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Use the chameleon as an automatic material run out sensor and reloader?

I wonder if there are any existing setups where the main aim is to have material backup rather than multicolor capability. I understand that the default way of operating the chameleon is with predetermined tool change commands. A filament runout isnt programmed at a specific point unless a rough approximation is done and a tool change is made to extend the filament supply.

That requires micromanagement but is still a step towards a more intelligent solution. Ideally I would like to be able to use the device as material backup for large builds when specific materials not available in large spools are to be used.

Is there a way for the chameleon to sense a runout before the printer's runout sensor and feed new filament from behind to keep the process going?

4 comments

4 Comments

Bill

Jan 19

The 3DChameleon is not designed for that scenario. The gcode is in control of the system and there is no way for the 3DChameleon to communicate to the printer. Remember, our interface is solely through the switch, which is triggered by the gcode to initate a color change. The color changes are encoded in the gcode and is predetermined at slicing prior to printing. Now... with that said, if you can turn things around, you can actually connect the 3DChameleon to a processor that can control the switch (or GPIO) at any point as long as that processor has access to filament sensors for each of the 4 filaments prior to it going through the 3DChameleon.

Platforms like Klipper or Octoprint are capable of monitoring those filament sensors and triggering "macros" to dynamically inject the tool changes at that point. But, as I said, we do not support it natively.

Bill

Travis Rennemann

Jan 19

Replying to

That makes sense. This is a very common use case that would be awesome to consider for future versions. The Bambu AMS does two things well and the 3D Chameleon has the opportunity to be the AMS killer since it does one of them so well.

henrik

Jan 25

Replying to

Thank you for the reply Bill, why I asked the previous question (aside for having the need for such a solution) was a video I saw from a fair where the chameleon was featured. Plenty of upgrades and features were discussed for example the reduction of parts and sensors. The motor torque could be used for sensing where the filament was after calibration if I understood things correctly. Here I see a scenario that seems logical at least in my head: A sensor detects a runout upstream from the printers own runout detector. This triggers the chameleon to feed a new strand behind the soon to run out filament for a certain length to assure grip in the printers extruder gears.

I have seen an example of such a device on youtube that is spring actuated by

mstrwizard1, but the stroke is short and only caters to bowden extruders where the device can be close to the grip gears.

I am thinking maybe the chameleon could do this with just some simple code regardless of distance to the extruder gears? Could it push the new filament in behind the old strand while sensing the stop and iterating with short enough pulses/pushes to avoid the printers run out sensor to trigger until the desired length is achieved and the new filament is gripped?

Edited

Travis Rennemann

Jan 18

I would also like to know how we can use the 3D Chameleon as a material back-up rather than a simple color changer.