Customizable Filament Swatch (Filament test)

prusaprinters

<p>You need filament swatches for testing different colors and makes? You want to know the colors you have on spool at the moment?<br>Here are customizable filament swatches / tests, where you can change all the text using OpenSCAD. This way you don't have to print and stick any labels anymore.<br>To customize, install <a href="http://www.openscad.org/">OpenSCAD</a> on your own computer and follow the <i>customizing instructions</i> on <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33019-sweeping-2-line-name-plate-text">this thing page</a> or these more <a href="https://www.dr-lex.be/3d-printing/customizer.html">in depth instructions</a>. Also check out the <strong>“Customizing using OpenSCAD</strong>” section below for tips about fonts etc.<br>Alternatively, you can also use the <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3346069">Thingiverse customizer</a>.</p><p><i><strong>New:</strong></i> The last hole is to stick in a piece of filament for later reference, which is a great idea first realized in <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/49734-customizable-filament-sample">this remix</a> by <a href="mathiaspl20">mathiaspl20</a>:</p><figure class="image image-style-align-center image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img src="https://media.prusaprinters.org/media/prints/27814/rich_content/22bd138d-a123-4c94-a68d-ad0e7641804a/2022-02-23_23h11_06.png#%7B%22uuid%22%3A%22941fdb4f-421f-47a3-871d-4a1797efa5f9%22%2C%22w%22%3A1163%2C%22h%22%3A707%7D"></figure><p><i><strong>Note:</strong></i> I originally uploaded this to Thingiverse, so there are some references below to that site. You can find <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3346069/remixes">&gt;3000 remixes</a> and <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3346069/makes">&gt;100 photos of makes</a> there.</p><p><strong>If you print a swatch, please share a picture using the "comment" button and attach the picture. This way we can collect here filament print quality via pictures...</strong></p><p>You can customize:</p><ul><li>3 lines of text (for make/type/color/printer settings for the material): upper, lower left, lower right</li><li>By default, all kinds of test patterns are included in the swatch. This way you can easily see how well the filament printed. You can select how many round test pattern are included. You can check overhangs, bridging, pyramids, roundness, etc.&nbsp;</li><li>There is a fourth text on the top side to indicate the material type quickly when the swatches are in their box. You can set this text using a drop-down box or a free text field, as requested by <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/about">Sembazuru</a>.</li><li>Thickness progression of the 'layers', defined as an array of numbers</li><li>Wether the thickness steps numbers have include leading zeroes, trailing zeroes or nothing, as requested by <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/sparkyman215/about">sparkyman215</a> and <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/Sembazuru/about">Sembazuru</a></li><li>Font, font size (font size can be set for the main text and the steps separately. Setting a font size to 0 removes the text), text line distance, wether the text is raised or embossed</li><li>Size of the swatch</li><li>Hole diameter, grooves, etc</li><li>Wether to rotate the text on the steps, as requested by <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/IllyStorm/about">IllyStorm</a></li><li>As default, "Pathway Gothic One" font is selected for better readability. You can also check the V5 .stl files as font samples. The first line on each swatch is the fonts name. You can check if the text is still well readable after slicing these swatches all at once.</li></ul><h4>Box</h4><p>As they are, the swatches fit into this <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/115302-customizable-filament-swatch-box-filament-tests/files">customizable filament box</a>. There you find different sizes (for 20, 30, 40 swatches) and also versions with pegboard pins. The box is based on the <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3341363">configurable box</a> from <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/Jaxel/about">Jaxel</a>. Thanks a lot go to him for the design!</p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:18.76%;" src="https://media.prusaprinters.org/media/prints/27814/rich_content/94c25bf2-e02d-43b1-94b7-aa7540a63d72/filamentbox3_256.jpg#%7B%22uuid%22%3A%22cc78de86-fccf-4430-b7bf-4d3aa367c3bb%22%2C%22w%22%3A256%2C%22h%22%3A171%7D"></p><h4>Box dividers</h4><p>In case you print several filament swatches, you might need a solution to remember which spools are empty or bad. For this, use these <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/116367-customizable-filament-swatch-dividers">configurable dividers</a>. Included are “bad”, “good”, “empty”, “nearly empty”, and a few filament types like “PLA”, “ABS”, “PETG”.</p><p><img class="image_resized" style="width:19.28%;" src="https://media.prusaprinters.org/media/prints/27814/rich_content/8318dfe0-895b-4308-8670-052832d8a0c2/filamentswatchdivider_256.jpg#%7B%22uuid%22%3A%2270a231b9-291b-4592-8bb5-0856a4edab55%22%2C%22w%22%3A256%2C%22h%22%3A171%7D"></p><h4>More things to download</h4><p>If you like it, please have a look at all my <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/social/13788-makkuro/prints">customizable creations</a>. There are configurable-text-based creations, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33283-label">multi-line label</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33279-display-stand">gadget display stand</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33019-sweeping-2-line-name-plate-text">sweeping name plate</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33280-bunting-banner-birthday-plants">bunting banner</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33268-customizable-text-box-iii">customizable text box III</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33255-customizable-pyramid-text">pyramid text</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33253-customizable-3d-name-plate">name plate</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33259-customizable-text-box-with-lid">Customizable text box with lid</a> and <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33250-round-text-sculpture">round text</a>. Have also a look at my configurable <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33261-configurable-pack-of-dogs">pack of dogs</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33263-easter-bunnies-easter-rabbits">rabbits</a>, <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33275-random-reindeers">reindeers </a>and <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33274-customizable-santa-claus">santas</a>. There are also useful <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33284-customizable-hook">coat hangers</a> and <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/prints/33239-chameleon-eye-toy-kids-toys">finger toys</a>.<br>Or just check out <a href="https://www.prusaprinters.org/social/13788-makkuro/prints">all my creations</a>.</p><h4>Background on swatches</h4><p>Insipration came from different swatch cards on thingiverse, all attached in the "remixed from" section on the Thingiverse model, and they seem to all go back to the <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2953888">design</a> from <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/venegade/about">venegade</a>. The swatches are: <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3054743">Color swatches</a>, <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3067940">Swatch for label maker</a>, <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3341363">Swatch toolkit</a>, <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2953888">Filament card with label</a>, <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:3069018">Elixir filament swatches</a>, <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:664377">A better filament swatch</a>, <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1694951">Yet another filament sample</a>. Thanks go out to all of the designers for the idea and the subsequent iterations!</p><p>Thanks go out to <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/Teruteru314/about">teruteru314</a> for supplying the same model as <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/make:615268">solidworks file</a> (.sldprt) which is included on the original Thingiverse page, as i cannot upload it here.<br>There are some bug fixes in version "S", thanks to <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/Lyl3/about">Lyl3t</a> for the review.</p><p>Thanks to <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/badmonkeyedd/designs">badmonkeyedd</a> and <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/ixpatch/designs">ixpatch</a> and <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/midnightsmith/designs">midnightsmith</a> and <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/tyhi3d/designs">tyhi3d</a> for their photos on Thingiverse and the approval to re-use them here on Prusaprinters!</p><h3>Print instructions</h3><p>It slices well using PrusaSlicer, Slic3r or Simplify3D.<br>If you have troubles slicing using Cura, e.g. thickness steps are disappearing: Set "Slicing Tolerance Option" to "middle". Thanks go to <a href="https://www.thingiverse.com/Keichide/about">Keichide</a> for the hint.</p><p>To have comparable swatches as the ones posted here, please print the swatch at</p><ul><li>Layer height .2mm</li><li>2 Perimeter</li><li>5 Solid layers</li><li>20% infill (fill pattern grid, fill angle 45 degree)</li></ul><p>Don't use supports. The structures are there to evaluate how well bridges work without supports.</p><h3>Customizing using OpenSCAD</h3><p>If you want to use OpenSCAD on your own computer to customize (good idea!):</p><ul><li>Download latest version of <a href="https://www.openscad.org/downloads.html">OpenSCAD</a>, (See section "Development snapshots")</li><li>Download the .SCAD file from here.</li><li>Open the .scad file in OpenSCAD.</li><li>Change the variables. You find them in the beginning of the .SCAD file. E.g. text="<i>your text</i>";</li><li>Press "F5" to get a quick preview.</li><li>Press "F6" when you like the preview. This will render the geometry and takes a little time.</li><li>Press "F7" to save the geometry to an .STL file.</li><li>Slice and print the .STL file.</li></ul><h5>Additional hints for fonts</h5><ul><li>Make sure you know the fonts on your system, and choose only from them. The fonts listed in the code are the ones available from google. By default, none are installed on your personal PC!</li><li>In case you want to use the fonts listed in the code: All are available for free from google. E.g. download "<a href="https://fonts.google.com/specimen/Bangers">Bangers</a>". Install all the fonts you want to use. Then restart OpenSCAD.</li><li>Set the fontname (either an installed one or one preinstalled on your system) <i>fontname="Bangers";</i> in the .scad file.</li></ul><h5>Workaround in case fonts do not show up in OpenSCAD:</h5><ul><li>Workaround 1: Choose the option to "install for all users" when installing the fonts.&nbsp;</li><li>Workaround 2: The fonts are by default in <i>C:/Windows/Fonts</i>. Put the TTF files in <i>C:\Program Files/OpenSCAD/fonts/Liberation-2.00.1/ttf</i> instead and restart OpenSCAD.</li><li>Workaround 3: Copy the font file to C:/Users//.fonts (create the directory if it doesn't exist)&nbsp;</li><li>Workaround 4: Copy the font to a path and in OpenSCAD write "use &lt;path/to/font.ttf&gt;"</li></ul>