Anycubic Kobra 3 ACE Pro Multi-Color Workflow: Slicing, Purge Tuning, and Color Painting
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The ACE Pro feeds up to 4 filament colors through a buffer tube to the Kobra 3's direct-drive extruder. Color changes purge old filament into a wipe tower before continuing.
Orca Slicer: 4-Color Setup
- Printer Settings → General → Extruders count: 4 (one per ACE Pro slot)
- Assign colors: per object, per face (paint tool), or per layer (right-click layer slider)
Color Assignment Methods
Painted model: Import STL → Right-click → Color Painting → brush regions by slot number
Multiple STLs: Drag all parts onto one plate → right-click each → Change Filament → assign slot
Layer change: Right-click layer slider → Add Color Change at a specific layer height
Wipe Tower Tuning
Start with 60mm wide tower, then adjust purge volume by transition:
| Transition | Purge Volume |
|---|---|
| Light to light | 80-120mm3 |
| Dark to light | 180-250mm3 |
| Any to white | 200mm3+ |
| Light to dark | 80-120mm3 |
Increase by 30mm3 if you see color contamination. Decrease if transitions look clean.
ACE Pro Filament Loading
Touchscreen: Filament → Load → each slot. Purge until color runs clean from nozzle, then cut tip cleanly (frayed tips cause jams).
Material Combinations
| Combo | Works? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PLA + PLA | Yes | Standard |
| PLA + PLA+ | Yes | Use higher temps |
| PETG + PETG | Yes | 240C / 90C bed |
| PLA + PETG | Caution | Poor adhesion as support interface |
| PLA + TPU | No | TPU too soft for ACE buffer tube |
Tips for Clean Prints
- Use same brand/diameter across all slots — mixing changes flow
- Prime all slots before starting, not just slot 1
- Test with a small color swatch before committing to a long print
- "Flush into objects" in Orca purges inside hollow parts instead of building a tower