Elegoo deliver on their promise to bring multi-colour printing to their original Centauri Carbon 3D printer

After a long wait, the much-anticipated multi-colour module has arrived, offering an affordable way to upgrade your existing hardware

The Canvas kit includes the new multi-colour module, redesigned spool holders, and an improved poop chute for waste management. Pictures: Elegoo.

When Elegoo launched the original Centauri Carbon, they promised that a multi-colour module would eventually follow. It has taken longer than many expected, especially with the arrival of the Centauri Carbon 2 in the meantime, but they have finally come good on that promise.

Design

The upgrade kit is quite substantial for the price. It includes the Canvas unit itself, new spool holders, and an upgraded poop chute to help manage waste generated during printing.

Installation and setup

Be warned, this is not a simple plug-and-play affair. The process is involved and requires significant disassembly. You will be unplugging and replacing various parts on the tool head and even poking around the electronics underneath the printer.

It took me about two hours to complete the job, including the essential firmware update. Depending on your specific machine, you may have to route the communication cable through the bottom of the printer. Elegoo provides a great video and a PDF guide, which certainly help navigate the fiddlier bits.

Real-world use

Testing the multi-colour capabilities is straightforward: load your filament, tap the spool against the Canvas to read its RFID tag (assuming you’re using Elegoo spools with an RFID tag), and assign it a slot on the touchscreen. If you’re using generic spools, you can use the screen to specify the material type and colour.

I printed several models, and the Canvas system handled the constant transitions without a hitch. The only real downside is the purge waste. Because this is a single-nozzle system, you have to push out a lot of filament to ensure clean colour changes. It is simply the trade-off for this type of technology.

Verdict

You do lose the ability to run the printer with the top enclosure completely closed, as there is currently no top enclosure available for this setup. However, at just €45, the kit is an absolute steal. If you are up for the challenge, it is a brilliant way to breathe new life into your original Centauri Carbon.

€45 available in August Elegoo