Most 3D printers limit you to a single color. Fortunately, you still have multiple ways to get two-tone printing with current 3D printers.

3D printing is gaining popularity, but it is still far from perfect. It takes a long time to print, it is difficult to get your settings just right, and many people are frustrated with painting models and cannot enjoy more than one color.

Most consumer 3D printers can only print a single color. It is possible to make multi-color prints at home, but how can you achieve this goal? Here, we will explore some of the best ways to make your 3D prints have multiple colors.

There are multiple ways to create multi-color 3D prints, and you need to choose the method that best suits your setup and situation. You may need to purchase additional hardware to complete this job, but it may be cheaper than buying a 3D printer out of the box.

The first option we want to consider is by far the most affordable, but it may also seem a bit strange. Most people will not consider the idea of ​​printing their own 3D printable filament. However, this may be one of the easiest ways to start printing a multi-color design, because you only need to use the software to make it work.

It is worth remembering that this type of 3D printer consumables gives you almost no control over the colors used at every stage of the printing process. You can estimate when you need to change the color, although it can be challenging to do so without taking a long time of trial and error.

Many people decide to try multi-color 3D printing after purchasing their favorite printer. You can choose to obtain an upgrade package or a separate system to control the filament used by the printer instead of replacing it with a new printer.

3D Chameleon Color Changer is a good example of such a tool, which provides the opportunity to turn almost any printer into a multi-color printer. In addition, companies like PrusaPrint also provide their own 3D printer upgrades to support two-color 3D printing, but these upgrades can only be used with specific printers.

There are many dual-nozzle 3D printers on the modern market, although many of them are best suited for industrial environments. A printer like this has two extruders, which move together when printing. In this way, two colors can be printed on the same model without worrying about making a special filament for it.

There are many examples of such printers today. Geeetech A10M is an affordable example, although you can find options in almost any price range. When considering buying a new 3D printer, it is important to ensure that you always do a lot of research.

IDEX stands for Independent Dual Extruders and refers to a printer with two extruders that can move independently. In most cases, the extruder will share two axes and move freely along the third at the same time. This allows a printer like this to print two models at the same time, mirroring or copying the same shape. Of course, it also allows two-color printing.

This type of printer is less common than the simple dual extruder option. The printer we use in this article is FlashForge Creator 3, which is an IDEX machine that is very popular in small businesses. There are other companies that manufacture such printers and provide you with alternative loads.

Related: What is 3D printing and how does it work?

Since we can use an IDEX printer, we will use this machine in this article. Nevertheless, for other types of two-color 3D printers, many of the steps you must follow are the same​​. Therefore, it should be good and easy to start by yourself.

The example we use in this guide is Thingiverse's 3D printable two-color mold. The project can be downloaded for free and comes with everything you need.

As your first step, you need to prepare documents. You heard that right; you need multiple files to use a two-color printer. Each color you use requires its own STL file, which means we used two colors for the mold. We use FlashPrint for this, but the steps will be very similar in your own slicer. You need to do the following:

Finally, you can now click "OK", wait for your software to finish slicing, and then export the file to your 3D printer.

Before you start printing a new model, you need to do some work. IDEX 3D printers are usually very accurate, but you need to calibrate them for best results. Usually, you can use the software that comes with the printer to do this.

For FlashForge Creator 3, we have to turn on the printer and go to the "Tools" menu. From here, you can select settings and then scroll down the list to find the calibration tool.

It makes sense to go through the entire process for each axis on the printer. When you select the axis to be calibrated, your printer will draw a line on each extruder. The lines should match perfectly, but you can adjust the offset and draw new lines until they match.

This can be time-consuming and a bit frustrating, but it’s worth taking the time to make sure your printer is perfectly calibrated before you start two-color printing. Failure to do so may result in unsightly prints as above.

Related: Useful 3D printing ideas and projects for your home

Since there are walls around your print, you may need to do some cleaning to make it look perfect. There will be filaments attached to the model, but you can usually remove it by hand. You may also notice rough spots on the print, which may require a little sanding to make it perfect.

For a long time, being limited to a single color has been one of the few shortcomings of 3D printing. This is not necessarily the case when you are willing to be creative and explore the available options.

We hope this can help you improve your 3D printing project and provide you with new ideas to get started. Multi-color 3D printing has never been easier, and the results are worth it.

Want to buy a 3D printer, but basically don’t understand? Follow our beginner's guide to learn how to 3D print today.

Samuel is a British technical writer, passionate about all things DIY. Samuel has a business in the areas of web development and 3D printing, and has worked as a writer for many years, providing unique insights into the world of technology. Mainly focusing on DIY technical projects, he only likes to share interesting and exciting ideas that you can try at home. Outside of work, Samuel often rides a bicycle, plays computer games, or desperately tries to communicate with his pet crab.

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