¶ 💡 Compatibility
This content applies to the following software and devices. Please confirm before proceeding:
- Recommended device: Snapmaker U1;
- Software version: the latest firmware, and Snapmaker Orca.
¶ ⚠️ Important Notes
- Recommended filament: This tutorial is based on the Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle.
Get the Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle (white Version) from your regional Snapmaker store:
Snapmaker Global Store
Snapmaker US Store
Snapmaker EU Store
Snapmaker DE Store
Snapmaker AU Store
Get the Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle (gray Version) from your regional Snapmaker store:
Snapmaker Global Store
Snapmaker US Store
Snapmaker EU Store
Snapmaker DE Store
Because of multiple factors such as filament properties, model structure, print parameters, and lighting, the final print result obtained with the Full Spectrum function may differ from the expected result.
Therefore, the Full Spectrum function is better suited to users who are familiar with 3D printing and slicing settings and are willing to try new features, as well as creators who care more about color expressiveness, gradients, and texture effects.
For print jobs that pursue stable reproducibility, high color fidelity, or high-precision results, we recommend using it with caution.
¶ ⏰ Overview
The Full Spectrum function generates different colors inside the model according to the mixing ratio of different filaments. Since the actual optical properties of the filaments affect the final result, the preview in Snapmaker Orca cannot fully represent the actual printed color.
For this reason, we have introduced the Full Spectrum color reference. This set of swatch references is calibrated against real print results, and can help you calibrate and choose color effects closer to your expectations.
Due to differences between monitors and multiple factors such as filament properties, model structure, print parameters, and lighting, discrepancies may exist between the photos and your actual print results. We recommend using the photos as a reference, printing test swatches, and fine-tuning according to your specific print job and needs to achieve results closer to your expectations.
¶ 🛠️ Calibrate Color
¶ 1. Prepare Filament
- Use the Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle.
The basic steps in this tutorial use images of the gray version of the filament. However, you can follow along with either the gray version or the white version of the filament bundle released by Snapmaker.
You can click White or Gray in this tutorial to switch to the filament version you are using.
- See the U1 Video Tutorial | Loading & Unloading Tutorial, and load filament of the corresponding color into the corresponding toolhead of the machine according to the correspondence in Table 1.
Table 1: Toolhead-Color Correspondence (White Version)
| Toolhead No. | Color | Base color code |
|---|---|---|
| Toolhead 1 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Cyan (#00C3FF) | F1 |
| Toolhead 2 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Magenta (#F54399) | F2 |
| Toolhead 3 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Yellow (#FAE727) | F3 |
| Toolhead 4 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle White (#F5F4F2) | F4 |
Table 1: Toolhead-Color Correspondence (Gray Version)
| Toolhead No. | Color | Base color code |
|---|---|---|
| Toolhead 1 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Cyan (#08ABFB) | F1 |
| Toolhead 2 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Magenta (#D93B90) | F2 |
| Toolhead 3 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Yellow (#F9ED3D) | F3 |
| Toolhead 4 | ■ PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle Gray (#9199A4) | F4 |
This tutorial describes the mixing ratios strictly following the color order in Table 1. Please load filament according to the toolhead-color correspondence in this table, so that the color mixing print result does not differ greatly from the description in this tutorial.
¶ 2. Find a Color
You can use either of the following two methods to obtain a print color close to your expectations.
For better print results, we recommend printing a mixed color made from 2 base colors, where the proportion of each base color is between 33% and 67%.
¶ 3. Configure the Color
¶ 3.1 Open your color mixing print model
- Open the model you want to apply color mixing to.
- In the side bar, find
Filament Management>Filament. Set the colors and names of the 4 filaments one by one:- Click the filament name of each of the 4 filaments in turn, and in the drop-down menu select
Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum.
- Click the filament name of each of the 4 filaments in turn, and in the drop-down menu select
- Click the color box of each of the 4 filaments in turn, and in the pop-up window, following the correspondence in Table 1:
- Set Filament 1 to ■ Cyan;
- Set Filament 2 to ■ Magenta;
- Set Filament 3 to ■ Yellow;
- Set Filament 4 to ■ White.
- Set Filament 1 to ■ Cyan;
- Set Filament 2 to ■ Magenta;
- Set Filament 3 to ■ Yellow;
- Set Filament 4 to ■ Gray.
After setup, the order, colors, and filament names should exactly match the following image.
After setup, the order, colors, and filament names should exactly match the following image.
¶ 3.2 Add and set a mixed color according to the mixing ratio
- In the side bar, find
Filament Management>Color Mixing, and click the+icon on the right.
- In the pop-up window, referring to the Full Spectrum function, and based on the mixing ratio you have looked up, use Ratio Mode or Cycle Mode to mix colors.
For example, to mix color 54 with 50% Cyan and 50% Yellow, you can use Ratio Mode, select Cyan and Yellow as the base filament colors, and then drag the slider until the mixing ratio below the slider shows 50% Cyan and 50% Yellow.
For example, to mix color 54 with 50% Cyan and 50% Yellow, you can use Cycle Mode, set the cycle pattern until the mixing ratio below shows 50% Cyan and 50% Yellow.
¶ 4. Paint with a Mixed Color and Print
- Referring to the Full Spectrum function, use a mixed color to paint the model.
For example, the model painted with color 54 (50% Cyan, 50% Yellow) is shown below. Color 54 is used for the body and the eye highlights of the model.
-
See the Snapmaker Orca Quick Start Guide (for U1) to complete slicing.
-
See the Snapmaker Orca Quick Start Guide (for U1) to connect U1 with Snapmaker Orca.
-
See the Snapmaker Orca Quick Start Guide (for U1) to send the print job to U1 and complete the print.
¶ 5. Observe and Adjust
- Observe the appearance color of the finished print, and fine-tune again based on the result and your expectations.