🎨 Material Selection (Filament Selection)
After selecting the correct 3D printer, organizing the print bed, and importing the objects, the next step is choosing the right filament.
🔹 Adding & Managing Filaments
✅ Add new material: Click the "+" button to add a new filament.
❌ Remove material: Click the "-" button to remove it.
🔹 Using AMS (Automatic Material System)? If your printer has AMS, there's a button next to the material selection that allows synchronization of colors and materials.
✅ To select a filament: Click the gear icon (⚙️) on the right and choose the material you want.
🔹 Flushing Volume (Nozzle Cleaning During Color Change)
📌 The "Flushing Volume" setting determines how much filament is purged during a color change.
🔹 When switching to white filament, the printer purges more material to ensure a clean nozzle.
🔹 Here, you can increase or decrease the amount of filament wasted during a color swap.
⚠️ Usually, you don’t need to modify this setting!
🎨 Choosing Colors & Filament Type
At the bottom, you’ll see the selected colors and materials:
🔹 Left Side: Clicking on the color box opens a Windows-style color picker, where you can select the color you want to appear in the slicer.
⚠️ This color is just for preview! It does not affect the actual filament color.
🔹 Right Side: From the drop-down menu, select the actual material type (PLA, PETG, ABS, etc.).
⚠️ Advanced Material Settings
📌 On the right, there is a small square button with a line (⚙️ Edit). Clicking it allows you to edit the filament settings.
⚠️ Be careful! Changing these settings without understanding them may cause print failures.
However, there are two important settings that can improve print quality.
🔹 1️⃣ Flow Ratio (Material Extrusion Amount)
📌 Flow Ratio controls how much filament is extruded through the nozzle.
✅ For most cases, it’s recommended to reduce this to 95%.
👉 Most printers extrude slightly too much filament from the factory, so lowering it improves accuracy and print quality.
🔹 2️⃣ Z Home Type (Nozzle Height Adjustment)
📌 In the "Overrides" tab, you can adjust the Z Home Type, which affects how the printhead moves during printing.
🔹 If the nozzle touches the print while moving, you may need to change this setting.
🔹 We will cover how to use this in the workshop section.
👉 To access these settings, you must first enable "Advanced Mode" from the top-right menu!
🎯 Final Thoughts
✅ Choose the correct filament and color settings carefully.
✅ Adjust Flow Ratio if necessary for better precision.
✅ Avoid changing advanced settings unless you fully understand them!
🚀 Now we’re ready to move on to print analysis! 🎨🖨
