Bambu Lab X1-Carbon 3D Printer Examined: Ahead of Its Competitors
Originally launched as a Kickstarter campaign in May 2022, the Bambu Lab X1-Carbon with AMS has gone on to become an industry standard in the prosumer market. Capable of extruding high temperature materials, printing with multiple colors simultaneously, and offering advanced print controls, the X1-Carbon has a list of features that is rapidly changing the landscape of desktop 3D printers. LIDAR-assisted bed leveling, automatic flow calibration, and a webcam that can automatically generate a timelapse are among the features that come together to create a printer that somehow feels greater than the sum of its parts.
The Bambu Lab X1-Carbon provides premium features, and as a result carries a premium price tag. Priced at $1,449, the X1-Carbon is more expensive than most of thebest 3D printers , but you get what you pay for. The X1-Carbon with AMS has a reputation of being a printer that “just works”, and during testing it did exactly that. The Bambu Studio software is intuitive enough for beginners but also offers advanced functionality for power users interested in getting the most out of their machines. In addition, the companion Bambu Handy mobile app is perfect for remotely checking the webcam in the machine.
The Bambu Lab X1-Carbon is packed tightly into a shipping box, with foam brackets outside and inside the machine to reduce the risk of damage during transit. In addition to the printer and all required parts for printing, the X1-Carbon also includes a glue stick, lubrication for the motion system, and three 250 gram spools of material (PLA, PLA-CF, and Support for PLA). Notably absent was a microSD card, required for print jobs sent remotely.
The AMS is shipped inside the X1-Carbon, screwed down with a temporary bracket that prevents it from rattling or moving during shipping. Getting the AMS out of the printer requires removing a few bolts, and doesn’t take much time.
Assembling the Bambu Lab X1-Carbon
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Assembling the X1-Carbon (including the AMS) takes about 30 minutes from start to finish. The included Quick Start instructions include step-by-step instructions for each subassembly, and there are multiple QR codes whichlink to instructional videos showing detailed walkthroughs. Non-technical or first time users shouldn’t run into any major issues, and experienced users will have the X1-Carbon up and running in no time.
The X1-Carbon uses a combination of LIDAR and analog force sensor to measure the calibration of the printer and set the Z-offset when printing. The leveling process is automatic, and can be completed before each print to get a consistent first layer.
The first layer inspection is an additional feature which will tram the LIDAR sensor over the first printed layer to check for any areas that didn’t adhere during printing. This additional check adds a few minutes to the total print time, but I found that it worked well during testing. It correctly detected a print that had I deliberately partially lifted from the platform and paused the print so I could inspect the layer instead of continuing.
The X1-Carbon has a filament spool bracket on the rear of the printer, which can hold a single spool of filament that feeds directly into the printer. Using the onboard display, filament can be loaded from either the spool holder or the top-mounted AMS. The X1-Carbon will prompt you to indicate the type of material and color when loading, which can be synced to the Bambu Studio slicer app. When running a multicolor print, the LCD will also prompt users to map the print color to the colors currently loaded in the AMS, a helpful feature for visualization.
Design of the Bambu Lab X1-Carbon
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The shell of the Bambu Lab X1-Carbon is made from a combination of aluminum and glass, making it instantly recognizable and distinct from the typical appearance of i3 derivative machines like thePrusa MK4 ,Elegoo Neptune 4 Pro , and other open-format printers. The top-mounted LCD, glass door, and lack of visible external wires give this printer an appearance that would be right at home next to anApple iMac .
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The X1-Carbon uses aCoreXY motion system with carbon fiber rails on the X-axis that allow for lightning fast print speeds without compromising on quality during rapid movements. The Z-axis uses a single motor connected to three lead screws that move the build platform. The XY gantry is stationary in Z, so the entire platform drops during printing instead of raising the extruder incrementally after each layer.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Attached to the front of the hot end is a part cooling fan that splits the exhaust into two vents pointed directly underneath the nozzle. The hotend on the X1-Carbon is a proprietary one, and replacing the nozzle also involves replacing the hotend (currently available from Bambu Lab for $14.99 ). It’s a time-consuming and complicated process which requires spreading thermal paste to attach the thermistor and screwing in a fan. The fan and thermistor don’t come with the hotend so your best bet might be tospend $35 on a complete assembly with those parts attached.This hotend is rated up to 300°C with a max volumetric flow of 32mm³/s when using ABS.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In addition to the fans built into the cooling module, the X1-Carbon also features an additional cooling fan on the left side of the chamber. This fan is attached to a tapered exhaust that directs the air into the shape of a curtain which blows directly across the area where filament is extruded.
This additional airflow allows material to cool more rapidly during high speed printing, similar to the fan module on theElegoo Neptune 4 Pro . This fan can be manually controlled along with the part cooling fan and chamber exhaust fan via the Bambu Studio app or from the printer directly.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Bambu Lab)
(Image credit: Bambu Lab)
The LIDAR system on the X1-Carbon is an interesting one, as it provides feedback that is useful both for Z offset calibration as well as material flow calibration. With an advertised resolution of 7μm, the toolhead-mounted LIDAR sensor scans the initial print lines as well as the first printed layer to check for defects, making it a useful tool for automated workflows. I found this to be a useful tool during my testing, and the flow calibration (in conjunction with the automated build platform leveling) resulted in parts that had clean and consistent bottom layers.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
In practice, I was impressed with the LIDAR sensor and can clearly see the impact it has not only on the calibration but also on the ability to add another closed-loop feedback system to the printer. Similar to the Prusa SL1S (afeature-rich resin 3D printer ), the X1-Carbon shows the value of feedback in a 3D printer, as the printer is able to detect specific problems before they result in a scrapped build.
It will help you to write dynamic data reports easily, to construct intuitive dashboards or to build a whole business intelligence cockpit.
KoolReport Pro package goes with Full Source Code, Royal Free, ONE (1) Year Priority Support, ONE (1) Year Free Upgrade and 30-Days Money Back Guarantee.
Developer License allows Single Developer to create Unlimited Reports, deploy on Unlimited Servers and able deliver the work to Unlimited Clients.
Bambu Lab Automatic Material System (AMS)
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Bambu Lab X1-Carbon isn’t the first multicolor/multi-material extrusion-based desktop 3D printer on the market, but it brings a new level of plug-and-play simplicity for beginners and experienced users alike. The Bambu LabAutomated Material System (AMS for short) holds four spools of filament, and up to four units can be daisy-chained for a total of 16 possible colors using theoptional AMS hub . The AMS is a freestanding unit, and can be positioned either above or to the side of the printer.