3D printing method and system for realizing side surface color mixing based on the interlayer grating effect
By controlling layer thickness and alternating color arrangements in FDM printing, the method addresses the challenge of color transitions, achieving natural and expanded color representation on sidewalls using standard FDM printers.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- HK · HK
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- MAANSHAN YOUYUAN NETWORK TECHNOLOGY CO LTD
- Filing Date
- 2026-05-25
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing FDM 3D printing technologies face challenges in achieving smooth color transitions on vertical sidewalls due to layer-by-layer stacking and require complex hardware for color mixing, leading to aesthetically unappealing color block segmentation and delayed color switching.
A 3D printing method that controls the layer thickness to 0.08-0.1 mm and alternates the arrangement of two or more colors in an ABAB sequence, leveraging human visual perception to create a grating mixing effect without additional hardware, using standard multi-nozzle FDM printers.
Achieves rich and natural color representation on sidewalls by utilizing the human eye's perception of subtle texture blending, expanding color possibilities without complex hardware modifications.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
(19) State Intellectual Property Office (12) Invention Patent Application (10) Application Publication Number (43) Application Publication Date (21) Application Number 202610005036.1 (22) Application Date 2026.01.05 (71) Applicant Jin Yu Address 3304, Building 5, Phase I, Greenland, Huashan District, Ma'anshan City, Anhui Province, 243000 (72) Inventor Jin Yu Liao Xin (51) Int.Cl. B29C 64 / 386 (2017.01) B33Y 50 / 00 (2015.01) (54) Invention Title A 3D Printing Method and System for Achieving Side Color Mixing Based on Interlayer Grating Effect (57) Abstract This invention discloses a 3D printing method and system for achieving side color mixing based on interlayer grating effect, belonging to the field of 3D printing technology. This invention aims to solve the problem of single color expression or harsh transition on the vertical wall of the side in existing FDM printing technology. The core of this method lies in setting the printing layer height of the model's sidewalls to a micro-layer thickness range of 0.08mm–0.1mm during the slicing stage, using the minute thickness difference between adjacent printing layers to construct a physical grating structure. This is achieved by controlling the stacking and printing of two or more different colored printing materials along the Z-axis according to a specific pattern (such as alternating ABAB or non-uniform proportional gradients). Utilizing the human eye's visual perception of subtle alternating textures (Halftone Blending), a new color effect resulting from the mixing of materials A and B is presented macroscopically. This method requires no additional color mixing printhead hardware; rich and natural side color representation can be achieved on standard multi-head FDM printers simply through path planning. Claims (1 page), Description (2 pages), Drawings (3 pages), CN 121608391 A 2026.03.06 CN 1 21 60 83 91 A 1. A 3D printing method for achieving side color mixing based on interlayer grating effect, characterized by comprising the following steps: Step 1: Obtaining the color definition information of the three-dimensional model to be printed and the target surface; Step 2: Slicing the three-dimensional model and setting the slice layer height h, wherein the layer height h is within a preset microscopic visual fusion range; Step 3: Based on the color definition information of the target surface, determining the Z-axis interlayer stacking sequence composed of at least two basic color materials (material A, material B); Step 4: Generating printing path instructions (G-code) to control the switching and movement of the print head according to the interlayer stacking sequence; Step 5: Controlling the 3D printer to perform printing, and through the small thickness difference between layers and the alternating material arrangement, utilizing the grating mixing visual effect of the human eye, presenting the target color effect on the side of the model. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step two, the value of the floor height h ranges from 0.08 mm to 0.1 mm.3. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step three, when the target color is a uniformly mixed color, the interlayer stacking sequence is configured to print alternately in the order of "A-B-A-B"; when the layer thicknesses are equal, a balanced mixed color is presented; when the layer thicknesses are unequal, the color mixing bias is controlled by adjusting the layer height ratio of the material with greater thickness. 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein in step three, the interlayer stacking sequence includes a multi-color cycle mode, where consecutively printed layers are grouped into sets of 3 or 4 layers, and within each group, different material sequences (such as ABC or ABCD) are printed alternately to achieve a three-color or four-color mixing effect. 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the grating mixing visual effect refers to the phenomenon where physically separated heterogeneous layers are fused into a single mixed color on the retina by utilizing the minute thickness difference between layers and the indistinguishability of the human eye to subtle alternating textures. 6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the 3D printer is a fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer equipped with at least two independent nozzles (IDEX) or a multi-material switching device. 7. A 3D printing system for achieving side color mixing, characterized in that it includes: 1) a model parsing module, used to read the geometric data and surface color information of a three-dimensional model; 2) a path planning module, used to perform slicing calculations, set the layer height to 0.08mm-0.1mm, and calculate the material switching sequence in the Z-axis direction according to the color information; 3) an instruction generation module, used to convert the material switching sequence into a G-code file containing multi-nozzle cooperation instructions; 4) a printing execution module, used to drive a multi-material 3D printer to complete physical stacking according to the instructions. Claims 1 / 1 page 2 CN 121608391 A A 3D printing method and system for achieving side color mixing based on interlayer grating effect Technical Field
[0001] This invention belongs to the field of 3D printing technology, specifically relating to a method for achieving color mixing effect on the sidewall of a model by controlling the micro-layer thickness and material arrangement order using fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. Background Technology
[0002] Fused deposition modeling (FDM) is one of the most popular 3D printing technologies at present. However, FDM technology faces significant challenges in the field of multicolor printing.
[0003] 1. Side layer texture problem: Traditional FDM printing stacks layers one by one in the Z-axis direction. When it is necessary to show color changes on the side, it is often only possible to achieve obvious color block segmentation by "color changing", resulting in obvious stripes in color transitions, which lacks aesthetic appeal.
[0004] 2. High color mixing cost: Existing true color FDM printers usually use multi-input, single-output mixing nozzles, which have complex hardware structures and are prone to clogging. Moreover, due to the difficulty in precisely controlling the physical mixing in the molten chamber, color switching is delayed, making it difficult to achieve clear microscopic control.
[0005] Therefore, developing a technology that utilizes standard multi-nozzle FDM equipment to achieve delicate color mixing on the side of a model without additional hardware modifications has significant application value.
[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a 3D printing method for achieving side color mixing based on the interlayer grating effect. This method leverages the Z-axis precision advantage of FDM technology to compress layer thickness to within the visual fusion threshold, achieving rich visual colors through halftone blending technology.
[0007] To achieve the above objective, this invention adopts the following technical solution: A 3D printing method for achieving side color mixing based on the interlayer grating effect, the core of which lies in "micro-layer thickness, alternating arrangement". In multi-layer 3D printing, the height of each layer in the side space is precisely controlled within 0.08–0.1 mm. By alternating printing of adjacent layers in an ABAB sequence, utilizing the small thickness difference between layers, and through the human eye's perception of the fusion of subtle alternating textures, a mixing effect of materials A and B is presented.
[0008] Specifically, the following steps are included: Step 1: Obtain the color definition information of the 3D model to be printed and the target surface; Step 2: Slice the 3D model and set the slice layer height h, wherein the layer height h is within a preset microscopic visual fusion range; Step 3: Based on the color definition information of the target surface, determine the Z-axis interlayer stacking sequence composed of at least two basic color materials (material A, material B); Step 4: Generate printing path instructions (G-code) to control the switching and movement of the print head according to the interlayer stacking sequence; Step 5: Control the 3D printer to perform printing, and through the small thickness difference between layers and the alternating material arrangement, utilize the raster mixing visual effect of the human eye to present the target color on the side of the model.
[0009] The present invention also provides the following extended modes: Specification 1 / 2 page 3 CN 121608391 A Mode 1, multi-color mixing: The continuous printing layers are grouped into groups of 3 or 4 layers, and different material sequences (such as ABC or ABCD) are printed alternately within the group, which can visually achieve a three-color or four-color mixing effect.
[0010] Mode 2, Directional Color Deviation Control: When the thicknesses of layers A and B are unequal, the material with the larger thickness has a higher proportion in the grating, and the overall color visually leans towards that material.
[0011] In summary, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: without the need for a complex physical color mixing mechanism, only by adjusting the thickness of the slice layers and the material order through software algorithms, a new mixed color can be achieved by utilizing the characteristics of human visual perception, thereby improving the color continuity and visual performance quality of the sidewalls of FDM printed parts. Brief Description of the Drawings
[0012] Figure 1 is an overall flowchart of the method of the present invention; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the grating mixing principle, showing how the ABAB micro-layer structure is visually fused; Figure 3 is a physical image of the multi-color effect formed by side color mixing using 8 basic color materials in the present invention; Figure 4Figure 3 shows a supplementary physical image of the mixed color effect on the side of the model. Detailed Implementation
[0013] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.
[0014] Embodiment 1: Side Mixing of Pairwise Combinations of Multiple Basic Color Materials In this embodiment, the system is configured with 8 basic color printing materials. During the slicing stage, the path planning module enumerates the pairwise combinations of the 8 basic color materials and generates a corresponding Z-axis interlayer alternating mixing sequence for each material combination.
[0015] For each group of basic color materials, by controlling the alternating arrangement or layer thickness ratio of different materials in adjacent printing layers, a stable mixed color visual effect is formed in the sidewall direction of the model. Thus, based on the original 8 basic color outputs, 28 different mixed colors are further generated, expanding the number of colors that can be presented to 36.
[0016] Figures 3 and 4 show the actual printing effect of the side mixing of the above-mentioned multiple basic colors in pairs. The upper left corner of Figure 4 shows the alternating structure between printing layers used to achieve the color mixing effect. By alternating the red and yellow materials in adjacent printing layers, an orange mixed color effect is visually formed.
[0017] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention. Instruction Manual 2 / 2 Page 4 CN 121608391 A Figure 1 Figure 2 Instruction Manual Appendix 1 / 3 Page 5 CN 121608391 A Figure 3 Instruction Manual Appendix 2 / 3 Page 6 CN 121608391 A Figure 4 Instruction Manual Appendix 3 / 3 Page 7 CN 121608391 A 1 A 3D Printing Method and System for Achieving Side Color Mixing Based on Interlayer Grating Effect Abstract This invention discloses a 3D printing method and system for achieving side color mixing based on interlayer grating effect, belonging to the field of 3D printing technology. This invention aims to solve the problem of single color representation or abrupt transitions on the vertical side walls of existing FDM printing technology. Its core lies in setting the printing layer height of the model side wall to a micro-layer thickness range of 0.08mm–0.1mm during the slicing stage, constructing a physical grating structure with the small thickness difference between adjacent printing layers; and stacking and printing two or more different colored printing materials in the Z-axis direction according to a specific rule (such as alternating ABAB or non-uniform proportional gradient arrangement). This method utilizes the human eye's visual perception of halftone blending to create a new color effect from the mixing of materials A and B on a macroscopic level. It requires no additional mixing printhead hardware and can be implemented in standard multi-printhead FDM systems solely through path planning.Achieve rich and natural side color performance on the printer. 3D printing method and system for realizing side surface color mixing based on the interlayer grating effect Abstract The invention discloses a 3D printing method and system for realizing side surface color mixing based on the interlayer grating effect, and belongs to the technical field of 3D printing. The invention aims to solve the problems of monotonous color performance or abrupt color transition on vertical side walls in the existing FDM printing technology. The core principle is as follows: in the slicing processing stage, the printing layer height of the model side wall is set within a micro layer thickness range of 0.08 mm–0.1 mm, and a physical grating structure is constructed by virtue of the tiny thickness difference between adjacent printing layers. Two or more printing materials with different colors are stacked and printed along the Z-axis in a specific arrangement rule, such as ABAB alternating arrangement or non-proportional gradient arrangement. Byvirtue of human visual fusion perception of fine alternating textures (Halftone Blending), a new color effect formed by mixing material A and material B can be presented in macroscopic vision. This method requires no additional color-mixing nozzle hardware, and can achieve rich and natural color presentation on the side surfaces only through path planning on a standard multi-nozzle FDM printer.
Claims
1. A 3D printing method for side color mixing based on interlayer grating effect, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: Step 1: obtaining a three-dimensional model to be printed and color definition information of a target surface; Step 2: slicing the three-dimensional model, and setting a slice layer height h, which is within a preset micro visual fusion range; Step 3: determining a Z-axis interlayer stacking sequence composed of at least two basic color materials (material A and material B) based on the color definition information of the target surface; Step 4: generating a printing path instruction (G-code) for controlling switching and movement of a printing head according to the interlayer stacking sequence; Step 5: controlling a 3D printer to perform printing, presenting a target color effect on a side surface of the model by using a raster mixed visual effect of the human eye through a small thickness difference and an alternating material arrangement between layers.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein, In the step 2, the layer height h is in a range of 0.08 mm to 0.1 mm.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein, In the step 3, when the target color is a uniform mixed color, the interlayer stacking sequence is configured to be printed alternately in the order of "A-B-A-B"; when the layer thickness is equal, a balanced mixed color is presented; and when the layer thickness is not equal, a color mixing direction is controlled by adjusting a layer height proportion of a material with a larger thickness.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein, In the step 3, the interlayer stacking sequence comprises a multi-color cycle mode, and consecutive printing layers are grouped by 3 or 4 layers, and different materials are printed in a sequence (such as ABC or ABCD) in the group, so as to realize a three-color or four-color mixed color effect.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein, The raster mixed visual effect refers to a phenomenon that a human eye cannot distinguish a fine alternating texture, and that physically separated different color layers are fused into a single mixed color on a retina by using a small thickness difference between layers.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein, The 3D printer is a fused deposition modeling (FDM) printer provided with at least two independent nozzles (IDEX) or a multi-material switching device.
7. A 3D printing system implementing side color mixing, characterized in that, The method comprises the following steps: 1) a model analysis module for reading three-dimensional model geometry data and surface color information; 2) a path planning module for performing slicing operation, setting a layer height of 0.08 mm-0.1 mm, and calculating a material switching sequence in a Z-axis direction according to the color information; 3) an instruction generation module for converting the material switching sequence into a G-code file containing multi-nozzle cooperation instructions; 4) a printing execution module for driving a multi-material 3D printer to complete physical stacking according to the instructions.