The IFS module is what separates the AD5X from a standard single-color printer, built around four filament channels that sit side by side rather than stacked, so all four spools stay visible and within reach. Loading it is mostly about matching numbers. Each spool holder position corresponds to a specific channel, and keeping the spool, the holder, and the channel aligned matters, because each channel retracts and feeds filament on its own, in directions that depend on which side it sits on.
Once all four spools are loaded and set up with their filament type and color, either from the printer’s screen or through Orca-Flashforge, automatic switching takes over during the print itself. For a single-color job, this mostly acts as a backup: if one spool runs out partway through, the AD5X switches to the next channel loaded with a matching filament instead of stopping the job outright. For an actual multicolor print, switching happens between sections of the model, and the nozzle gets purged between each material change to clear out the previous color before the new one starts extruding.
That purge creates waste filament, which collects in a small tray, and it’s worth checking and emptying that tray on longer or more color-heavy prints. Flashforge’s own guidance notes that letting it overflow can stop the printer from discharging filament properly.
One thing worth keeping in mind: among the verified reviews on Flashforge’s own product page, at least one user describes a jam during a long, unattended print, where ABS filament left sitting in the nozzle overnight caused a blockage. That’s not something most owners report, and it shouldn’t be read as a defect built into the machine. It’s just a fair reason to check in on longer jobs now and then instead of treating the IFS as something you can fully walk away from, especially overnight or with filaments that tend to ooze while sitting idle.
Good loading habits pair naturally with good storage habits. The general guide to storing filament properly covers keeping spools dry between prints, which matters as much as loading the IFS correctly. The AD5X maintenance schedule covers checking the same four channels and connector for tangles as part of routine upkeep, not just when a print is already running long.