however upkeep requires loads of persistence to disassemble the machine. The tight bends within the tubing and the fixed back-and-forth movement of the filament imply the Bowden tubes will put on out shortly, particularly for those who’re keen on glitter and different abrasive supplies. I wore a gap in a single Bowden tube inside six months of use.
The Bambu Lab technique of slicing filament on the chilly a part of the toolhead and pushing the remainder by way of leads to loads of waste, affectionately referred to as “printer poop.” This poop may be lessened with tuning within the slicer however cannot be eradicated. Most take into account this waste a good trade-off for the comfort of colourful prints.
This technique can also be slower than others due to the time it takes to swap filament. I timed the swaps at one minute and 46 seconds because of the size of Bowden tube the fabric has to journey.
The AMS works finest with Bambu Lab filament, of which there’s a big choice to decide on. Bambu Lab tags every spool with an RFID tag that permits the printer to determine the kind and coloration of the fabric within the slicer. Many 3D celebration spools can even work within the AMS, however some spools – like Atomic or Prusament – are too broad. Cardboard spools may be problematic as they create mud that may clog up the mechanism and lack sufficient friction to work nicely on the motorized rollers. Members of the neighborhood have shared printable adapters to repair most of those issues.
Be aware, the Bambu Lab AMS cannot print TPU – TPU have to be used on a separate, non-mechanical spool holder.
Extra: Bambu Lab P1S Assessment
Greatest Multicolor 3D Printer for Novices
Bambu Lab’s AMS Lite was made solely for the A1 and A1 mini mattress slingers. That is my favourite of all of the multicolor units I’ve examined as it’s easy to make use of, simple to take care of and barely goofs up. The odd trying design is supposed to take a seat on the precise facet of the printer, however Bambu Lab offers a printable clip you should use to mount the AMS unit on the gantry of the total sized A1.
The AMS Lite (Automated Materials System) comes principally assembled, with just a few items needing to be fitted collectively. There’s one cable to be plugged into the printer and 4 tubes to information the filament to the toolhead. Not like the unique AMS, this one cannot be daisy-chained, and it isn’t appropriate with the Core XY machines.
Upkeep is far simpler on this unit as each factor is out within the open. Spools are held from the middle cores, which permits the AMS Lite to make use of extra third celebration filaments. Cardboard spools are usually not a difficulty. Nonetheless, some manufacturers would not have the suitable sized heart holes and won’t match. Like the opposite Bambu Lab AMS this one reads an RFID tag on the spool to determine the kind and coloration of the fabric within the slicer.
Like the unique Bambu Lab printers, the A1 line additionally creates “printer poop” which the A1 merely flings to the facet. The poop may be tamed with tuning within the slicer however cannot be eradicated.
Be aware, the Bambu Lab AMS Lite cannot print TPU – TPU have to be used on a separate, non-mechanical spool holder.
Extra: Bambu Lab A1 Mini Assessment
Greatest Low Waste Multicolor 3D Printer
The Authentic Prusa MMU3 is a modification that may be put in on a Prusa MK4, MK4S and even MK3S+. It requires a complicated understanding of 3D printers to construct and requires completely modifying the toolhead. It additionally requires an enormous quantity of desk house. If that doesn’t scare you off, you then’re prepared for a filament sipping MultiMaterial Unit that may deal with 5 spools of any measurement with precision. Prusa Analysis designed the MMU3 to quickly retract filament from the nozzle, so the one waste is a tuneable purge tower camped out on the rear nook of the print mattress.
Throughout testing, our MMU3 was paired with a MK4, and produced remarkably clear prints with little or no waste. It suffered a pair feeding errors and labored finest with recent, dry filament. The spool holders have adjustable rollers that may deal with each plastic and cardboard spools in any measurement, together with half spools and 3KG spools. The spool is simply pulled in a single path – retractions are absorbed by the buffer, so there is no such thing as a worry of tangling. Loading the MMU is a bit of tedious, as the one motor is situated on the MMU itself and filament must be handbook fed by way of the buffer to the printer.
The MMU3 is a posh machine that sits on high of and round your MK4 mattress slinger. The majority of the MMU perches on the printer’s gantry, whereas a buffer cartridge sits on the facet and a mass of tubes connects to a tabletop, 5 slot spool holder. Our MMU3 took an extra 23 inches of desk house subsequent to the printer with an untidy mess of tubes.
The MMU3 is bought as an “improve” and at the moment isn’t provided with a bundled low cost. The DIY equipment requires printing the elements and assembling the machine from scratch. Attaching the MMU3 to your printer requires modifying the toolhead sensors.
Be aware, the Prusa MMU3 cannot print TPU.
Extra: Prusa MK4S 3D Printer Assessment
Greatest Multi Materials 3D Printer
The Authentic Prusa XL is a 3D printer goal constructed for printing with a number of colours and/or supplies. It’s a Core XY software changer, that means every filament will get its personal hotend and nozzle. The printer has a single movement system that may pickup every software head one by one. There’s no have to clear the nozzles of filament earlier than altering colours (or supplies) and every software head can have its personal temperature setting. That is system is ideal for mixing numerous supplies, although you continue to have to work a bit of slicer magic in order for you completely different supplies to bond nicely – like PLA and TPU. It additionally works nicely if you wish to print in PLA and use PETG as a non-stick help materials.
The Prusa XL may be bought with one, two or 5 toolheads. Software heads will also be added at a later time, as much as 5. The machine is quite expensive – costing $3999 with 5 software heads. That is additionally Prusa Analysis’s largest machine, with a 360 x360 construct plate.
Loading filament is a little bit of a chore, with every software head needing almost 5 toes of Bowden tube from spool holder to nozzle. The machine is direct drive, so the fabric must be hand fed by way of the tubes till it hits the extruder. Every toolhead must be heated, with the filament fed by way of to the nozzle, similar to a single coloration printer. Although loading takes extra effort, over all print time is shorter than a Bambu Lab printer, as there is no such thing as a have to respool the filament between coloration swaps.
The Prusa XL can deal with any measurement spool, as much as 2KG, with customary spindle kind spool holders mounted to the edges of the printer. It has no drawback with third celebration filaments. TPU is a bit of tough due to the size of Bowden tube it is advisable to manually push it by way of, however it can work. You may also use a separate spool holder on the desk, or mounted above, if it is advisable to deal with larger spools or use a dry field.
Extra: Authentic Prusa XL Assessment
Greatest Multitasker Multicolor 3D Printer
The Anycubic ACE (Anycubic Coloration Engine) is the primary “clone” we’ve seen of the Bambu Lab system. It’s a boxy multimaterial handler custom-made for the brand new Kobra 3, which has a toolhead much like the Bambu Lab A1. The ACE pulls double obligation as a filament drier and may dry filament whereas the printer is off or on.
Although the ACE may be purchased individually, it’s at the moment solely appropriate with the Kobra 3, a speedy bedslinger with a {custom} toolhead and a hub to just accept 4 Bowden tubes from the ACE. Just like the Prusa Analysis MMU, every spool of filament has a devoted path from the spool holder to the extruder. This implies the printer solely must retract the filament just a few inches earlier than swapping colours.
My solely grievance with the ACE system is the shortage of filament tuning within the bespoke slicer. The Kobra 3 makes use of a cutter to separate filament on the chilly a part of the toolhead, with the great filament pulled again just a few inches whereas the leftover filament is pushed by way of the nozzle within the type of “printer poop.” Presently, this poop can’t be adjusted.
The Anycubic web site says customers will be capable of use two ACE’s with one Kobra 3 someday sooner or later. And whereas the ACE can dry TPU, it cannot feed it by way of the system and ought to be used with a separate spool holder.
Extra: Anycubic Kobra 3 Assessment
The distinction between Multi Materials or Multicolor 3D Printing
There’s a distinction between printing 4 colours and printing 4 supplies.
◾Multi Materials 3D Printing
Combining PLA, PETG, and TPU in a single print has inherent dangers, as these supplies print at completely different temperatures and received’t even bond to one another. Some hurdles may be overcome with slicing tips, however you continue to should cope with lower than superb mattress temperatures and the chance of clogs created by residue from the completely different supplies. (Be aware, solely the Prusa XL can print TPU with different colours/supplies.)
◾Multicolor 3D Printing
Bambu Lab’s printers received’t allow you to combine supplies of wildly completely different temperatures, limiting itself to multicolor. Machines with separate toolheads are higher at dealing with incompatible supplies, although Prusa Analysis obtained round the issue with a fast retraction technique that yanks sufficient filament out of the nozzle in order that clogs aren’t an issue.
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