Michael, that final comment of the video says a lot, you started as and remain (at least very close to) a pargon of integrity in an industry that often feels... I am not sure of the best term, slimey? grubby? when it comes to monitisation. Thank you for your effort, your forthrightness, and honesty. I hope you and your family have a safe and merry Christmas.
After fighting with my Ender 3 S1 for two days and it changing its mind on what Z offset it needs between every print, this makes me really want to throw it in the bin and just spend the money on something that actually works. Great review as always.
I just went through the exact same thing with my E3S1 Pro. I could get one good print out of it then *something* would change and I'd spend the next 6 hours chasing what the issue was. Bought an X1C w/AMS, set it up yesterday and I have been cranking out my backlog of prints one after another without issue. Based on what I have seen, if you just want "set it and forget it" printing, any of the Bambu printers will fit the bill. I'll never buy another Creality product again.
Same here. If I had the extra cash, I'd get a Bambu instead. But since my Ender 3 V2 was a gift, and it's just a fun hobby for me, I can't justify spending the money yet.
I've owned an ender 3 OG, prusa mk3s (My workhorse) and a new a1 mini. The Prusa takes less messing and it is definitely more reliable i've found so far as the a1 is constantly changing its first layer height and inconsistant top layer but the prints (when they work) are great. Just as good as the prusa. The issue with the a1 which no one talks about is that having a pressure sensored extruder means that any melted plastic will mess with the first layer height. And the ams sometimes fails to load
CATIAV5FTW here… thanks for featuring the jet engine model ☺️ Looks like yours turned out pretty clean! One thing I’d recommend to fix the low pressure turbines rubbing in the back is to sand down the interfacing surfaces between the LP shaft and LPT spool. I’m working on tweaking the parts and profiles a bit to reduce the amount of support material as well. Also want to upload a profile where the support interfaces are PETG to obtain better surface quality on the supported features.
Can the ams lite do multi material printing. I’ve not found any information saying it can but have seen some videos where people have said it doesn’t as it can’t cope with heat difference
The AMS lite just feeds filament to the print head of the actual printer. It doesn't have any heaters, so the type of filament is irrelevant. The only thing it needs is rigid filament, which is why TPU is disabled.
Actually, I printed your model 3-4 years ago :) and I thought I did something wrong that caused the rub. but when I tried to sand the rub; it was too much.. my fix however was to print a spacer between the turbine section housing and the exhaust gas diffuser and it fixed it.. probably need to reprint it again 0.2mm thinker or so to get rid of all the rub but I was so lazy to do it :D.. let me know if you need a photo or a video of the where the spacer sits.. I would say do not alter the design, just add a spacer STL to the package
Excellent review!! Thanks for showing noise level, TPU test print and actually personal thoughts. All other reviews of this machine seem to come from the same script pointing out only the good things. A follow up video in a couple of months would be great. Cheers
It’s hard to trust reviews when you know a large company with everything to gain is sending out “free” printers. While I like this review, and it does seem honest, he certainly earned his printer with the bit about giving away an A1 to a librarian.
I've never owned a printer before this. Just used some generic PLA and printed a tolerance test print. For what I intend for this printer this is more then I could have hoped for. Looking forward to future builds.
@@zero00tolerance you have to print the ams lite support top mount. And the Z braces and dampener. But you can buy the screws set from them for a few $.
In my experience, the artifacts you're seeing on the surface comes from variations in the filament. It's simply over extrusion and it can happen consistently over a whole spool or intermittently. If you got the same thing from one print to the other and it's different with a different spool, then the thickness of the filament is the only variable. Sometimes when I get cheap filament, I must change the flow rate by up to 5%.
I recently bought an A1 and with some research it seems a lot of people are having trouble with PETG with A1 series. First few layers walls only. Just random things happening with blobs and strings in random places. Also slow starting print Gcode that takes 3mins or longer just hanging out doing nothing before print starts. If you can make a in depth video on Petg settings with the A1’s that might just be wrong in Bambu presets that would be amazing. I know a lot of new people are now in the Bambu echo system. Even me coming from Ender and Cura, Bambu is very different. Super bonus if you can figure out Bambu Petg-CF with long prints. Thank you for all the teaching. Amazing channel.
Enjoy your content and appreciate your thoughtful approach to providing neutral bias and appropriately detailed information. I own several 3D printers including the X1C as well as Voron, Ratrig, and (heavily modified) Creality printers, all of which use single spool finament feed systems. I take minor exception when reviewers credit filament waste to the printer. Multi-color filament printing comes at an obvious cost, but I am not convinced that this cost is attributable to the printer. Thanks again for the consistently reliable and informative content.
Love my A1 mini, no regrets. A1 looks amazing but as a first time user with hobby needs and limited space, the mini is defo the right choice. Think if I ever upgraded I’d maybe aim for next gen/version of p1s to get something ‘neater’ and with an enclosure.
@@joeking433 Yes I wanted the AMS, so really just comparing the two. At the mo it's setup on a sideboard which is just the right depth. I think with the A1 it wouldn't fit in quite as well.
Thank you for another great and thorough review! This is THE REVIEW that all should watch. 3DPN just read the Press Kit and called it a video, but yours goes in depth, as expected. One thing that should be tested, and so far no one tried: printing a TALL object with the AMS Lite on top of the A1, because a benchy is too short to be affected by this heavy load on the top, even on a bed slinger, I guess if you plan on printing tall objects frequently, a bed slinger is simply not the ideal option, anyways
I did print more than just the benchy with the and on top, but admittedly nothing really tall. I might return that vase and pin a comment if there are any red flags.
I think Bambu should release a filament recycling system, that would pair well with their wasteful printers. I'd buy one as long as it's relatively affordable.
honestly I think the stock bambulab profiles are overtuned for flawless color changes. You can save soo much waste filament by tuning purge amounts down with a few tricks. I think bambus next innovation should be at least offering those filament saving measures as a stock option.
Agreed - the ability to recycle waste into filamemt is very attractive; even just to use the recycled filament spools as support material when printing. This is both economically and environmental beneficial - I would pay the same as a bambu printer for a reliable recycling process/feature.
Awesome! I'm here after I watched the "Jared Owen Animations" blender 3d modeler breakdown of the Bambu A1 on youtube. Cool to see the physical product now that I saw how it works lol
Thanks for the honest review, it helps make a lot of better decisions. My interest in 3d printers got sparked by Bambu recently, but I wasn't too sure about the quality, so I was still hesitant on investing hundreds into what would be a side hobby.
I have been running 2 enders for 2 years I just switched to the a1 and while I had my enders running well I'll never look at another even if it was free the a1 is absolutely amazing
I have adhesion problems also, even with glue stick. I have tried cleaning the bed with soap etc. Also having some flow related problems creating bad prints. I was hoping for less hassle with this upgrade but I guess 3D printing is supposed to be a hassle 🙂
Agreed, I would like to see a full height print with this fast bedsliger with focus on the bottom and top end, maybe a geometric vase or a ringing tower.
It's ok, I printed few objects at max height on A1 Mini which I believe was about 18cm and it printed flawlessly. PLA without glue, PTEG with glue in spray. Flawless prints every time on default settings and 100% speed.
I designed a spacer for between the combustion chamber and the HP section. It then ran flawlessly. As you can see at 14:17 the LP turbine blades are positioned a bit too far to the left. Just like in my case. You need them to be 1.5mm more to the right.
As usual, your content is clear, valuable and straightforward. I am new to 3D printing and started with a Kobra 2 a couple of months ago and subscribed to your channel and Patreon membership. You really gave me a leg up! I'm glad I started with this printer because it made me go down every rabbit hole available to get a deeper understanding of the underlying technology. As much as I'm a geek and love this, I'd rather be in my shop using my 3D printed hacks to make woodworking projects than becoming a 3D guru, thus the move to the A1. As part of my learning curve, I purchased a Raspberry Pi, an enclosure and camera, and OctoPrint Pi to manage my projects. I'm assuming that I will no longer need these if I get the A1. Is this correct? I'll probably try to sell my Kobra 2 with all the accoutrements and 3D add-ons I've printed, but don't want to sell something I'll still need with the A1. Bottom line, is there any usefulness at all to the Raspberry Pi components?
It seems like a pretty good printer. That benchy in the video has the same two "horizontal zones" as the two that we printed at the local Microcenter...
Another great video and I love my Bambu printers (I have an A1 and an A1 mini only because of the trick BBL pulled by delaying the release of the A1). But I am unhappy the way they did the nozzle cleaning on the A1. The A1 mini was prefect but with the A1 they decision to go cheap ( would have gladly paid a few more dollars for the mini way). In stead of the $6 replacement parts they have opted for a system that wares a hole (eventually I am sure) in the build plate and ware down the nozzle. So now it's a $30 or more proposition to replace those and not $6. Also the A1 mini was pretty darn quiet for a 3D printer, the A1 there are a lot of bumps, bangs and scrapes you don't hear with the mini. But still miles ahead of any other 3D printer on the market, those are just little things that annoy me.
Standard Bambu Lab concerns aside, this printer is quite interesting - rather than building a large(r)-format printer or going after the ripe-for-improvement IDEX market, they've apparently decided to dive into a much more crowded segment occupied by Creality, Sovol, Anycubic, and Elegoo. I wonder how that's going to turn out for them. Also, while I'm not one of the people who get upset at the thought of putting filament on the top crossbar of 3D printers, I do kinda hate having four full kilos sitting on top of a printer barely twice that heavy. Given that the A1 and A1 Mini are very much designed for people completely new to 3D printing, I can see users being extremely confused at why their print quality is getting worse and not connecting it to all the extra mass (and its location).
must say i have only had my BL A1 for a couple of weeks i must say i have not very must ringing or ghost to be honest its such a small amount its almost invisible i have just put my ams up top but there is extra parts like legs to print that make it way more stable. great video as per normal :)
Shame the print quality isn't quite there. There always seems to be a fly in the ointment *somewhere* with 3D printing! But the price and features are incredible. Might be worth waiting a bit for the firmware to get some updates.
I've sent the bracket stl to bambu lab for them to test. I've watched Stefan's review and his print quality looks better than mine, so maybe there's something slightly off about mine that I can fix.
"Printing on blue painters tape" ... oh man, I completely forgot that was a thing we did back then. My little Fabrikator Mini came with a couple pre-cut sheets of tape to print on. Then BuildTak came out and it was a major upgrade for my printers at the time.
Printing PLA on painters tape, and ABS on a glass sheets with ABS slurry. I feel nostalgic about it yet I also really really don't miss those times :P It's weird to look back on how primitive everything in the 3d printing world was just a few years ago.
I still can't get over the waste, I don't think I mind the slower printing to get multi-color. But the incredible waste, I'm glad you mention it, a lot creators gloss over the issue. I'll keep looking at the multi-tool.
You certainly can reduce the waste massively by printing multiple models at once or purging into another model. A multi-head system will always have less waste though.
Great review! But one important point to improve the quality some more: Use a stiffer table! In the video you can clearly see it shaking quite violently, most definitely spoiling your results by some margin.
To be honest you got me worried. My budget 10 year old MKS based 3D printer produces literally flawless prints half of the time so I expected the A1 to be closer to 99% of the time. Knowing that there's not much to tune hardware-wise I'm really weary... EDIT: What was the Bambu's response to the repeatable print artifacts?
Anker just lost any chance at making it in the 3D printer market. This is how you do a reliable, hassle free, stylish bedslinger for people who want to print rather than tinker and troubleshoot and on a good budget as well.
Really depends on their v6 color engine I think. It's set to (hopefully) be out first quarter and only work with their machines. The promise is no wasted filament for color swaps through the 6 retractable nozzles on the extruder. If they deliver on that it could be a game changer for them as it would make fast multi color printing possible even at low layer heights
Man the price for that kind of features and performance is pretty crazy, bambu labs may have some issues but there's no doubt their really pushing 3d printing forwards
This printer wants me to get back into 3d printing after having a printer years ago. At first the tinkering was fun but having to setup and Tinker with the old printer every time for every print eventual killed my joy
My experience on the noise level of the A1 vs the A1 Mini is quite the opposite of yours. I was amazed by the quietness of the Mini and fairly disappointed of the A1. On my A1 the fan is a bit louder than on the Mini, and the movement sound is much louder, primarily on the y-axis. I have seen other videos stating the same, but according to Bambu Lab it is within the specified limits. So I will keep the Mini as well and print smaller items on that and only use the A1 for larger items. And by the way even if I ordered my A1 within the first 30 minutes of release there was no mystery box.
Hello and thank you for this superb video, I also own an A1, can you tell me 2 things? 1) why does the print head remove after the 2nd layer at the rear left of the plate to then resume printing? 2) How can we modify the fan speeds in bambu studio because even in filament + edit the speed it doesn't change anything, I run at 80% all the time, thank you very much...
I wonder if they are struggling to scale up core-xy? Anyway, I think in CNC Kitchen's interview he said the XL would be part of the second gen range, so maybe a little while off yet (March?)
This is pure speculation on my part, but I feel the features seen on the A1 are considered gen 2 for Bambu Lab and this tech can now be rolled out on upcoming machines.
What about the A1 without this AMS whatever? I want just 1 filament spool and I'll do my own changing. Is it direct drive then? Do I have top use that slicer or can I use my own S3D? thanks
Right now in the UK the P1P I can get for £549.00 (I have seen for £457), The A1 with AMS is £509. I'm torn on which to purchase, this is my first 3D Printer. Agree I lose the colour option with the P1P, but I can add that at a later date with the AMS, but which is the better for first time and value for money. Bed Slingers (A1) or XY (P1P)?
If you are only doing PLA and multi colour printing the A1 will be a better fit. Where the P1 is better is with materials that need an enclosure, like ABS/ASA/nylon. You can make your own P1P enclosure, but the better option is probably a P1S, which is of course more expensive.
@@TeachingTech Hey thanks for the reply. Since I'm only just starting out I'll go for the A1 for now, then when I start to advance more I can start to move into those materials.
What's the total height with the AMS mounted on the top like that? Can't find that info anywhere but I have a specific place in mind and it would only work with that on top...providing it can fit in a space 80cm tall!
Just ran a tape measure for you. I got 750mm from the base to the top. With the highest components being PTFE that could be squished down a few cm if needed.
I wonder if the AMS lite uses the same cable as the regular AMS... AKA wondering if you could chain a AMS lite to the end of a regular AMS (on a x1 or p1 printer) even if it's just 1. I wonder if it could be done for rolls that don't fit well in a regular AMS..
Considering the tech is almost identical, it's a natural conclusion that the reason for poorer prints is either the filament used or a software (inc firmware) issue.
Last week my family in Canada received a defective A1 that immediately showed a recall message on the LCD. Bambulab Canada have not registered the recall with the government database. They have not contacted the family to provide a replacement or pick up the defective item.
With the A1 recall: do you think the A1 mini is worth it or better wait for the A1 update expected in May? There are other alternatives as the Ender 3 V3 KE that seems has a better qualiy printing than the A1 and lower price and bigger community for troubleshooting. Most of you would tell me that I am comparing different kind of products but at the end with all the poops generated by the AMS lite I do not think the multicolor option is a choice and the other features are very similar between A1 and Ender V3 KE (adding the accelerometer and nebula cam) for lower price. Please, any comment to this?
Maybe stupid question, but does the volume on A1 goes down if I'm not printing that fast? I need something quiet, mostly printing small racing cars which doesn't need that fast printing :D
I've seen some others mention the underextruded line issue and I think a firmware update fixed it for them. Or in some cases it seemed to somehow just fix itself. Best and worst thing to happen really. Problem solved but can't help others with it.
Question: Can the multiple feeders be used to automatically switch filament when one feed's run stops? I would think this would be a great way to handle larger print jobs when you have limited filament left on a roll... just let it run out and the printer could switch to a secondary roll (potentially of the same kind of filament). Curious if this can be done automatically with the A1.
Can the A1 use the purge into object feature like the x1 can. It really lowered my waste considerably I just add another model or print so that something is being used with the waste I just go to objects, others, and click purge into this object. also there is purge into infill and try to save as much as possible. Thanks again TT
can I purchase the AMS Lite separate from the printer? I looked for it on the site but couldn't find it. Thank you for the great review. I will be purchasing one.
5:58 *Wrong, the A1 has only one Z axis stepper motor, not twin. Both lead screws are driving by one stepper like a cheap ass ender 3. You can even see the one single stepper motor during assembly, how did you miss this lol?*
I noticed the prusa with muti nozzle color changing system.. seems like a much better solution Wish it didn’t cost so much.. Thinking about the A1 I design and print lots of things in tpu Is there a good way to add pla into a mostly tpu part? I know the AMS doesn’t work with tpu
Just a thought, Why not build and enclosure to house the printer that includes some Fiberglass insulation to dampen the noise? a side benefit might be that the temperature inside the enclosure could be better controlled.
Bambu recommends against making an enclosure for the A1 according to their FAQ. There might be some components that are thermally sensitive, I didn't look into it further.
@@HonorNecrisProbably the PSU. When building enclosures for Prusa MK3s, it's strongly advised to move it outside the enclosure, because having it working in a hot environment for long periods can shorten its life expectancy.
The Bambu A1 has got me thinking about multi col/material support with a bit less waste. You can see how the A1 has four filament tubes and a power lead attached to the top of the print shuttle. I reckon this could be set up for multi heads in that shuttle unit. The shuttle could be hung so that it straddles the gantry arm, rather than hanging off the front. Might be easier if the gantry was a tube??? Then the printing nozzles are positioned with two in front of the gantry and two behind, thus giving the head more balance as it shoots back and forth. Then we get rid of the fan from the shuttle. Position it somewhere else and run a tube from the fan to the shuttle. This might allow us to install much larger fans, maybe with some air compression to get some really decent ventilation to the shuttle? Air reaching the nozzle might be cooler too. Then we run the four filament tubes and the power lead inside the fan tube, creating a single tidy umbilical cord attached to the shuttle head. The air tube could be quite lightweight, as the filament tubes would provide it with a bit of structural support. Maybe If we had a tube attached to the shuttle head, we could SUCK the air away from the nozzles. Would that cool the part sufficiently,? With the bonus that any fumes will also be sucked away???
Have you tried testing on a non-wobbly desk? Seeing the desk wobble like that makes me wince. I know, input shaping should be able to handle a wobbly desk. Still, the less work the shaper had to do, the better quality it should be able to deliver.
I'm hoping to get this printer quite soon - but have no need for the AMS system. Without all that weight above - and just a single standard spool, would that go a long way in improving print quality?
I am trying to decide between the A1 and A1 mini the price difference in my opinion is not all that much ($150 Aus) so I want to go for the better printer not including build volume as I could live with the mini's smaller volume
I have a request: I thought Core XY is better than bed slingers. I have an Ender 3S1 that has caused so much frustration with first layers not working and thinking the auto bed leveler meant no more paper and spinning the corner wheels. I spent way too any times and tries with the paper and the springs that never felt right - do all those nightmares go away with this? I saw some knobs on the A1 - do I have to bed level? I am waiting for a more affordable xy printer - no review answers why go back to a bed slinger. Most people are former bed slinger users who are traumatized as I am with past experiences running paper over all 4 corners endlessly chasing the perfect first layer attempt - I wish more was said about this issue.
Core XY is not better, but it has some advantages when you are printing very fast. If you're printing thin tall models, the shaking bed of a bed-slinger might dislodge them.
@@kaasmeester5903 I thought it would be better in terms of bed levelling and not having to worry about bed coming out of alignment. My auto bed leveller does not really accomplish anything on the creality ender 3 s1.
@@tomsop I'm not sure if that's an inherent problem with bed-slingers, or that core XY solves that problem. I've had no issues with automatic bed leveling on my Prusa MK4, it's been consistently outstanding.
Now compare this review to the review of Prusia XL - its night and day! Printer can't print reliably yet somehow it is good. Bambu controls what reviewers can and can not say, as simple as that.
The Prusa XL cost a hell of a lot more and is not meant for absolute beginners like this is, totally different market aims. For the money it’s worth it, no worse than the Ender 3 is and far less messing required.
No company has ever controlled what I can and can't say. My Prusa XL was more negative because it deserved to be. The printer was hugely delayed, crazy expensive and performing poorly. This printer has slightly worse part cooling than the A1 mini, and that's about the worst problem.
Great review. How would you say the quality compares with the P1S? Also, some reviewers have commented on printing errors in early prints that seemed to disappear after firmware updates. Have you experienced any quality improvements already?
I appreciate your integrity as a reviewer.
Michael, that final comment of the video says a lot, you started as and remain (at least very close to) a pargon of integrity in an industry that often feels... I am not sure of the best term, slimey? grubby? when it comes to monitisation. Thank you for your effort, your forthrightness, and honesty. I hope you and your family have a safe and merry Christmas.
“Teaching” tech!
After fighting with my Ender 3 S1 for two days and it changing its mind on what Z offset it needs between every print, this makes me really want to throw it in the bin and just spend the money on something that actually works. Great review as always.
I just went through the exact same thing with my E3S1 Pro. I could get one good print out of it then *something* would change and I'd spend the next 6 hours chasing what the issue was. Bought an X1C w/AMS, set it up yesterday and I have been cranking out my backlog of prints one after another without issue. Based on what I have seen, if you just want "set it and forget it" printing, any of the Bambu printers will fit the bill. I'll never buy another Creality product again.
Same here. If I had the extra cash, I'd get a Bambu instead. But since my Ender 3 V2 was a gift, and it's just a fun hobby for me, I can't justify spending the money yet.
Do it man, you will not regret it!
After using a P1S for a month, I will never buy another Creality.
I've owned an ender 3 OG, prusa mk3s (My workhorse) and a new a1 mini. The Prusa takes less messing and it is definitely more reliable i've found so far as the a1 is constantly changing its first layer height and inconsistant top layer but the prints (when they work) are great. Just as good as the prusa. The issue with the a1 which no one talks about is that having a pressure sensored extruder means that any melted plastic will mess with the first layer height. And the ams sometimes fails to load
CATIAV5FTW here… thanks for featuring the jet engine model ☺️ Looks like yours turned out pretty clean! One thing I’d recommend to fix the low pressure turbines rubbing in the back is to sand down the interfacing surfaces between the LP shaft and LPT spool. I’m working on tweaking the parts and profiles a bit to reduce the amount of support material as well. Also want to upload a profile where the support interfaces are PETG to obtain better surface quality on the supported features.
Your model is absolutly mindblowing. I would be able to copy it on Solidworks, but I wouldn't be create one myself. Astonishing !
Thanks for your great model and your suggestion. I will have a go next week.
Can the ams lite do multi material printing. I’ve not found any information saying it can but have seen some videos where people have said it doesn’t as it can’t cope with heat difference
The AMS lite just feeds filament to the print head of the actual printer. It doesn't have any heaters, so the type of filament is irrelevant. The only thing it needs is rigid filament, which is why TPU is disabled.
Actually, I printed your model 3-4 years ago :) and I thought I did something wrong that caused the rub. but when I tried to sand the rub; it was too much.. my fix however was to print a spacer between the turbine section housing and the exhaust gas diffuser and it fixed it.. probably need to reprint it again 0.2mm thinker or so to get rid of all the rub but I was so lazy to do it :D.. let me know if you need a photo or a video of the where the spacer sits.. I would say do not alter the design, just add a spacer STL to the package
The design of these printers really show the prior ex-DJI influences in the way things are packaged, presented, etc.
I agree but lets hope governments don't go crazy and ban or restrict 3D printers like they have with drones simply because you can print a gun.
Holy shit I didn't know this, got research to do
The best review. I bought it on lunch day. . You have earned another subscriber to add to the many many you rightfully have
Thanks for the balanced perspective.
Excellent review!! Thanks for showing noise level, TPU test print and actually personal thoughts. All other reviews of this machine seem to come from the same script pointing out only the good things. A follow up video in a couple of months would be great. Cheers
It’s hard to trust reviews when you know a large company with everything to gain is sending out “free” printers.
While I like this review, and it does seem honest, he certainly earned his printer with the bit about giving away an A1 to a librarian.
I've never owned a printer before this. Just used some generic PLA and printed a tolerance test print. For what I intend for this printer this is more then I could have hoped for. Looking forward to future builds.
The AMS Lite Top mount Bracket now has 2 Back supporting braces to attach to Z Frame that supports the back.
Do you know if the A1 comes with the new bracket on top to hold the multicolors and the bottom Z Frame, or do you have to print it yourself ?
@@zero00tolerance you have to print the ams lite support top mount. And the Z braces and dampener. But you can buy the screws set from them for a few $.
Outstanding Review - as always - your efforts are truly valued
Thanks for pointing out not only the pluses, but the negatives as well.
In my experience, the artifacts you're seeing on the surface comes from variations in the filament. It's simply over extrusion and it can happen consistently over a whole spool or intermittently. If you got the same thing from one print to the other and it's different with a different spool, then the thickness of the filament is the only variable.
Sometimes when I get cheap filament, I must change the flow rate by up to 5%.
How do you dial in each new spool? Could you please post thingiverse IDs for the test models?
Thanks!
Ordered mine the morning it launched. My first printer so I hope it doesn’t end up collecting dust.
How about now
I recently bought an A1 and with some research it seems a lot of people are having trouble with PETG with A1 series. First few layers walls only. Just random things happening with blobs and strings in random places. Also slow starting print Gcode that takes 3mins or longer just hanging out doing nothing before print starts. If you can make a in depth video on Petg settings with the A1’s that might just be wrong in Bambu presets that would be amazing. I know a lot of new people are now in the Bambu echo system. Even me coming from Ender and Cura, Bambu is very different.
Super bonus if you can figure out Bambu Petg-CF with long prints. Thank you for all the teaching. Amazing channel.
Enjoy your content and appreciate your thoughtful approach to providing neutral bias and appropriately detailed information. I own several 3D printers including the X1C as well as Voron, Ratrig, and (heavily modified) Creality printers, all of which use single spool finament feed systems. I take minor exception when reviewers credit filament waste to the printer. Multi-color filament printing comes at an obvious cost, but I am not convinced that this cost is attributable to the printer. Thanks again for the consistently reliable and informative content.
I now have the A1 and the Mini, but so far I haven't had any printing errors or bad speed benches like those in your video😮
Idk i think he got a bad printer, I've never seen this on the A1 before
Fantastic review, Michael! Thanks a bunch!!! 😃
Stay safe there with your family! 🖖😊
And happy holidays!
Love my A1 mini, no regrets. A1 looks amazing but as a first time user with hobby needs and limited space, the mini is defo the right choice. Think if I ever upgraded I’d maybe aim for next gen/version of p1s to get something ‘neater’ and with an enclosure.
But you had to buy the AMS with the Mini and that makes for a bigger footprint than most XL printers! Or don't you use the AMS?
@@joeking433 Yes I wanted the AMS, so really just comparing the two. At the mo it's setup on a sideboard which is just the right depth. I think with the A1 it wouldn't fit in quite as well.
Thanks for the, as always, unbiased review. It's good to see the machine being out through its paces.
Thank you for another great and thorough review!
This is THE REVIEW that all should watch. 3DPN just read the Press Kit and called it a video, but yours goes in depth, as expected.
One thing that should be tested, and so far no one tried: printing a TALL object with the AMS Lite on top of the A1, because a benchy is too short to be affected by this heavy load on the top, even on a bed slinger, I guess if you plan on printing tall objects frequently, a bed slinger is simply not the ideal option, anyways
I did print more than just the benchy with the and on top, but admittedly nothing really tall. I might return that vase and pin a comment if there are any red flags.
I think Bambu should release a filament recycling system, that would pair well with their wasteful printers. I'd buy one as long as it's relatively affordable.
honestly I think the stock bambulab profiles are overtuned for flawless color changes. You can save soo much waste filament by tuning purge amounts down with a few tricks. I think bambus next innovation should be at least offering those filament saving measures as a stock option.
That is a fantastic idea!
they've certainty got the engineering skill to do it. They're outstripping their compediters easily, doesn't even seem like a fair race.
Agreed - the ability to recycle waste into filamemt is very attractive; even just to use the recycled filament spools as support material when printing. This is both economically and environmental beneficial - I would pay the same as a bambu printer for a reliable recycling process/feature.
@@TeachingTechperhaps you can send a suggestion to your bambu representatives?
Awesome! I'm here after I watched the "Jared Owen Animations" blender 3d modeler breakdown of the Bambu A1 on youtube. Cool to see the physical product now that I saw how it works lol
Thanks for the honest review, it helps make a lot of better decisions. My interest in 3d printers got sparked by Bambu recently, but I wasn't too sure about the quality, so I was still hesitant on investing hundreds into what would be a side hobby.
I have been running 2 enders for 2 years I just switched to the a1 and while I had my enders running well I'll never look at another even if it was free the a1 is absolutely amazing
I'll pay for a toolless nozzle swap and for a new nozzle set on my X1C if BBL will release it.
Brazilian butt lift?
got my a1 3pm est on the 14th , only issue i have is adhesion , bar that been printing pretty well
I found adhesion amazing on this one, almost too good be ause pla wouldn't self release once cool. I always had to flex the print off.
I have adhesion problems also, even with glue stick. I have tried cleaning the bed with soap etc. Also having some flow related problems creating bad prints. I was hoping for less hassle with this upgrade but I guess 3D printing is supposed to be a hassle 🙂
Thanks that was helpful. Think I will buy this one
Excellent review. Thanks!
this needs a test for high objects, let's see the quality of the bedslinger like that
Agreed, I would like to see a full height print with this fast bedsliger with focus on the bottom and top end, maybe a geometric vase or a ringing tower.
Testing the limits of a printer should be standard in all reviews, but for some reason we usually at most get speedtests on small prints.
@@MumrikDK especially when TT himself made such a test, just to not use it. Inputshaper is cool and all, but there still are some laws of physics.
ua-cam.com/video/PTeXvvoxtAo/v-deo.htmlsi=VNUAkrMMekxNYIsL at 32:05
It's ok, I printed few objects at max height on A1 Mini which I believe was about 18cm and it printed flawlessly. PLA without glue, PTEG with glue in spray. Flawless prints every time on default settings and 100% speed.
I designed a spacer for between the combustion chamber and the HP section. It then ran flawlessly. As you can see at 14:17 the LP turbine blades are positioned a bit too far to the left. Just like in my case. You need them to be 1.5mm more to the right.
Awesome video as always! 🎉 Going to be making my Rook MK1 soon.
As usual, your content is clear, valuable and straightforward. I am new to 3D printing and started with a Kobra 2 a couple of months ago and subscribed to your channel and Patreon membership. You really gave me a leg up! I'm glad I started with this printer because it made me go down every rabbit hole available to get a deeper understanding of the underlying technology. As much as I'm a geek and love this, I'd rather be in my shop using my 3D printed hacks to make woodworking projects than becoming a 3D guru, thus the move to the A1. As part of my learning curve, I purchased a Raspberry Pi, an enclosure and camera, and OctoPrint Pi to manage my projects. I'm assuming that I will no longer need these if I get the A1. Is this correct? I'll probably try to sell my Kobra 2 with all the accoutrements and 3D add-ons I've printed, but don't want to sell something I'll still need with the A1. Bottom line, is there any usefulness at all to the Raspberry Pi components?
It seems like a pretty good printer. That benchy in the video has the same two "horizontal zones" as the two that we printed at the local Microcenter...
Another great video and I love my Bambu printers (I have an A1 and an A1 mini only because of the trick BBL pulled by delaying the release of the A1). But I am unhappy the way they did the nozzle cleaning on the A1. The A1 mini was prefect but with the A1 they decision to go cheap ( would have gladly paid a few more dollars for the mini way). In stead of the $6 replacement parts they have opted for a system that wares a hole (eventually I am sure) in the build plate and ware down the nozzle. So now it's a $30 or more proposition to replace those and not $6. Also the A1 mini was pretty darn quiet for a 3D printer, the A1 there are a lot of bumps, bangs and scrapes you don't hear with the mini. But still miles ahead of any other 3D printer on the market, those are just little things that annoy me.
Standard Bambu Lab concerns aside, this printer is quite interesting - rather than building a large(r)-format printer or going after the ripe-for-improvement IDEX market, they've apparently decided to dive into a much more crowded segment occupied by Creality, Sovol, Anycubic, and Elegoo. I wonder how that's going to turn out for them.
Also, while I'm not one of the people who get upset at the thought of putting filament on the top crossbar of 3D printers, I do kinda hate having four full kilos sitting on top of a printer barely twice that heavy. Given that the A1 and A1 Mini are very much designed for people completely new to 3D printing, I can see users being extremely confused at why their print quality is getting worse and not connecting it to all the extra mass (and its location).
Yeah, it's a dumb idea. It will lean the gantry.
Hi, it was an excellent review, it was nice to learn all aspects from you and feel like I was testing it myself.
must say i have only had my BL A1 for a couple of weeks i must say i have not very must ringing or ghost to be honest its such a small amount its almost invisible i have just put my ams up top but there is extra parts like legs to print that make it way more stable.
great video as per normal :)
Shame the print quality isn't quite there. There always seems to be a fly in the ointment *somewhere* with 3D printing! But the price and features are incredible. Might be worth waiting a bit for the firmware to get some updates.
I think it’s worth noting that that quality comparison was with an A1 mini, which has incredible print quality. Being #2 isn’t really all that bad
@@n0vaph0enix and since the toolhead is the same between both printers it really makes me wonder what could cause this?
I've sent the bracket stl to bambu lab for them to test. I've watched Stefan's review and his print quality looks better than mine, so maybe there's something slightly off about mine that I can fix.
Its still one of the best.
"Printing on blue painters tape" ... oh man, I completely forgot that was a thing we did back then. My little Fabrikator Mini came with a couple pre-cut sheets of tape to print on. Then BuildTak came out and it was a major upgrade for my printers at the time.
Printing PLA on painters tape, and ABS on a glass sheets with ABS slurry. I feel nostalgic about it yet I also really really don't miss those times :P It's weird to look back on how primitive everything in the 3d printing world was just a few years ago.
He you could also choose if you wanted a printer with heated bed or normal, in case it was a 12v super slow heating bed.
spectacular video!
I still can't get over the waste, I don't think I mind the slower printing to get multi-color. But the incredible waste, I'm glad you mention it, a lot creators gloss over the issue. I'll keep looking at the multi-tool.
You certainly can reduce the waste massively by printing multiple models at once or purging into another model. A multi-head system will always have less waste though.
Great review! But one important point to improve the quality some more: Use a stiffer table! In the video you can clearly see it shaking quite violently, most definitely spoiling your results by some margin.
To be honest you got me worried. My budget 10 year old MKS based 3D printer produces literally flawless prints half of the time so I expected the A1 to be closer to 99% of the time. Knowing that there's not much to tune hardware-wise I'm really weary... EDIT: What was the Bambu's response to the repeatable print artifacts?
At 14:38 I see what looks to be a Spherical Lithophane, I have had nothing but trouble printing a 100 mm ball on my A1, do you have some tips?
Great video! I just got mine, printed the 3 color benchy on the card and it came out perfect - maybey the improved the defaults ?
Anker just lost any chance at making it in the 3D printer market.
This is how you do a reliable, hassle free, stylish bedslinger for people who want to print rather than tinker and troubleshoot and on a good budget as well.
Really depends on their v6 color engine I think. It's set to (hopefully) be out first quarter and only work with their machines. The promise is no wasted filament for color swaps through the 6 retractable nozzles on the extruder. If they deliver on that it could be a game changer for them as it would make fast multi color printing possible even at low layer heights
Ankermake M5C is a total waste of time. You get quality print and trouble shoot over and over again.
Man the price for that kind of features and performance is pretty crazy, bambu labs may have some issues but there's no doubt their really pushing 3d printing forwards
This printer wants me to get back into 3d printing after having a printer years ago. At first the tinkering was fun but having to setup and Tinker with the old printer every time for every print eventual killed my joy
You should get back, I got the Bambu X1 it's amazing, sold my Prusa and never look back.
@@zero00tolerance my best friend is getting one, so the few practical things I'll be able to use his. But I don't need more desk toys
I would never buy A1 or Mini myself, but definitely it is only option to advise to anyone who would like to get in to the hobby.
What websites do you recommend to buy combo boxes for my nephew to build things?
My experience on the noise level of the A1 vs the A1 Mini is quite the opposite of yours. I was amazed by the quietness of the Mini and fairly disappointed of the A1. On my A1 the fan is a bit louder than on the Mini, and the movement sound is much louder, primarily on the y-axis. I have seen other videos stating the same, but according to Bambu Lab it is within the specified limits. So I will keep the Mini as well and print smaller items on that and only use the A1 for larger items.
And by the way even if I ordered my A1 within the first 30 minutes of release there was no mystery box.
Hello and thank you for this superb video, I also own an A1, can you tell me 2 things?
1) why does the print head remove after the 2nd layer at the rear left of the plate to then resume printing?
2) How can we modify the fan speeds in bambu studio because even in filament + edit the speed it doesn't change anything, I run at 80% all the time, thank you very much...
Now hopefully it will not be long before Bambu Lab release a 400 x 400 x 400 printer.
Currently saving for an x1c, if they released an x2c that’s larger or something then I would be happy and angry at the same time lol...
I wonder if they are struggling to scale up core-xy? Anyway, I think in CNC Kitchen's interview he said the XL would be part of the second gen range, so maybe a little while off yet (March?)
This is pure speculation on my part, but I feel the features seen on the A1 are considered gen 2 for Bambu Lab and this tech can now be rolled out on upcoming machines.
What about the A1 without this AMS whatever? I want just 1 filament spool and I'll do my own changing. Is it direct drive then? Do I have top use that slicer or can I use my own S3D? thanks
Mate, give some news about TT racing!!! just discovered the channel and im really excited for the next video!!
Very nice review Michael. Could you please link to the string art model you were printing at 17:16?
Suspended hand by STomHacks: www.printables.com/model/573397-suspended-hand
Have you seen the Flashforgre Adventurer 5m? I think it's a possible A1 beater. And can't beat the price.
Right now in the UK the P1P I can get for £549.00 (I have seen for £457), The A1 with AMS is £509. I'm torn on which to purchase, this is my first 3D Printer. Agree I lose the colour option with the P1P, but I can add that at a later date with the AMS, but which is the better for first time and value for money. Bed Slingers (A1) or XY (P1P)?
If you are only doing PLA and multi colour printing the A1 will be a better fit. Where the P1 is better is with materials that need an enclosure, like ABS/ASA/nylon. You can make your own P1P enclosure, but the better option is probably a P1S, which is of course more expensive.
@@TeachingTech Hey thanks for the reply. Since I'm only just starting out I'll go for the A1 for now, then when I start to advance more I can start to move into those materials.
What's the total height with the AMS mounted on the top like that? Can't find that info anywhere but I have a specific place in mind and it would only work with that on top...providing it can fit in a space 80cm tall!
Just ran a tape measure for you. I got 750mm from the base to the top. With the highest components being PTFE that could be squished down a few cm if needed.
What type of lap top will I need to operate the a1? I only have a chrome bok
you seamed to have vfa on those round petg prints and exhaust fan ?
What is better about the P and X series compared to the A series BL printers? Why are they worth the extra money?
I wonder if the AMS lite uses the same cable as the regular AMS... AKA wondering if you could chain a AMS lite to the end of a regular AMS (on a x1 or p1 printer) even if it's just 1. I wonder if it could be done for rolls that don't fit well in a regular AMS..
Considering the tech is almost identical, it's a natural conclusion that the reason for poorer prints is either the filament used or a software (inc firmware) issue.
The bad cooling on benchy, is there any options to fix it? Thanks for the great video!
Last week my family in Canada received a defective A1 that immediately showed a recall message on the LCD. Bambulab Canada have not registered the recall with the government database. They have not contacted the family to provide a replacement or pick up the defective item.
Just ordered my A1 hoping to get the Jet engine kit as i'm a huge aerospace nerd.
With the A1 recall: do you think the A1 mini is worth it or better wait for the A1 update expected in May?
There are other alternatives as the Ender 3 V3 KE that seems has a better qualiy printing than the A1 and lower price and bigger community for troubleshooting.
Most of you would tell me that I am comparing different kind of products but at the end with all the poops generated by the AMS lite I do not think the multicolor option is a choice and the other features are very similar between A1 and Ender V3 KE (adding the accelerometer and nebula cam) for lower price.
Please, any comment to this?
Maybe stupid question, but does the volume on A1 goes down if I'm not printing that fast? I need something quiet, mostly printing small racing cars which doesn't need that fast printing :D
Forgot that it is summer in Australia, thats why you need the fan ;)
This may be a dumb question. But, can you slow the print speed on the printer? Is that an option?
That ams lite looks so cool. I keep expecting bobafett to wheel han out of it
I've seen some others mention the underextruded line issue and I think a firmware update fixed it for them. Or in some cases it seemed to somehow just fix itself. Best and worst thing to happen really. Problem solved but can't help others with it.
Question: Can the multiple feeders be used to automatically switch filament when one feed's run stops? I would think this would be a great way to handle larger print jobs when you have limited filament left on a roll... just let it run out and the printer could switch to a secondary roll (potentially of the same kind of filament). Curious if this can be done automatically with the A1.
A review (not remember exactly which) I watched at recently says it can do it. But not owning this model, I can't confirm.
Haha. Noctua should sell some color matched filament.
I honestly am just here hoping that the turbine is linked in he description, it looks so cool
Can the A1 use the purge into object feature like the x1 can. It really lowered my waste considerably I just add another model or print so that something is being used with the waste I just go to objects, others, and click purge into this object. also there is purge into infill and try to save as much as possible. Thanks again TT
Greatt videoooo! I have question! Is it possible to use another filament brand (no bambulab) in the AMS?
In the end, what is better A1 or A1 Mini if we exclude build volume out of equation ?
2:40 i received my A1 but the bed had no sticker on it
can I purchase the AMS Lite separate from the printer? I looked for it on the site but couldn't find it.
Thank you for the great review. I will be purchasing one.
5:58 *Wrong, the A1 has only one Z axis stepper motor, not twin. Both lead screws are driving by one stepper like a cheap ass ender 3. You can even see the one single stepper motor during assembly, how did you miss this lol?*
You are a literal prusa supremacist, you have tiven bambu more money by bitching and straight up lying
I noticed the prusa with muti nozzle color changing system.. seems like a much better solution
Wish it didn’t cost so much..
Thinking about the A1
I design and print lots of things in tpu
Is there a good way to add pla into a mostly tpu part? I know the AMS doesn’t work with tpu
Just a thought, Why not build and enclosure to house the printer that includes some Fiberglass insulation to dampen the noise? a side benefit might be that the temperature inside the enclosure could be better controlled.
Bambu recommends against making an enclosure for the A1 according to their FAQ. There might be some components that are thermally sensitive, I didn't look into it further.
@@HonorNecrisProbably the PSU. When building enclosures for Prusa MK3s, it's strongly advised to move it outside the enclosure, because having it working in a hot environment for long periods can shorten its life expectancy.
5:57 - nope! Single stepper motor and belt drive to both lead screws.
I have a mini coming for Christmas and have money to either spend on p1s or this and ams so I’ll see how much I use ams with mini
I have kobra 2 and I have some problems with quality. Would that printer be a good upgrade when im fed up with kobra 2 shennanigens?
The Bambu A1 has got me thinking about multi col/material support with a bit less waste.
You can see how the A1 has four filament tubes and a power lead attached to the top of the print shuttle.
I reckon this could be set up for multi heads in that shuttle unit.
The shuttle could be hung so that it straddles the gantry arm, rather than hanging off the front. Might be easier if the gantry was a tube???
Then the printing nozzles are positioned with two in front of the gantry and two behind, thus giving the head more balance as it shoots back and forth.
Then we get rid of the fan from the shuttle. Position it somewhere else and run a tube from the fan to the shuttle. This might allow us to install much larger fans, maybe with some air compression to get some really decent ventilation to the shuttle? Air reaching the nozzle might be cooler too.
Then we run the four filament tubes and the power lead inside the fan tube, creating a single tidy umbilical cord attached to the shuttle head. The air tube could be quite lightweight, as the filament tubes would provide it with a bit of structural support.
Maybe If we had a tube attached to the shuttle head, we could SUCK the air away from the nozzles. Would that cool the part sufficiently,? With the bonus that any fumes will also be sucked away???
Thank you bro I edged to this video
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Have you tried testing on a non-wobbly desk? Seeing the desk wobble like that makes me wince. I know, input shaping should be able to handle a wobbly desk. Still, the less work the shaper had to do, the better quality it should be able to deliver.
I'm hoping to get this printer quite soon - but have no need for the AMS system. Without all that weight above - and just a single standard spool, would that go a long way in improving print quality?
Does the Garolite plate you link have a magnetic base?
I am trying to decide between the A1 and A1 mini the price difference in my opinion is not all that much ($150 Aus) so I want to go for the better printer not including build volume as I could live with the mini's smaller volume
I have a request: I thought Core XY is better than bed slingers. I have an Ender 3S1 that has caused so much frustration with first layers not working and thinking the auto bed leveler meant no more paper and spinning the corner wheels. I spent way too any times and tries with the paper and the springs that never felt right - do all those nightmares go away with this? I saw some knobs on the A1 - do I have to bed level? I am waiting for a more affordable xy printer - no review answers why go back to a bed slinger. Most people are former bed slinger users who are traumatized as I am with past experiences running paper over all 4 corners endlessly chasing the perfect first layer attempt - I wish more was said about this issue.
QIDI X-Smart costs the same as the A1 Mini, 300.
Core XY is not better, but it has some advantages when you are printing very fast. If you're printing thin tall models, the shaking bed of a bed-slinger might dislodge them.
@@kaasmeester5903 I thought it would be better in terms of bed levelling and not having to worry about bed coming out of alignment. My auto bed leveller does not really accomplish anything on the creality ender 3 s1.
@@tomsop I'm not sure if that's an inherent problem with bed-slingers, or that core XY solves that problem. I've had no issues with automatic bed leveling on my Prusa MK4, it's been consistently outstanding.
Now compare this review to the review of Prusia XL - its night and day! Printer can't print reliably yet somehow it is good. Bambu controls what reviewers can and can not say, as simple as that.
The Prusa XL cost a hell of a lot more and is not meant for absolute beginners like this is, totally different market aims. For the money it’s worth it, no worse than the Ender 3 is and far less messing required.
No company has ever controlled what I can and can't say. My Prusa XL was more negative because it deserved to be. The printer was hugely delayed, crazy expensive and performing poorly. This printer has slightly worse part cooling than the A1 mini, and that's about the worst problem.
If you slow down the benchy print speed to the stock settings if a mk3s+ does it print with the same quality?
No
We have many
When I slice a benchy myself and drop the speed to normal settings, the benchy is basically perfect.
@@peterrichards2762 so is my ender 3
Great review. How would you say the quality compares with the P1S? Also, some reviewers have commented on printing errors in early prints that seemed to disappear after firmware updates. Have you experienced any quality improvements already?
Can the lines in the printing moisture