Bambu Lab X1 Carbon series - FDM 3D printer

The X1 Carbon is a high speed FDM 3D printer designed by Bambu Lab, a company specialized in the design and manufacturing of innovative and eco-friendly 3D printing solutions based on vast knowledge and experience in robotics, artificial intelligence, materials science, and internet industries. The X1 Carbon 3D printer is available in the basic version (only printer) on in a combo package with the AMS module for multimaterial and multicolor printing. The features of both versions will be described in detail below.

Video 1: The X1 Carbon 3D printer. Source: Bambu Lab.

The X1 Carbon 3D printer is characterized by a build volume of 256 × 256 × 256 mm, high printing speed of up to 500 mm/s, high extrusion and bed temperature of, respectively, 300 ºC and 110/120 ºC, dual automatic bed leveling, high quality printing with 7 μm Lidar resolution, as well as the capability to 3D print with in multicolor and multimaterial mode thanks to high levels of upgradability and customizability. What makes the printer so user-friendly is the fact that it is shipped assembled, calibrated and tested so the user can enjoy printing within minutes of receving the X1 Carbon printer.

Technical features

The X1 Carbon 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, with an aluminum and glass shell. The Core XY motion system has a 20 000 mm/s² acceleration, a 32 mm³/s flow, and a printing speed of 500 mm/s. To compensate for any vibration at high printing speeds, Bambu Lab has opted for an active vibration compensation technology for the XY axes, with the X-rail made of ultralight full carbon (184 g).

Video 2: The active vibration compensation technology. Source: Bambu Lab.

The X1 Carbon 3D printer features AI-powered electronics. The advanced motion control is provided by a dual-core 32 bit MCU, and the AI features are taken care of by a Quad-Core SoC with 2 TOPs NPU. One of the AI features is the Bambu Micro Lidar which brings micrometer level precision into 3D printing. The system probes the nozzle height, calibrates the flow, and scans the first layer to make sure no errors have occurred.

Video 3: The Bambu Lab micro lidar installed on the print head. Source: Bambu Lab.

In terms of compatible 3D printing materials, the X1 Carbon printer offers much mure than the low temperature and easy print PLA and PETG. With X1 Carbon it is possible to work with more demanding materials thanks to the sophisticated thermal control offered by the printer. X1 Carbon is equipped with a light toolhead (574 g) with an all-metal hotend and a 50 HRC hardened steel 0.4 mm nozzle (0.2, 0.6 and 0.8 mm diameters also compatible), as well as carburized steel drive gears. This extrusion system unlocks a wider selection of materials, including PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PVA, PET. X1 Carbon is especially ideal for PA and PC, and specializes in carbon fiber and glass fiber reinforced polymers.

Image 1: The printing surface of the X1 Carbon printers. Source: Bambu Lab.

The printing surface of the X1 Carbon printer consists of a flexible steel build plate (Bambu Cool Plate, Bambu Engineering Plate included). The bed leveling does not end at measuring the height of the nozzle relative to the bed. The micro lidar mentioned earlier and a force sensor work together to crosscheck for an extra layer of redundancy in bed leveling, and an algorithm ties everything together for optimal dual automated bed leveling. This system ensures that no errors go unnoticed.

Ultimate part quality is ensured by the X1 Carbon's high capacity cooling system consisting of a part cooling fan, a hotend fan, a control board fan, a chamber temperature regulator fan, and an auxiliary part cooling fan. To provide ideal conditions for demanding materials, chamber temperature sensor automatically adjusts the speed of the chamber fan. What's more, an advanced fan system with feedback enables to detect when a fan is not responding or blowing at the wrong speed.

Safe 3D printing

One of the safety measures applied in the X1 Carbon printer is the the AI-aided first layer inspection system with the Bambu Micro Lidar technology. Upon detection of printing failures such as the "spaghetti monster", the printer automatically pauses the printing process and alerts the user. Another safety feature included in the X1 Carbon printer is the automatic print restart after power outage. This solution makes sure that no material goes to waste and the print can be continued where it was left off.

Image 2: Thanks to the AI-powered features, printing errors can be detected. Source: Bambu Lab.

Some other safety solutions employed in the X1 Carbon printer are:

• A 1920 x 1080 chamber monitoring camera for remote livestreaming, timelapse videos of the printing process, and troubleshooting.
• A smart door sensor - the print is automatically paused when the chamber door has been opened.
• A filament runout sensor notifies the user when the filament has ended, allowing for material reloading and cintinuing the print seamlessly.
• An RFID sensor detects what filament is used and apply the best printing settings (works only with Bambu Lab filaments).
• 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).
• A BTM sensor detects when the belt tension is off and alerts the user to activate the semi-automatic belt tensioner.

Overall, the X1 Carbon 3D printer is equipped with 43 sensors for the printer's health management. The sensors work in unison and monitor the printer's condition and performance in real-time, providing the user with detailed information about the printer and allowing for ad advanced control of the machine for best results. 

X1 Carbon AMS Combo

The X1 Carbon 3D printer can be purchased in a combo package with the AMS module, a device mounted on top of the printer for unlocking the multicolor and multimaterial printing feature. The parallel 4x4 design 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.

Image 3: 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 4: The X1 Carbon 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 X1 Carbon printer offers connectivity via WiFi, Bambu-Bus or a Micro SD card. The user interface is displayed on a 5-inch 720p LCD touchscreen and the printer can also be controlled via an mobile or web application. The native laminating software for the X1 Carbon printer is the Bambu Studio with natively supported 3MF.

Image 4: Print from anywhere with X1 Carbon. 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).

Eco-friendly and versatile

One of the most exciting features of the X1 Carbon printer is its eco-friendly design in accordance with the Bambu Lab mission to develop sustainable 3D printing solutuions. One X1 Carbon 3D printer can easily do the work of several 3D printers and have the same productivity. This means less waiting time and fast iteration, features ideal for 3D printing farms, research facilities, etc. All the smart features, efficient extrusion system, advanced printing base and high capacity cooling system, as well as the numerous AI-aided features have allowed the X1 Carbon 3D printer to achieve an 80 % cut in carbon footprint and save about 20 % of plastic.

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 X1 Carbon's smart connectivity options and a user-friendly UI and laminating software.