[3D Printing News] Bambu Lab AMS Explained! The Secret to Multicolor Printing!
Color 3D printing was one of the few legitimate reasons Bambu Lab chose a 3D printer for its development project. Initially, Bambu Lab naively and boldly believed they could have a full-color printer within 18 months that would dwarf all others on the market. Printing on a single material was tedious, while mixed-color printing would be extremely chaotic. Twenty-two months into the project, Bambu Lab finally found a compromise: the Automated Material Feeding System (AMS).
Technical Background
There are various multi-color feed systems on the market. Prusa has two generations of MMUs, and Mosaic has three generations of Palettes. Bambu Labs ' AMS is similar to these two. All are single-in, single-out hot-end feeders, avoiding the constant clogging issues of multi-in, single-out feeders, but requiring the removal of a large amount of wire to prevent color contamination. There are also multi-head feeders to meet the needs of multiple materials; Prusa's latest XL uses this method. However, Bambu Labs lacked confidence in the mechanical reliability of layer-by-layer head switching, and therefore finalized its current system architecture at the end of 2020.
Detailed design
Here's how AMS works; it consists of three main parts: a set of four spool holders, a hub, and a buffer. Each spool holder has its own motor that actively pushes the filament forward or winds it back onto the spool. During extrusion, it pulls the filament like an extruder. When it's time to wind the filament back, the spool rotates. The hub merges the four filament paths into one and provides a second stage of drive force to the filament via a brushless motor. The buffer is located behind the printer, relatively close to the tool head extruder, to ensure the filament tension is within a certain range so that the tool head extruder can operate easily and precisely. Overall, there are 10 sensors along the filament path, plus an odometer in the hub. Therefore, the filament's position, speed, and tension are monitored and controlled.
spool support with drive roller
The cable path from AMS to the printer has a buffer in the center.
Aside from these filament feeding components, the entire system is sealed and includes a humidity sensor. Silicone O-rings are added to prevent moisture from entering and damaging hygroscopic filaments such as PA and PC . On the printer body, there's a waste chute ramp for cleaning materials, reducing the time required for the print cleaning tower, and a filament cutter on the tool head to cut off unwanted filaments.
At the entrance of the cleaning slide, the white roller is a nozzle wiper. 
Excess wire cleaning outlet
advantage
1. The position, speed, and tension of the printing wire are actively controlled, ensuring that the printer always operates under ideal conditions.
2. There are no messy cables around; all retracted cables are back on the spool.
3. An ideal storage place for hygroscopic threads such as PA, PC , PVA and PETG .
4. Its reliability is much better than that of MMU2.
5. The overall appearance is beautiful and neat.
shortcoming
1. Waste still needs to be removed.
2. The wire switch takes time.
3. Incompatible with elastic materials such as TPU .
4. Not very accommodating to cardboard spools, which may generate paper scraps and clog the system.
5. Although reliability has improved, it is still not as good as a photocopier.
1. The position, speed, and tension of the printing wire are actively controlled, ensuring that the printer always operates under ideal conditions.
2. There are no messy cables around; all retracted cables are back on the spool.
3. An ideal storage place for hygroscopic threads such as PA, PC , PVA and PETG .
4. Its reliability is much better than that of MMU2.
5. The overall appearance is beautiful and neat.
shortcoming
1. Waste still needs to be removed.
2. The wire switch takes time.
3. Incompatible with elastic materials such as TPU .
4. Not very accommodating to cardboard spools, which may generate paper scraps and clog the system.
5. Although reliability has improved, it is still not as good as a photocopier.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is RFID identification a closed ecosystem?
No, AMS is compatible with most external cables. RFID is there to improve the user experience with Bambu cables; for example, you can randomly insert four Bambu spools in sequence, and AMS can automatically identify them. For cables without RFID, you must select the color and material type on the slicing software or touchscreen.
2. AMS has four slots, so why is it called 4*4 color?
You can use the AMS hub accessory to connect up to 4 AMS units to one printer, so you can have up to 4x4, or 16 colors or materials.
3. Does AMS contain desiccant?
No. Thanks to its carefully designed airtight structure, a desiccant is not needed in the AMS. The AMS has two slots that can hold two bags of desiccant, keeping the system dry for extended periods. A humidity sensor will alert you to replace the desiccant when it runs out.
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References
1. Is RFID identification a closed ecosystem?
No, AMS is compatible with most external cables. RFID is there to improve the user experience with Bambu cables; for example, you can randomly insert four Bambu spools in sequence, and AMS can automatically identify them. For cables without RFID, you must select the color and material type on the slicing software or touchscreen.
2. AMS has four slots, so why is it called 4*4 color?
You can use the AMS hub accessory to connect up to 4 AMS units to one printer, so you can have up to 4x4, or 16 colors or materials.
3. Does AMS contain desiccant?
No. Thanks to its carefully designed airtight structure, a desiccant is not needed in the AMS. The AMS has two slots that can hold two bags of desiccant, keeping the system dry for extended periods. A humidity sensor will alert you to replace the desiccant when it runs out.
Did you enjoy this sharing? Visit our shopping mall now to learn more about 3D printing filaments and 3D printers , or contact us for high-quality 3D printing OEM services.
Follow our fan page to stay up-to-date with the latest news: https://www.facebook.com/3dmart.com.tw/
https://www.instagram.com/3dmart/
References