Bambu labs has launched it’s new A1 mini and AMS lite mutli-colour FDM 3d printer for launch price of $459. There is no other multi-colour 3d printer available for such low price point. It is a cantiliver design.
The printers available like ender 3, ender 5 have a larger bed size but they cannot do milticolour prints, neither there is any way to convert a single filament 3d printer to a multicolour one. So keeping these things in mind this machine can prove to be a good 3d printer.
Once Bablu Lab said – “no more bedslingers” but this printer is itself a bedslinger. The maximum volume it can print is 180 mm x 180 mm x 180 mm so the bed size is a bit small.
Definition – A bedslinger is a kind of 3d printer in which bed also moves. Generally, bed moves back and forth i.e. y-axis.
This small 3d printer is the best choice if you want to print small and beautiful multicolour things. This printer can use upto 4 different filaments in a single print. I think thats a huge plus point. And on the top of all these things, it has a direct drive which means it can aslo print flexible filaments.
Installation
This is the best part, It is very easy to set up this printer where other DIY printers take hours in installation A1 mini and AMS lite just takes winding a few screws and is assembled in just 20 to 25 mins. This machine is really beginner friendly as it can start printing within 1 hour of getting it.
The 3d printer comes almost pre-assembled, you just have to do a few small things to start printing:
- Removing Shipping Bracket: Unscrew the shipping bracket and take it out.
- Purge Wiper: Its work is to throw a small portion of filament everytime filament is changed. This is important in multi-colour printing and every multi-colour printer does it in its own way. purge wiper is a small part that has to be screwed at the end of the x-axis shaft.
- Spool holder: There is a spool holder that can be attached to the Z shaft of the printer. There is a small leaf which is srewed in the Z shaft and then spool hoder is inserted into it. This spool holder can be used if the someone has bought only the 3d printer or using 3d printer without AMS lite.
AMS lite has three parts as follows:
- AMS lite main unit: Main unit is ready to use. It has four shafts where spool holders has to be inserted.
- AMS lite stand: Put AMS lite main unit on it and secure it with screws.
- Spool holders: There are 4 spool holders each goes into its dedicated shafts in AMS lite. They just has to be pushed into these shafts. Almost all the spools are easily held in this holder except esun spools as their hole is a bit bigger and do not fit.
- Bowden Tubes: Obviously to supply filament from spools to the printer bowden tubes have to be connected.
- Wire Connection: Finally insert the wire from AMS lite to the A1 mini. With this last step the steup is complete and the printer in ready to do multi-colour printing.
Calibration
There are two calibrations that are done by the printer.
1) Vibration calibration: In this calicration process both x and y axises moves at increasing speeds. With these motion 3d printer determines the maximum acceleration it get with th least vibration which is very helpful in decreasing vibrations while printing.
2) Motor noise cancellation: In this process hot end do some movements then it turns on its noise cancellation alogrithm and repeats those movements again. It performs these movements both in slow and high speed.
3) Flow rate compensation: A1 mini uses an eddy current sensor to measure the pressure in the nozzle and then accordingly regulates the flow rate. It improves the quality of 3d prints.
All these calibrations are automatically done.
Hot End & Nozzle
Its nozzle changing method is quite unique and very easy to install and change. There is a small door that has to be opened and nozzle can be taken out directly. Nozzle is attached to a nozzle holder and comes out with it. There is no need to unscrew anything like most of other FDM 3d printers. Normal nozzles cannot be used with it.
In most of the fdm 3d printers hot end and nozzle are seperate parts. Nozzle has external threads and hot end has internal threads. Noozle is screwed in hotend with the help of these threads. But in A1 mini nozzle and hot end are not seperate but one unit.
Bambu Studio
Every Bambu Lab 3d printer owner gets access to Bambu Studio where he/she gets a lot of ready to download designs and you can also do slicing of your 3d designs.
Surprise Gifts
Good news! Bambu Lab is giving 1 of 4 surprise gifts with every A1 mini 3d printer. So, there are 4 gift boxes from which anyone is randomly given. These box contain the non-printable parts to complete that particular surprise gift. These four surprises gift are: 1) Lamp kit 2) Mouse kit 3) Marble run kit 4) Engine model kit.
There is a QR code at the back of the kit. Scan that QR code with “Bambu Handy” app it takes you to the page of that kit. There you can press the “prepare to print” button and select the Bambu printer connected to print the kit.
Enclosure
A1 mini dose not come with any kind of enclosure.
Specifications of A1 mini and AWS Lite Combo
| Packed Weight (with AMS Lite) | 10 kg approx. |
| Net Weight (without AMS Lite) | 5.5 Kg |
| Multicolor Prints | Yes |
| Number of filaments | 4 |
| Print Volume | 180 mm x 180 mm x 180 mm |
| Bed Size | 180 mm X 180 mm |
| Print Speed | 500mm/s |
| Linear Rails | Yes (x and z axis) |
| Touch Screen | Yes |
| Camera | Yes |
| Camera Cover | Yes |
| Imbuilt Wifi | Yes |
| Remote Monitoring | Yes |
| Low Noise | Upto 48 db |
Pros & Cons
| Sl | Pros | Cons |
| 1. | Multi-colour printing | Takes more space |
| 2. | High printing speed | Small bed size |
| 3. | Noise cancellation | Wastes filament |
| 4. | Automatic Caliberation | |
| 5. | Wifi | |
| 6. | Camera | |
| 7. | Easy to setup | |
| 8. | Super easy nozzle changing method | |
| 9. | Cloud Slicing | |
| 10. | Bambu Studio |
Bambu Lab officially only delivers its machines only to the following regions:
- Thailand
- Malaysia
- Singapore
- China Taiwan
- China Hong Kong
- China Macao
FAQ’s
Is A1 Mini direct drive?
Yes, It has a direct drive.
Does Bambu A1 mini have a camera?
Yes, It has an imbuilt camera with a camera cover. This camera can be used for remote monitoring.
What materials can A1 Mini print?
It can print PLA, TPU, PETG and PVA.
Can the A1 mini print TPU?
Yes, It can print TPU as it has a direct drive extruder.
Is Bambu Lab open source?
No, Bambu Lab is not open source.
Check out official website here —> Bambu Lab A1 Mini
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