Bambu Lab dropped a bombshell announcement just one hour after the release of its newest 3D printer, the H2S. The company revealed the H2C, a tool changer-like system that it says will hit the shelves before Christmas.
The H2C promises to tackle the problem that plagues every Bambu Lab 3D printer with an AMS: printer poop. This “poop” is the waste purged from the nozzle as it is cleaned between color changes. Most color systems for 3D printers have multiple spools connected to one tool head, with one shared nozzle. Because it’s impossible to remove all the melted plastic from a hot nozzle, a certain amount is pushed through the nozzle as waste.
Prusa Research’s MMU system minimizes waste by yanking back the majority of the old color. The other option is a tool changer, like Prusa Research’s XL or the Snapmaker U1. Tool changers solve the problem by having multiple tool heads, with one for every color.
Bambu Lab proposes a new system, similar to a tool changer, that swaps only the nozzle. This system builds on the easily swappable nozzle design introduced with the A1 and carried over to the H2D and H2S. These machines use nozzles that are attached magnetically, and already uses thermal induction to heat up. All that was left was figuring out how to remove the wires needed for the thermistor, which regulates the temperature.
This is where Bambu Lab’s research gets truly innovative: Engineers have added a chip to the nozzle to transmit all the data the printer needs wirelessly. This allows the 3D printer to change its own nozzle robotically.
This approach allows the printer to swap the critical part of the hotend (the nozzle) without needing to flush out every bit of plastic, like a painter using a separate brush for every color of paint. Letting the nozzles stay “dirty” eliminates the need for purge waste, much like the H2D can do with two colors and it’s dual nozzle system. It would also allow Bambu to continue to use its AMS box to hold multiple spools safe and dry.
Dr. Ye Tao, Bambu Lab’s CEO, writing as the Spaghetti Monster, said in a blog post that the decision to make this announcement was difficult, as it could cut into sales of the H2D and H2S. He wanted customers to know that a new machine is on the horizon so they do not regret their purchasing choice. He also said the H2D and H2S could be upgraded to an H2C with “some skill, patience, a willingness to carefully follow instructions, and a few hours of your time.”
The price of the H2C wasn't revealed, but it's likely to be significantly more than the H2D, as it requires more moving parts, a new hotend assembly, and a bank of wireless nozzles.
Tom’s Hardware is already on the list to review the H2C, so stay tuned, and we will let you know if wireless tool changers are the next great invention or a flash in the pan.
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