Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer Review After One Year Of Use

The Bambu Lab P1S is a 3D printer offers a lot of advantages over other 3D printers in its class, such as speed, quality, versatility, and creativity. It is a great choice for anyone who wants a fast, reliable, and colorful 3D printer that can handle a variety of materials and applications.Here is a detailed review of the 3D printer Bambu Lab P1S, an FDM printer that was released last year. I will list and explain each of its specs and features, and also talk about other features of this 3D printer as we get along in this post. So make sure to read through and through:

#1 Design and Build Quality

This 3D printer was released more or less a year ago from now and comes with a sleek and sturdy design, with a black metal frame and a fully enclosed chamber like enclosed 3d printer. The enclosure helps to maintain a stable temperature and reduce noise, as well as protect the printer from dust and external factors. The printer has a large build volume of 256 x 256 x 256 mm (10 x 10 x 10 inches), which is comparable to some of the best 3D printers in the market. The printer also has a glass door and a top cover plate, which can be easily opened and closed.

The printer uses a Core XY motion system, which means that the tool head moves along the X and Y axes, while the build plate moves along the Z axis. This allows for faster and smoother printing, as well as less vibration and inertia. The printer also has linear rods and bearings, which ensure high precision and accuracy. The printer has a direct drive extruder, which can handle a wide range of materials, including PLA, TPU, ABS, and PC. The extruder has a self-cleaning mechanism, which prevents clogging and oozing. The nozzle is a proprietary 0.4 mm nozzle, which can be easily replaced if needed.

The printer has a heated build platform, which is coated with a PEI textured spring steel sheet. The PEI coating provides excellent adhesion and prevents warping, while the spring steel sheet allows for easy removal of the printed models. The printer also has a simple and reliable auto bed leveling system, which uses a BLTouch sensor to probe the build plate and adjust the nozzle height accordingly. The printer has a filament runout sensor, which detects when the filament is about to end and pauses the printing process.

The printer has a LED screen with a D-pad selector, which is used to control the printer settings and navigate the menus. The printer also has a microSD card slot, a WiFi module, and a Bluetooth module, which enable various connectivity options. The printer can be controlled remotely via the Bambu Lab app, which also allows for live monitoring and camera streaming. The printer is compatible with Bambu Lab’s popular AMS system, which is an optional add-on that enables multicolor printing with up to 16 colors.

#2 Performance and Print Quality

The Bambu Lab P1S is a high-performance printer that can print at blazing speeds and high quality. The printer can reach a maximum print speed of 500 mm/s, and a maximum acceleration speed of 20,000 mm/s^2. The printer also has input shaping, which is a feature that reduces the ringing and ghosting artefacts caused by the rapid movements of the tool head. The printer can print with a layer height of 0.05 to 0.4 mm, and a nozzle temperature of up to 300°C. The printer can produce smooth and detailed prints, with minimal stringing and blobs.

The printer can handle a variety of materials, thanks to its direct drive extruder and heated chamber. The printer can print with PLA, TPU, ABS, PC, and other filaments that require high temperatures and good adhesion. The printer also has an auxiliary part-cooling fan, which improves the cooling and bridging performance of the printer. The printer can print with different colors and gradients, using the AMS system. The AMS system is a device that attaches to the extruder and switches between different filaments during the printing process. The AMS system can support up to four filaments at a time, and up to 16 colors in total.

#3 Pros and Cons

The Bambu Lab P1S is a great printer that offers many advantages, such as:

  • I) Blazing speed – The printer can print faster than most of the printers in the market, thanks to its Core XY motion system and input shaping feature
  • II) Enclosure – The printer has a fully enclosed chamber, which improves the temperature stability and noise reduction, as well as the safety and durability of the printer
  • III) Simple auto bed leveling – The printer has a reliable and easy to use auto bed leveling system, which ensures a consistent and accurate nozzle height
  • IV) Optional 4 Color AMS – The printer can print with multiple colors and gradients, using the AMS system, which is an optional add-on that enhances the creativity and versatility of the printer

However, the printer also has some drawbacks, such as:

  • I) Noisy – The printer can be quite noisy, especially at high speeds and accelerations, due to the fans and motors
  • II) Proprietary replacement parts – The printer uses some proprietary parts, such as the nozzle and the AMS system, which can be expensive and hard to find if they need to be replaced
  • III) AMS unit wastes filament – The printer wastes some filament when switching between different colors, using the AMS system, which can increase the cost and environmental impact of the printing process

The Bambu Lab P1S is a 3D printer that belongs to the category of FDM printers with Core XY motion system, which means that it can print faster and smoother than other FDM printers that use Cartesian or Delta systems. Some of the other 3D printers in this category are the AnkerMake M5C1, the Sovol SV042, and the Creality Ender-5 Plus 3.

Here is a brief comparison of the Bambu Lab P1S with these three models, based on their specs and features:

Feature

Bambu Lab P1S

Creality Ender 3 V3

Prusa MK3S+

Sovol SV06

Elegoo Mars 3 Pro

Technology FDM FDM FDM FDM Resin
Build Volume (mm) 270 x 270 x 340 220 x 220 x 250 250 x 210 x 210 250 x 230 x 230 143.6 x 89.6 x 170
Max. Nozzle Temp (°C) 300 260 280 260 N/A
Heated Bed Yes Yes Yes Yes No
Auto Bed Leveling Yes Yes (manual option) Yes Yes Manual
Filament Runout Sensor Yes Yes Yes No N/A
Dual Extrusion No Optional Yes No N/A
Closed Loop System Yes No Yes No N/A
Print Speed (mm/s) Up to 200 Up to 180 Up to 250 Up to 100 N/A
Noise Level (dB) < 50 < 50 < 50 < 55 N/A
Price (USD) ~$700 ~$250 ~$770 ~$300 ~$400
Additional Features Built-in slicer, filament dryer, power loss recovery, remote control Removable magnetic build plate Multi-material printing, filament sensor All-metal frame, dual Z-axis lead screws High resolution, large touchscreen

#4 Printing Speed

As you can see, the Bambu Lab P1S has the highest print speed and nozzle temperature among the four models, which means that it can print faster and with more materials than the others. It also has a heated chamber and a self-cleaning tool head, which are not present in the other models. The only disadvantage of the Bambu Lab P1S is that it has a smaller build volume than the other models, which may limit the size of the models that you can print. However, if you want to print with multiple colors and gradients, you can opt for the AMS system, which is a unique feature of the Bambu Lab P1S that allows you to switch between up to 16 colors during the printing process. The other models do not have this feature, and can only print with one color at a time.

The 3D printer –Bambu Lab P1S uses a proprietary 0.4 mm nozzle, which is the standard nozzle size for most FDM printers. However, you can also use other nozzle sizes with this printer, such as 0.6 mm and 0.8 mm, which are available on the Bambu Lab online store. These nozzles can offer faster print speed and better layer adhesion, but they may reduce the print quality and detail. To use other nozzle sizes, you need to replace the hotend assembly, which is a simple and quick process. You also need to adjust the printer settings and profiles accordingly, to match the nozzle size and the material you are using. You can find more information and instructions on how to change the nozzle size on the Bambu Lab website or the user manual.

#5 How To Clean The Nozzle of Bambu Lab P1S 3D Printer

There are different methods to clean the nozzle of Bambu Lab P1S, depending on the type and severity of the clog. Here are some of the common methods that you can try:

I) Cold pull –This method involves heating the nozzle to the melting temperature of the filament, then cooling it down slightly, and then pulling out the filament with a quick and firm motion. This can help remove any residue or debris that is stuck inside the nozzle. You can use PLA filament for this method, as it has a low melting point and is easy to pull out. You can watch this video for a detailed demonstration of how to perform a cold pull with PLA on a Bambu Lab printer

II) Needle – This method involves inserting a thin needle into the nozzle from below, while the nozzle is heated to the melting temperature of the filament. This can help dislodge any clog that is blocking the nozzle opening. You can use a 0.4 mm needle for this method, as it matches the nozzle size of the Bambu Lab P1S. You can also use the nozzle cleaning tool that comes with the printer, which has a needle attached to it. You can find more information on how to use the needle method on this website

III) Nozzle wiper -This method involves using a special device that attaches to the extruder and wipes the nozzle with a silicone tube. This can help clean up any excess filament that overflows from the nozzle during the printing process. The Bambu Lab P1S comes with a nozzle wiper, which consists of a PP elastic structure, a PTFE tube, and a lock screw. You can find more information on how to install and use the nozzle wiper on this website.

IV) Hotend assembly replacement – This method involves replacing the entire hot-end assembly, which includes the nozzle, the heater block, the heat break, and the thermistor. This can help solve any persistent or severe clogging issues that cannot be fixed by the other methods. You can buy a new hotend assembly from the Bambu Lab online store, and follow the instructions on the user manual to replace it.

These are some of the methods that you can use to clean the nozzle of Bambu Lab P1S. You should always check the nozzle condition before and after each print, and perform regular maintenance to prevent clogging and ensure optimal print quality.

We have seen through the comparison with other 3d printers that the Bambu Lab P1S is a new standard for 3D printing, offering affordable Core XY speed for a wide range of materials and access to Bambu Lab’s popular AMS system to print in up to 16 colors. The printer has a sleek and sturdy design, with a fully enclosed chamber and a large build volume. The printer has a simple and reliable auto bed leveling system, a PEI coated flex plate, and a self-cleaning tool head. The printer can print at blazing speeds and high quality, with minimal artifacts and defects. The printer can print with different colors and gradients, using the AMS system, which is an optional add-on that enhances the creativity and versatility of the printer. The printer is a great choice for anyone who wants a fast, reliable, and versatile 3D printer that can handle a variety of materials and colors.