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The most well liked factor within the 3D printing trade proper now could be undoubtedly Bambu Lab—and rightfully so. In an in any other case stale client additive manufacturing (AM) market, Bambu Lab has entered weapons blazing with true improvements corresponding to lively vibration compensation, enter shaping, and print speeds that are mind-bogglingly quick. Match this with an computerized materials station (AMS) that allows multicolor printing and a really aggressive value level, and it’s clear to see why Bambu Lab has develop into the corporate to beat.
One of many firm’s newer choices is the P1S, which goals to be a extra reasonably priced variant of the flagship X1 Carbon. At 3DPrint.com, we wished to place the P1S to the check to see what the printer was all about—and if it lives as much as the hype of the Bambu Lab title. After weeks of testing out the P1S, listed below are my ideas.
Unboxing and Setup
While you obtain a P1S, the very very first thing you could do is unbox the printer and get it arrange. Together with an assortment of instruments that you simply’ll must get the machine up and operating, the printer comes with a pamphlet that reveals you step-by-step directions on methods to unbox your printer correctly.
The method itself was tougher than I might have favored it to be. Basically, it consists of eradicating units of screws that safe components of the printer whereas in transit, in addition to putting in tubing and even connecting the LCD display to the entrance PCB of the machine. As somebody with a lot expertise working with 3D printers, I think about myself to be fairly useful. Nevertheless, I discovered the method to be a bit bit complicated and troublesome at instances. All issues thought-about, it took me between 30 and 45 minutes to get the system up and operating.
As soon as the printer and AMS are connected and able to go, you connect with the P1S by way of the corporate’s Bambu Helpful app. It helps you stroll via the set-up course of, which features a full self-diagnostic check, in addition to some lively vibration compensation testing.
From there on out, it’s principally easy crusing with the P1S.
Bambu Studio and Printer UI
If you wish to get began printing with the P1S, you’ve two choices: both you connect with the printer with Bambu Lab’s slicer software program, Bambu Studio, or you’ll be able to select from a set of prints that come pre-loaded on the machine.
General, Bambu Studio was a pleasure to work with. Whereas the interface can lag at instances, its structure feels intuitive and offers you loads of management over, and perception into, the printer’s standing and operations. The digicam feed, whereas gradual, is appropriate for the needs of an reasonably priced client printer.
One of many greatest drawbacks of the P1S is the person interface (UI), which quantities to a low-resolution, 2.8 monochrome, LCD managed by a directional pad. It’s workable when you’re used to it, but it surely’s reasonably clunky and cumbersome. It usually feels antiquated in comparison with the remainder of the machine. Luckily, the Bambu Studio and Bambu Helpful purposes are fairly complete, so you could possibly probably get away with avoiding the UI altogether if you happen to wished to.
First Print: Benchy
Like several good 3D printing fanatic, the very first print I ran on the P1S was a Benchy.
Whereas elective, each single print on the P1S begins with computerized mattress leveling, which provides about 5 minutes to the method however ensures constant, high quality prints. When printing with Bambu Labs PLA at Customary pace, the Benchy took about 25 minutes to print and got here out in addition to any Benchy I’ve ever seen.
Left to proper: Customary Mode utilizing Bambu PLA, Ludicrous Mode utilizing Bambu PLA, Ludicrous Mode utilizing third-party PLA.
Then got here the half that I’d been ready for: Ludicrous Mode. Printing the identical Benchy once more, however this time on the printer’s quickest pace, was past spectacular. This time the whole print took about 12 minutes to finish, and the pace at which the toolhead moved and laid down materials was merely mind-blowing. I’ve genuinely by no means seen a printer transfer so quick – I discovered it laborious to consider at instances.
Most spectacular, nonetheless, was the print end result. Evaluating the identical Benchy on Ludicrous and Customary mode, it appeared that there was little to no impression on print high quality. Whereas it’s very probably that Bambu Lab has extremely optimized their machine for printing Benchy specifically, it’s nonetheless a extremely spectacular end result.
Multicolor Printing and AMS
One of many biggest pleasures of utilizing the P1S was the AMS, which is easy and straightforward to make use of. All you should do is place filament in any one of many 4 slots and insert the filament into the opening. The AMS and printer work collectively behind the scenes to mechanically load the fabric for you, making the method as hands-off as potential.
With a four-material AMS, the P1S is able to reaching multicolor printing. Utilizing the Coloring device in Bambu Studio, customers can select which components of their mannequin will probably be printed wherein coloration. The device varies in issue primarily based on the mannequin you’re printing. A few of them permit full areas to simply be coloured in with the Fill device, whereas others require meticulous drawing of traces and limits – generally to the purpose of not being possible or worthwhile.
A 3-color PLA print on the P1S.
Should you do get a efficiently coloured mannequin, the system takes care of the remainder of it for you. The AMS will mechanically change supplies and colours as specified within the slicer software program, leaving you with nothing actually to do however sit and await the print to complete.
The main downsides of the multi-color printing expertise, for my part, had been the filament waste, some encountered errors, and the elevated print instances. On every materials change, the machine purges a big quantity of plastic, which will get ejected out of the again of the printer, a reasonably crude however easy and efficient resolution. In addition to that, the largest points had been occasional errors with switching that ends in pausing the print. These errors are principally resolved by telling the printer to attempt the fabric change once more.
General, multi-material printing is easy and enjoyable, however will add a big period of time to your print.
Third-party Supplies
One thing that I beloved concerning the P1S was its potential to deal with third-party filaments. Whereas Bambu Lab does have its personal line of supplies that it recommends, utilizing a third-party PLA had no noticeable impacts on print high quality or speeds in my expertise.
A 3-material print utilizing tree helps, consisting of two third-party supplies and one Bambu materials.
This even prolonged to multi-material prints, the place a mix of Bambu Lab and third-party filament was utilized in a single print. Even right here, there have been no points to be seen within the remaining high quality of the half. So long as your third-party materials can match contained in the AMS, you’re good to go.
In any other case, you’ll be able to side-load the filament into the printer utilizing the exterior spool holder, however this precludes you from doing multi-material with the remainder of the AMS.
It’s value noting that my testing solely consisted of PLA, though Bambu Labs does declare to assist different supplies corresponding to ABS and Carbon Fiber.
Concluding Ideas
The query of what makes a superb 3D printer is fairly hotly debated and varies from individual to individual. To some, crucial issue could be dimensional accuracy. To others, it could be print pace. Some might disregard PLA printing fully and solely care about industrial and engineering-grade supplies.
I believe it doesn’t matter what your definition is, it’s clear that the Bambu Lab P1S is an excellent machine that serves its objective as an reasonably priced, but high-performance consumer-facing 3D printer. Whereas it has its drawbacks, particularly the low-grade person interface, its printing capabilities are extraordinarily spectacular and its printing pace generally is a little laborious to understand. All issues thought-about, the mix of pace, high quality, ease of use, and value level make the Bambu Labs P1S a extremely really useful printer for anybody out there
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