I hear that - It does take a bit of trial and error to figure out what works best for the type of stuff you like to print. I do a mix of fun/stupid things, some prototyping, and then I also print functional pieces that need to be able to withstand some abuse, or just regular use. I use ASA about as much as I use PLA. I thought PETG would be great but, it can be a pain - it’s just too sticky sometimes. Depends on what you’re printing though - PETG or PETG CF works great for some prints. I’ve been using PC and PA CF more frequently. But like I said initially, it does take some trial and error to find a good filament/bed/settings combination for each material type, and sometimes things are different between manufacturers and even colors from the same manufacturer. Like the PolyLite ASA is good, but some of the colors need tweaked settings. Anyway, here’s what I’ve figured out works well for me. Keep in mind that the environment plays a factor too. I live in an elevated dry climate and my printer is in the basement. So it’s cool and pretty dry down there. Usually ~65ºF and 26-30% humidity. I have my X1C insulated with a couple layers of radiant barrier - that stuff works wonders and I wouldn’t be able to print stuff like ASA or PC without that.
PLA, PLA CF (various - Bambu, Inland, Overture, MatterHackers, FlashForge) - I usually use Textured PEI, PEO or PEY (choose textured plate in settings), or H1H (choose high temp plate in settings) - these usually work with the bambu settings, some filaments might need +5º on the print bed.
PETG, PETG CF (mainly FlashForge, some Bambu) - Textured PEI, H1H. (I print PETG the least)
ASA (PolyLite, FlashForge, Inland) - WhamBam PEX or 3DHUB PEX - settings are similar for both, sometimes I need to use elmer’s purple glue or a brim - depends on the model. Bed temp ~ 105-106ºC, hot end 220ºC first layer, and maybe 5-25º higher for the rest of the print - first layer temp is important though, or else you’ll ruin the PEX sheet. I’ve also used the engineering plate with bambu liquid glue or nano polymer, that works, but harder to clean. Some people say ASA works well with textured PEI, but I haven’t been able to get that to work at all. If I have trouble with a specific ASA filament I usually try drying it, but often it prints fine out of the box. The fumes are way less when printing at this temp too, which is great because that stuff is toxic.
PC (Bambu) - WhamBam PEX or 3DHUB PEX, elmer’s purple glue. Bed temp 108ºF, first layer ~290º, other layers at 280º. I always dry this first.
PA CF (various) - I try to reserve this for when I actually need it since it’s usually pretty expensive. I managed to get the eSUN PA6 CF dialed in and that stuff is great. They have a filament profile available on their website I think. I usually use the engineering plate and bambu liquid or nano polymer. Haven’t tried this on the PEX sheets yet, but that should probably work fine. This usually needs to be dried first.
Oh, and I absolutely need my enclosure at 40-45º to start printing ASA and PC, otherwise the print fails. So I pre-heat the bed for a bit first. I do the same for PA but only because that’s what’s recommended and it works for me. I haven’t had as much trouble with PC and PA filaments as with ASA.
Looking forward to trying the Lightyear G10 bed whenever that arrives.
I print all kinds for fun, I just print for fun and for friends, so always something different. I do use lots of colors for this and that. Although Bambu Lab printers print most types well, I still find it benefical to focus on a subset of filaments to get better on those. Sure, everyone does PLA, but I think it’s beneficial to focus on a few others also. None are perfect, but overcoming the disadvantages is the trick. I thought ABS/ASA might work, and some new ones have no smell, so they might be good. Maybe nylon or pc for some, we’ll see. If I could stick with Bambu Lab, that might be good, because the RFID reader in the AMS is sure nice.