Bambu Lab P1S series - FDM 3D printer

The P1S 3D printer by Bambu Lab is the perfect 3D printer for those who are looking for speed, high extrusion temperature and a closed chamber for better results with demanding engineering materials. Similarly to the P1P printer by Bambu Lab, the P1S offers a build volume of 256 × 256 × 256 mm, a printing speed of 500 mm/s, an extrusion temperature of up to 300 ºC, a bed temperature of 100 ºC, and a wide range of compatible materials such as PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PVA and PET, and even PA and PC.

Video 1: The unboxing of the P1S 3D printer. Source: Bambu Lab.

The P1S printer only takes around 15 minutes to assemble and comes with many features that will make the printing process smooth and straightforward, regardless of the user's level of experience. The P1S 3D printer is designed to deliver excellent printing speed but also superb accuracy and surface finish of the parts. The chassis is made of welded steel and the shell of P1S is made of resilient plastic and glass.

Image 1: The chassis of the P1S printer. Source: Bambu Lab.

The P1S offers a printing speed of 500 mm/s, acceleration of up to 20000 m/s², a maximum toolhead speed of 20 m/s², and a maximum hotend flow of 32 mm³/s. To compensate for any vibration at high printing speeds, Bambu Lab has opted for an active vibration compensation technology for the XY axes.

Image 2: Printing without and with the active vibration compensation technology. Source: Bambu Lab.

The P1S 3D printer features an automatic bed leveling sensor (ABL) that ensures the printing bed is always properly leveled for a perfect first layer every time. The printing surface of the P1S printer is a dual-sided textured PEI plate, swappable with other Bambu build plate options.

Image 3: The extruder of the P1S printer. Source: Bambu Lab.

P1S is equipped with a direct drive extruder with steel extruder gears where the motor is directly connected to the extruder. This design gives the P1S printer better control on the extrusion and retraction of flexible filaments, and guarantees precise and consistent extrusion for smooth and no-blur prints. The hotend of the PP printer is all-metal which increases the durability and supports long-time 3D printing at high temperatures and speeds. The printer comes with a stainless steel 0.4 mm nozzle but 0.2, 0.6, and 0.8 mm nozzles can be used too. In comparison to the P1P printer, the P1S printer's toolhead cable has been enhanced with a cable chain.

Image 4: The build plate of the P1S printer. Source: Bambu Lab.

One of the most crucial features of the P1S printer is its closed chamber equipped with an active carbon filter for printing with materials such as ABS. P1S offers more powerful part cooling thanks to an auxiliary part cooling fan, a more stable chamber temperature thanks to the a chamber regulator fan, and a control board fan that helps cool the control board. Are these fans are part of the Closed Loop Control system for better control and monitoring.

In order to ensure maximum quality of prints and a smooth printing process, Bambu Lab has equipped the P1S printer with various safety solutions:

• An inbuilt 1280 x 720 camera that allows for monitoring as well as recording timelapse videos at a speed of 0.5 fps.
• A filament runout sensor notifies the user when the filament has ended, allowing for material reloading and continuing the print seamlessly.
• Semi-automatic belt tensioning - the tension of the belt is essential for ensuring dimensional accuracy. Resonance frequency identification runs every time to help maintain the correct tension.
• Power loss recovery - the print can be resumed once the power has been brought back on.
• Optional filament odometry as part of the AMS module. This feature lets the user know how much filament is being used and how much is left.
• Fans with speed feedback - in order to ensure than the fans are operating at their optimal speed at all times, the P1S printer monitors them via speed feedback sensors. 

Thanks to these features, the user can start a print in no time and rest assured that no potential problem will go unnoticed or unsolved.

P1S AMS Combo

A very valuable feature of this 3D printer is that it is compatible with the Bambu Lab AMS Module, a device that gives the printer the capability to 3D print with in multicolor and multimaterial mode. The P1S 3D printer can be purchased in a combo package with the AMS module.The parallel 4x4 design of the AMS module fits spools with a width of 50-68 mm and a diameter of 197-202 mm. It must be kept in mind that TPU or damp PVA should not be used with the AMS module, and it is also recommended to avoid cardboard spools as they may slip.

Video 2: The AMS module allows for multimaterial 3D printing. Source: Bambu Lab.

The AMS module operates on a 2-stage feeding system with a filament selection module and a filament buffer module. The filament selection module has four inlets to connect to four separate AMS units (with an optional Bambu Lab AMS Hub, ideal for 3D printing farms). Each slot has a hall sensor to detect the filament, as well as filament runout and winding sensors. The buffer module’s task is to make sure the tension on the filaments is within a given range. Overall, the AMS module features 10 sensors in the filament path to carefully monitor and controll the position, speed, and tension of the filament as it makes its way to the extruder.

Video 3: Unboxint the P1S combo package with the AMS module. Source: Bambu Lab.

The AMS module includes silicon rubber O-rings to keep the device airtight and prevent the filament from absorbing humidity. The moisture-proof system also includes a humidity sensor and two packets of desiccant for absorbing any moisture. When the air humidity within the AMS module exceeds the standard preset, the humidity sensor will detect and remind the user to replace the desiccant bags.

User interface

The P1S printer offers connectivity via WiFi, Bambu-Bus and Bluetooth. The user interface is displayed on a 2.7-inch touchscreen and the printer can also be controlled via a mobile or web application. The native laminating software for the P1S printer is the Bambu Studio.

Image 5: The P1S user interface. Source: Bambu Lab.

Nevertheless, third party laminating software which export standard G-code such as Superslicer, Prusa Slicer and Cura, are also compatible (certain advanced features may not be supported).

Speed and quality for creative spirits

This 3D printer is the ideal equipment for those who want to obtain great surface quality and excellent mechanical features in a smooth and fast 3D printing process, possibly in an arrangement with multiple 3D printers for production in series. This functionality is made even easier by the P1S's smart connectivity options and a user-friendly UI and laminating software. The fully enclosed chamber and the possibility to use the AMS module unlock a whole range of engineering 3D printing materials making the P1S a reliable and versatile 3D printer.