Bambu Lab A1 Mini series - FDM 3D printer

The A1 Mini FDM 3D printer by Bambu Lab is a desktop 3D printer that offers astonishing printing quality, speed, and versatility in a compact and sturdy format. The printer can be purchased on its own, in an AMS Combo bundle with the AMS Lite module, or in the Mega Combo package with the AMS Lite module and extra accessories (hotends and build surface). The features of all those options will be discussed in detail below.

Video 1: Introducing the A1 Mini 3D printer. Source: Bambu Lab.

The A1 Mini printer only takes around 20 minutes to set up before the first use since it comes pre-assembled, pre-squared, and pre-tuned to make it more accessible to users of different initiation levels, as well as easier to use, more reliable and more efficient. Furthermore, thanks to the active motor noise cancelling feature, A1 Mini can work at noise levels of below 48 dB, which makes it one of the quietest printers on the market, compatible with offices, households and educational institutions.

A1 Mini offers a build volume of 180 x 180 x 180 mm, a printing speed of up to 500 mm/s, an extrusion temperature of up to 300 ºC, a bed temperature of 80 ºC, and a wide range of compatible materials such as PLA, PETG, TPU and PVA. The printer comes with a Bambu textured PEI plate by default but the Bambu Smoot PEI plate can be purchased as part of the Mega Combo. Due to the lack of enclosure and relatively low bed temperatures, it is not recommended to print materials such as ABS, ASA, PC, PA or and PET on the A1 Mini printer.

Image 1: A1 Mini high quality linear and guide rails. Source: Bambu Lab.

A1 Mini is built with high quality materials to ensure the printer's longevity and optimal printing results. The printer's chassis is made of quality steel and extruded aluminium, with all-metal linear rails on the X and Z axes, and a all-metal linear guide on the Y axis. This rail system was designed to not require frequent adjustments by the users, with only regular lubrication being a guarantee of the printer's precision and lifespan.

Image 2: A1 Mini extrusion system. Source: Bambu Lab.

The all-metal hotend features steel gears and comes with a stainless steel nozzle (0.4 mm). The Mega Combo version comes with additional nozzle diameters (0.6 mm and 0.8 mm) in stainless steel and hardened steel to allow working with a wider range of materials. A1 Mini hotend was designed to make nozzle changes as fast and safe as possible with just one click. Part cooling, hotend cooling, as well as motion control board cooling is all part of closed loop control.

The A1 Mini is equipped with a Dual-Core Cortex M4 motion controller and offers a printing speed of 500 mm/s, acceleration of up to 10000 m/s², a maximum toolhead speed of 10 m/s², and a maximum hotend flow of 28 mm³/s (when extruding ABS at 280 ºC).

Automatized calibration and tuning

With ultimate accuracy as well as improving user experience in mind, Bambu Lab has equipped the A1 Mini printer with numerous automatic systems for calibration, tuning, and even one-click filament loading and unloading.

To compensate for any vibration at high printing speeds, Bambu Lab has opted for an active vibration compensation technology for the XY axes. This technology takes precise measurement of the parameters of the X and Y axes before every print with the help of sensors installed on both the toolhead and the heatbed. This procedure helps ensure ultimate precision and great results regardless of environmental temperature fluctuations, changes in belt tension, or variations in the mass of the build plate.

Image 3: Printing with and without active vibration compensation. Source: Bambu Lab.

What's more, A1 Mini can check the belt tension automatically through the vibration frequency calibration. If the belt is loose, the user will be notified to use the automatic belt tensioner to set the belt to the right tension.

Another interesting feature of the A1 Mini printer is its application of active flow rate compensation. The discrepancy between the amount of plastic pushed into the hotend by the extruder versus the plastic that actually exits through the nozzle often leads to printing artifacts or swollen corners, especially at high accelerations.

Image 4: Printing with and without active flow compensation. Source: Bambu Lab.

Active flow rate compensation helps to predict and adjust the flow of the molten plastic, facilitating more accurate extrusion. Furthermore, A1 Mini eliminates the need for printing calibration lines to check flow rates and manually adjust compensation, saving material and time. Instead, A1 Mini measures the nozzle pressure, which directly gives all the necessary parameters before each print.

The A1 Mini 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. In this leveling system the nozzle is used as the probe and it measures absolute distance from the print bed (Z-offset). This way A1 Mini makes fully automatic bed leveling with no user intervention possible.

Complex filament odometry

In order to ensure maximum quality of prints and a smooth printing process, Bambu Lab has equipped the A1 Mini printer with a comprehensive filament monitoring system. The filament monitoring system includes a filament tension sensor on the toolhead, a filament position sensor before the extruder, and a nozzle pressure sensor situated between the extruder and the nozzle.

Image 5: The A1 Mini thoroughly monitors filament status. Source: Bambu Lab.

Furthermore, the AMS Lite module included in the Combo package comes with a filament odometer that, together with advanced algorithms, is capable of accurately detecting potential issues such as filament tangling and breakage, and extruder skipping. 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.

Image 6: The quality delivered by the A1 Mini printer at high speeds. Source: Bambu Lab.

The combination of stable and sturdy chassis and rails, quality components, powerful electronics, compensation technologies, and filament monitoring allows the A1 Mini printer to 3D print parts with a great surface finish and consistent properties. A great example is the impeccable benchy printed by A1 Mini in about 14 minutes, using standard filament and a high printing speed.

A1 Mini AMS Combo (Lite)

A very valuable feature of this 3D printer is that it is compatible with the Bambu Lab AMS Lite Module, a device that gives the printer the capability to 3D print with up to 4 spools in multicolor/multimaterial mode. As opposed to the AMS Module compatible with the X1 and P1 Bambu Lab printers, the AMS Lite module is a non-enclosed module and can only be used with the A1 Mini printer.

Image 7: Multimaterial model 3D printed with the A1 Mini and AMS Lite module. Source: Bambu Lab.

The AMS Lite module has two main sections. The first one is the feeder and rotary spool holder for each filament slot. The second section is closer to the tool head, and it consists of the filament tangle detection module placed right above the extruder. 

Image 8: The AMS Lite module. Source: Bambu Lab.

The detailed characteristics of the AMS Lite module can be consulted on the manufacturer's website. While compatible with most filaments on the market, AMS Lite uses RFID to detect Bambu filament with RFID tag, and automatically applies the best suited settings for them. It also enable the user to monitor the filament usage remotely.

In the Usage tips section the user can watch an unboxing video where all the steps to mounting the Combo kit are shown.

A1 Mini Mega Combo

Apart from the A1 Mini 3D printer and the AMS Lite module, the Mega Combo contains additional accessories to expand the possibilities of the A1 Mini printer.

Image 9: The A1 Mini Mega combo add-ons. Source: Bambu Lab.

These add-ons are a stainless steel hotend with an 0.2 mm nozzle, a hardened steel hotend (0.4 mm and 0.6 mm), and a Bambu Smooth PEI plate.

User interface

The A1 Mini printer offers connectivity via WiFi and Bambu-Bus. The simplified and intuitive user interface is displayed on a 2.4-inch IPS touchscreen and the printer can also be controlled via a mobile or web application. The native laminating software for the A1 Mini printer is the Bambu Studio.

Image 10: The A1 Mini 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).

A feature introduced together with the A1 Mini printer is MakerWorld, a 3D model platform available in the Bambu Handy App. In MakerWorld the user has access to models and 1-click printing straight from the app.

Image 11: The A1 Mini printer is equipped with a camera. Source: Bambu Lab.

For users who prefer not to work with Cloud printing, LAN printing is available to enable remote control and print monitoring. The latter is possible thanks to an included camera with a timelapse function. The camera lense can be covered with a simple mechanism to ensure privacy.

Speed, quality, versatility and user-friendliness

The A1 Mini 3D printer is the ideal equipment for those who want to start their 3D printing adventure, as well as for advanced users. The numerous automatic solutions, ease of use, and safety make the A1 Mini printer a machine that can perform any task quickly and with minimum user intervention. The possibility to use the AMS Lite module unlocks the door to multimaterial and multicolor 3D printing for a wide range of modeling and prototyping projects with superb quality.