14 DAY TRIAL // Most 3D printers use a single extruder to build an object, and even the ones that can use multiple nozzles and, thus, materials are limited in that regard. A man from Nebraska has the solution though.
And his solution is a pretty unorthodox one, if we do say so. Instead of finding a way to invent a full-color filament of some sort (not really possible for solids), he created a way to color the filament itself during the 3D printing process.
He named his invention the “Ultimate Filament Colorer” and based it on the idea that it could all be done by using a Sharpie marker.
A 1.75mm filament is fed through the ink cartridge of a Sharpie marker, whichever you choose. The filament comes out on the other side bearing the color in question.
Note that this isn't a dissolution or anything like that. The filament is coated in the color, but that works just as well, given how small the drops are in a 3D printing process.
Moreover, the invention can be used as a filament cleaner, because the ink cartridge of a Sharpie marker is a fiber/foam material that will not let dust particles pass through.
In case you were wondering, the out-of-the-box thinker who came up with this concept goes by the name of Mathew Beebe.
The “Ultimate Filament Colorer” is actually his third attempt at coloring existing filament. He first tried to use two markers, but he didn't like the tint of the resulting 3D printed objects. It also used a lot of the printing area above the extruder of his 3D printer of choice (RepRap Prusa Mendel).
A 4-marker design was his second attempt, but that made the space problem even worse, and the Z-Axis clearance too small to be practical. It didn't help that the markers had trouble staying in contact with the filament all the time.
The revelation ultimately came about from his realization that the end of the marker was about as wide as the filament itself.
All in all, the “Ultimate Filament Colorer” can save a lot of space and money. Normally, people serious about 3D printing have to buy a whole bunch of filament spools, and it's not like everyone owns a huge garage or store room to hold them all, definitely not near to their workshop or office.
The filament coloring solution will let 3D printing lovers buy a single type and color of filament, but still create objects in whatever color they want. The finished products might not look totally uniform, color-wise, but they're close, and it's not like most 3D printers turn out perfectly smooth items anyway.
