A lot of the guides I have seen about avoiding color switching/waste seem to be focused on when you are printing complex models and figures. For my use cases I am most likely to use it as a design element for lettering or to give components or edges a bit of pop.

One thing these tutorials dont quite explain enough for me is how the slicer treats "color islands" when it comes to color switching.

I am sure there is a better term for this that if I knew it would help me find resources but I am using "color island" to describe when a layer or a set of layers will have multiple colors in them and each color is relatively sequestered.

https://preview.redd.it/kvj29ftjqz7d1.png?width=1206&format=png&auto=webp&s=fc3aafe59bfe80e0ff1fcf1c677d1722e5db70b0

Shown you can imagine a wall (grey) with color 1 and an island (blue) with color 2.

If I were writing the g-code I would assume I could use the fact that the plate can move up and down and my knowledge of the shape of the nozzle to avoid color switching on every layer. I could for example do a few layers of color2 and then a few layers of color1 (working outwards). After putting down color2 I would exit the area, switch colors, and then bring my nozzle closer so I could continue printing with color2.

Even if I couldn't finish all of the mixed color layers I could certainly decrease the total number of color switches so that I am not switching every layer.

What is this called and where are settings that can make it happen? Perhaps with experimental features or maybe a beta version of the slicer or a different slicer. It would be useful to know so I can intentionally design my use of color on the z axis in a way that minimizes switching.

For example this print where a white cube is in the top left corner of the build plate and a green cube is in the bottom right corner could certainly be done with less color switches using this principal. But if you slice it in BambuSlicer today you will get a color switch for every layer. In my mind you should be able to at least half these color switches by accounting for the fact that you could move the build plate back up and know none of the machinery is anywhere near the build plate so you could put down a few layers.

https://preview.redd.it/65v476n0sz7d1.png?width=1154&format=png&auto=webp&s=6e731e36df9ae26d7f3a6870768628a56174029a