First multicolor template!
Another milestone for iteration3d.fr !
The first multicolor template is now available to generate compartment boxes with colored rings on each row.
Number of compartments, dimensions, fillets or not, and now color sequences – everything is customizable.
This model was designed to take advantage of multi-filament 3D printers, while keeping filament changes to a minimum.
The platform takes a step forward toward more advanced, technical models tailored for modern machines.
Your turn to generate yours !
A new milestone for the platform with the release of the first multicolor template! You can now customize a multi-compartment box with colored rings. This new template is an evolution of the compartment box template.
Multicolor?
The world of 3D printing has recently been shaken up by the arrival of machines capable of printing quickly and cleanly with multiple filaments and thus multiple materials and/or colors. This has greatly expanded the possibilities in the field of 3D printing.
Printing with multiple materials and/or colors requires the use of multiple 3D files that the slicer software will turn into toolpaths for one or more print heads. The iteration3d.fr platform had already introduced multi-file 3D models with the round box with lid and screw-lid box templates. But multicolor models require more than just juxtaposing several 3D designs. These models must be precisely "aligned" with one another. Without going into technical details, each model must be correctly positioned along the X, Y, and Z axes relative to the others. To put it simply, one or more 3D files may end up intentionally "floating in space."
Collar design
It would have been possible to "color" the entire interior of each cavity. In modeling, almost nothing is impossible. However, that would have increased the number of layers with several color changes. Any user of a multicolor 3D printer knows that multicolor layers mean longer print times and more wasted material (purge), which can vary depending on the machine.
The chosen solution is to add colored rings only on the top edges of the cavities. Each ring has a depth of 1 mm and a thickness of 1 mm. The color identification per row remains clear and efficient.
Please note: all cells in the same row will share the same color.
Define the color sequence
You can now generate color-coded compartment boxes on demand. The parameters are mostly self-explanatory, but special attention must be paid to parameter #8: row colors. To avoid unnecessary duplicates in the generated 3D models, a sequence pattern has been implemented. Here are the rules to follow — otherwise, the generation engine will return an error:
- Each letter represents one row color
- The sequence must consist of uppercase letters
- The number of letters must match the number of rows
- The first letter must always be A
- Each subsequent letter must either:
- Be the same as the previous one (e.g., AA)
- Be the next letter in the alphabet (e.g., AB)
- have already been used earlier in the sequence (e.g., ABA), or be the next letter after one that has already been used (e.g., ABAC)
It may seem complex, but don't worry — the engine will let you know if the sequence is invalid. Let's take the case of a box with 3 rows. For example, the following sequences will be valid:
- AAA
- ABC
- AAB
- ABA
- ABB
The following sequences will be rejected:
- AB (too short)
- ACB (incorrect order)
- ABD (D does not follow B)
- BCD (does not start with A)
- ABBA (too long)
Some examples
Here are a few examples of models generated using this template:
