Batched filament import/export using filament sets

[virajmalia]

Is there an existing issue for this feature request?

• I have searched the existing issues

Is your feature request related to a problem?

Let's say a user wants to print separate STL files like,

• a wood-themed object with 4 colors like - dark brow, beige, black and white.
• a cartoon figurine with CMYW.
• a project like RC car that uses 4 filaments - black and white PETG, Red PLA and black TPU.

When switching from one project to another, after importing the STL, the user has to manually change each filament.

Which printers will be beneficial to this feature?

All

Describe the solution you'd like

Summary

Request to support filament sets that can be setup as templates to be used in a project by selection in the UI.

Motivation

• [Hardware availability] When using a multi-nozzle printer like Snapmaker U1, 4 filaments can be used simultaneously.
• [Use-case] Multicolor and multimaterial prints often need a specific color or materials as a "set".
• [Workflow] FullSpectrum printing in Bambu Slicer and Snapmaker Orca is increasing users time spent in coloring within the slicer.

Details/Example

Let's say a user wants to print,

• a wood-themed object with 4 colors like - dark brow, beige, black and white.
• a cartoon figurine with CMYW.
• a project like RC car that uses 4 filaments - black and white PETG, Red PLA and black TPU.

All these examples use 4 specific filaments which the user would like to store as a set/preset/bundle/group/palette/template (name can be whatever suits best). This will allow users to directly select/summon 4 specific filaments with a single selection when creating a new project with a similar theme.

New Workflows

Export workflow

1. Open Slicer.
2. Create a New Project or Open Existing Project.
3. Go to Filament Management section on the left sidepanel.
4. Click on Export Filament Set Icon (shown as an up-arrow in the picture below).

5. This creates a filesystem popup dialogue to save the filament set with a name to the user's computer. (File extension is up for discussion. Filename is user changeable.)
6. As an example, this will save multiple filaments currently in the above image to my-filament-set.fset.

Import workflow

1. Open Slicer.
2. Create a New Project or Open Existing Project.
3. Go to Filament Management section on the left sidepanel.
4. Click on Import Filament Set Icon (shown as a down-arrow in the picture below).

5. From the dropdown menu, select the saved filament set (.fset) to be imported into the project.
6. This will add multiple filaments stored in the set, into the project to be used.

Benefit: Instead of importing single filaments one at a time, we enable the ability to import multiple filaments and filament sets (.fsets). This enables templating of specific filaments on user-side, making them easier to import and export. With one selection, the user can choose a CMYW or CMYK or a custom filament set for a given project.

Constraint to think about

• Is there a limit on how many filaments can be stored in a set?
• Is there a limit on how many filaments can exist in the filament management section after importing a new filament set?
• How to handle duplicate filaments after importing a new filament set?

Describe alternatives you've considered

No response

Additional context

No response