Getting Started with 3D Printing
Article author:
Eolas PrintsArticle published at:
June 17, 2026
Flashforge offers two very different routes into multi-colour printing: the AD5X, with a built-in four-colour filament system, and the Creator 5, with four independent swapping toolheads. They reach colour by fundamentally different methods, and that difference drives everything — waste, speed, price, and what each is best for. Here's how to choose.
Two Approaches to Multi-Colour
The AD5X uses a single nozzle fed by its Intelligent Filament System (IFS): up to four spools feed into one hotend, and the printer switches between them, purging a little material at each colour change. It's the same proven approach as most multi-colour printers — compact, affordable, effective.
The Creator 5 uses FlashSwap: four fully independent toolheads, each with its own nozzle, extruder, and heater, that physically park and swap in around 7 seconds. Because each colour has its own dedicated nozzle, there's almost no purge waste and no cross-contamination — and you can mix genuinely different materials (e.g. PLA with PVA supports) in one print.
Head to Head
| AD5X | Creator 5 | |
|---|---|---|
| Colour method | IFS, single nozzle (4 colours) | FlashSwap, 4 toolheads |
| Purge waste | Yes (purge at each change) | Near-zero |
| Colour-change speed | Standard | ~7 seconds, very low waste |
| Build volume | 220×220×220 mm | 256×256×256 mm |
| Nozzle temp | 300 °C | Up to ~300 °C |
| Speed | 600 mm/s travel | 600 mm/s travel |
| Mixed materials in one print | Limited | Yes (independent toolheads) |
| Frame | Open | Open |
| Relative price | Lower | Higher |
The AD5X: Affordable Four-Colour
The AD5X is the value choice for adding colour. Its built-in IFS handles up to four colours with no external box, it runs the same fast 600 mm/s CoreXY platform, has a 300 °C extruder, and supports flexible TPU. The trade-off, common to all single-nozzle multi-colour systems, is purge waste: each colour change discards a little filament, so colour-heavy prints use more material and time. A practical tip many users follow is to batch several models on the plate at once to spread that purge cost. For occasional or budget-conscious multi-colour, the AD5X is excellent.
The Creator 5: Near-Zero-Waste Multi-Colour
The Creator 5's four-toolhead FlashSwap system is the more advanced and efficient approach. Because each colour has its own nozzle, there's virtually no purge — Flashforge's benchmark shows a multi-colour print taking around 84% less time and 84% less filament than a conventional purge-based system. It also has a larger 256×256×256 mm build volume and can combine different materials in a single job (such as a water-soluble PVA support with a PLA model). If you do a lot of multi-colour work, the filament and time you save quickly offset the higher purchase price.
Which Should You Buy?
Choose the AD5X if: you want affordable four-colour printing, print colour occasionally rather than constantly, and a 220 mm build volume is enough. It's the lower-cost way in.
Choose the Creator 5 if: you print multi-colour frequently and want to eliminate purge waste, you need a larger build volume, or you want to mix materials (including soluble supports) in one print. The efficiency pays back over time.
Need engineering materials too? The enclosed Creator 5 Pro adds a heated chamber — see our Flashforge for business guide. Or start with the full buyer's guide.
Available from Eolas Prints — Authorised Flashforge Distributor
Both the AD5X and Creator 5 are genuine Flashforge machines with full manufacturer warranty, authentic spares, and EU support, shipped from Spain. As an authorised Flashforge distributor, we can help you pick the right multi-colour approach — get in touch.