I’ve just ordered the X2D and I’m already really excited to get started. That said, one small detail is already “bothering” me a bit : the filament Track Switch sticking out the back.
I was looking at the rear of the printer and wondering whether it might be possible to relocate the filament track switch to a different position.
Below is an image showing a potential alternative mounting spot that could keep things a bit more compact and tidy, assuming we design and print a couple of dedicated brackets for the track and the buffer.
I don’t see any concern, in fact the H2D location is planned to be in the middle of the back. Just design some brackets to move the switch and the buffer
Right, that’s good to know, thanks!
I’ll probably end up designing a couple of brackets for both the switch and the buffer and see how it works in practice.
Curious to see if there are any hidden downsides once everything is moved around… but I guess it should be fine!
It will just be more difficult if you attach more AMS and need to disconnect at the switch if it’s burried behind the printer and you may need slightly longer PTFE tubes depending on the AMS(s) location but other than that it will be fine
True, that makes sense. I currently have one AMS and one HT, and I’m not planning to add another AMS anytime soon (also running out of space anyway!).
That said, just thinking ahead, I was wondering if adding a 4-in-1 PTFE adapter before the switch could help keep things flexible for future setups.
Ah got it, makes sense.
How would you connect more than two AMS then? I’ve seen setups with 20+ filaments, so I’m trying to understand how that works without adding restrictions.
I don’t get the point of the filament tracking switch, especially on the X2D.
Why should I want to be able to track all my AMS to the aux hotend? The downside of the FTS (beside adding additional complexity to the system) is, that you always have to retract the filament beyond the FTS. Maybe I miss a point here…
Yes in that case you will have to but I bet you will have to place it loose at the right location so that the tubes make nice wide curves so that it works without restricting the flow just don’t install one in advance if you don’t need it yet
I’ll stick with a simple setup for now and only add something like that if I actually need it later. Maybe even for something like TPU, since that has to go through the main nozzle anyway.
Well, in my case, I have one AMS and one HT. The AMS would normally be connected to the main nozzle, but if I want to print something with a main colour, a secondary colour, and PLA support, things get a bit tricky.
Without the switch, I’d have to manually swap the tubes depending on what I want to use. With the filament tracking switch, I can keep everything connected and just route the filaments as needed, which makes it much more convenient.
I think that makes sense…? I’m still kind of new to all of this
Don’t worry too much. In practice, you’ll just swap rolls. Easy and quick to do with 1 AMS + 1 HT.
I would expect you to quickly arrive at your favorite mapping (at a guess: AMS left nozzle, HT for support right nozzle => lower purge waste, lower nozzle clog risks).
The filament switch may become intersting once you get that 2nd AMS Pro
I’ve been thinking about this too. Just seems odd to have it stick out so much from the rear, and also have those twists in the PTFE tubes. The filament feed into this printer is bad enough as it is, this will only make it worse.
I’d like to rotate it 90 degrees, and them mount it closer with almost no PTFE length into the buffer. However, the holes don’t align well enough, and the communication cable will get in the way, so I’d also have to move the plug for that cable. This will likely end up in a full reconstruction of the box for this feeder switch. My CAD skills suck, so may be a long time before I get to this project.
I just do not understand why they didn’t just make this unit kiss right up against the feed buffer. OR replace it completely! So many better ways to have done this. They must have been in a hurry or something.
Q: Can the 4-in-1 PTFE adapter be used when only two AMS units are connected?
Using the 4-in-1 PTFE adapter with just two AMS units is strongly discouraged; the extra resistance during loading and unloading can compromise print reliability.
The magic lubricating smoke must escape out the 2 open holes maybe. I don’t know, didn’t write the wiki. The associated picture does show a specific setup. Maybe it causes excess movement of the entire assembly.
Yeah, I was thinking the same. It feels like something that could be improved quite a bit.
I’m kind of expecting they might come out with an updated part or accessory in the future. Honestly, I’d even love to see a new toolhead with two proper nozzles at some point
I understand that if you have ONLY 2 ams you shouldn’t use the 4-in-1, of course!
But still, “resistance during loading and unloading can compromise print reliability“..?
So, how do we connect properly 4 ams?!?!
That’s a complex question. There are many options for connectivity. Using the 4 in 1 adapter with the Track Switch is noted in Bambu Labs documentation as not a good option. Though that doesn’t really stop anyone from trying.
Basically, do anything you’d like to try. Your results may vary wildly. I just wouldn’t expect Bambu to help out much if you try something outside of what they document as norm. I and others here will likely help out though.
If I read into Bambu’s statements, seems that if you do connect 4 AMS 2 Pros, you shouldn’t use the Track Switch. Not sure if anyone else would agree. I’m not even sure of it’s usefulness overall just yet, even with a simple setup like Bambu describes. Just to optimize filament usage for less waste? But to me seems that it also adds complexity resulting in printer babysitting. Give and take it seems.
Dive in! Good luck.
P.S. waiting for my Track Switch to arrive so I can really mess things up
I think it will be interesting also to see how the smoothy y-splitter works with this (or not) also
The “don’t do this” setup seems a little arbitrary to me. I wonder if Bambu actually tested that or if some of the early YouTube testers tried that to fake using multiple AMS and ran into issues?
: the filament Track Switch sticking out the back.
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