Two color text can be printed on any any printer that supports filament switching, but this results in either raised text or “cut out” text. This is still a very useful approach to 3D printing text, but what if you want text on a smooth flat surface, and you do not have a multi-material printer?
This print shows a method for printing text (via filament switching) that results in a flat smooth top surface. The basics of the method are quite simple :
It is simple enough to make a CAD design with this structure - simply create the cut-out text, and then add a solid cover on top. I found that making the “cover” two print layers thick works best. When the transparent filament prints the “cover,” it simply bridges over the cut-out text. This actually results in “hollow” text, but this is not evident from looking at the finished print. Adding ironing to the top surface results in a very smooth and transparent cover.
I should note that the final print is not, strictly speaking, perfectly smooth. There is actually a very minor “bulge” (see photos; it is only visible when viewed from an extreme angle) above each text letter. My guess is that this bulge results from the hollow text ballooning a bit as the layers are heated.
Note also, that with the proper choice of filament color, the text that results from this process can also be back-lighted (see photos).
Print in PETG using the 3mf files provided, otherwise :
The OnShape 3D CAD files for this are here :
The author marked this model as their own original creation.