Feature Request: Per-nozzle serial number tracking + material allocation memory for Vortek hotends
Vortek hotends already broadcast identity data to the toolhead wirelessly (nozzle temp, heatsink temp, and apparently type/size info, based on the existing “Read nozzle info” auto-detect on the H2D TPU hotend). Given each Vortek nozzle already has a chip capable of two-way communication — and the printer already needs to know exactly which physical hotend is mounted in each of the up to 7 slots for the zero-purge swapping to work — it seems like a relatively small software/firmware addition to extend that existing per-unit awareness into persistent material allocation tracking.
The problem this would solve:
Many of us already do this manually — keeping a dedicated set of nozzles per material (PLA, PETG, PA, TPU, CF blends, etc.) to avoid cross-contamination, since even trace amounts of one material can affect surface finish or mechanical properties in another. Right now that’s entirely a manual bookkeeping exercise (labeling nozzles, remembering which one is “the TPU one”), with no help from the printer or Bambu Studio.
What I’d like to see:
- When a nozzle is installed, the printer reads its unique ID.
- In Bambu Studio / Handy app, let users label that specific nozzle (by serial number) with an assigned material — e.g., “Nozzle #A2F91 → TPU only.”
- The printer remembers this assignment persistently, even if the nozzle is removed and reinstalled later, or moved between machines.
- If a print job calls for a different material than what’s assigned to the loaded/selected nozzle, show a warning (“This nozzle is assigned to TPU — continue anyway?”) rather than silently printing.
- Optionally, track cumulative material usage/hours per nozzle for wear/maintenance reminders, not just material type.
This seems most naturally suited to Vortek hotends given their existing bidirectional comms and the fact that per-unit identification is already a requirement for the system to function. That said, if standard quick-swap hotends (H2D/H2S/H2C left nozzle) already carry a unique identifier internally for QC or other purposes — rather than just a shared type code — the same tracking could presumably apply there too. Curious whether that’s the case, or whether it really is Vortek-specific hardware that would be needed.
Would love to hear if this is already on a roadmap, or if there’s a technical reason (chip memory size, etc.) that makes this harder than it sounds from the outside.