OK so here is one of your competitor’s video, quite impressive:
In case that the video cannot be played, let me show a couple frames:
The faster filament swapping method:
First filament cuts and retracts
The second filament immediately feed in
The third filament follows up and wait at the hall effect sensor.
Mechanically, this is completely doable with current H2C with multiple AMS units, especially when having multiple AMS HT units.
We have a hall effect sensor at buffer, that can detect if the filament has exited buffer.
We have SERVO motors that can calculate filament extrusion/retraction length.
It’s entirely possible to use the AMS Servo to detect the distance between AMS outlet (hall effect sensor), and the Buffer inlet (hall effect sensor).
Now we only need to give it a bit of safety distance (to contain the 4 in 1 ptfe hubs), let’s say 15-20cm.
The improved AMS work flow should be:
Before Print: Each used AMS unit detects its distance to buffer. Let’s say Dbuffer. According to bambu, this distance is usually at least 55-90cm. Sometimes 120cm.
Then, each used AMS send the first filament being used to Dbuffer - 20cm.
During Print:
Filament 1 finished printing, exits buffer. When its servo has traveled enough safety distance (20cm), Filament 2 from another AMS start to push in. The safety distance made sure that the filaments would not have path collision in the 4-in-1 ptfe adapter.
After Filament 2 has been fed, Filament 1 can either continue retraction, or wait for the next layer if needed.
Ideally, this can save a huge lot of filament swapping time, especially for H2C. Even older machines can be benefited as well, albeit a purge is still required for those printers.
This is also an important feature for H2D or H2C. As filaments unused tend to break in the PTFE tubes on the dragchain, retracting the unused filament right out of the buffer can help protect the filament and reduce filament breakages.
Instead of drying while printing (which is pointless for most filaments), this obviously would be a much more welcomed feature update.
And the benfits of this feature? Well, you can definitely sell more AMS HTs now. Saving up to 50-70% filament swapping time, why not?