I was also a physics professional for my entire working career. I am 71 years old and I also have an X1 Carbon. I routinely work on my X1C and I have large hands. (I wear an XL Glove size) I spent 41 years in computer manufacturing.
Last week, I disassembled the entire tool head and rebuilt the hot end, the gear mechanism and all of the sensors and fans. Not one time did I think “This is built incorrectly with parts that are too small”. I also work on Rolex watches with tools that are so small that a 1.5mm screw is a big as a house!
My guess is that you might need to take your X1C to someone else to work on. I believe in great lighting and proper positioning of the part under repair.
In contrast to your observations, I believe this to be an exceptionally well designed and built machine that is super-simple to repair…Even with big hands! So, a message to Bambu: Change nothing. You are right on task.
So bambu labs needs to do a full redesign of their printer because you have trouble screwing things in and you chalk it up to because Asians have baby hands? Huh? I have replaced the th9 board with the newer lidar and did not have a single issue with any screws and certainly didn’t have to use zip ties? I’m 6’3 215lbs. Did it ever occur to you that you just don’t know what your doing or your not good with working with your hands? You said it yourself, you invented your own way to install the board instead of following the step by step wiki instructions and spending $15 on a set of allen keys with magnetic tips to hold on to the screws. Not once have I ever had any issues working on my X1C and I have replaced all belts, entire tool head and all parts inside it, heatbed, installed upgraded cooling fans on mother board, new lighting system. I have never run into any issues with screws or anything.
So first of all - there are services where they will be happy to fulfill your request for repair! If you decide to repair it yourself, you must take into account that you do not have the machinery as the manufacturer and therefore you must adapt your repair procedures to your capabilities. If you are not able to use a magnetic screwdriver and tweezers to insert several screws into their holes (for fixation, you can use a pin or a hypodermic needle, for example), then I recommend that you do not undertake such repairs at all! Repair is not only about the size of your hands, but above all about the intelligence that lies in your head. When I read your post, I came to the opinion, excuse my cordiality, but your head is not enough for this.
… and for Bambulab … I beg you, DO NOT CHANGE ANYTHING!
@ KrisuP
Don’t be offended by my honesty, but in principle and functionally the Prusa i3MK is identical to any other printer, including the Bambulab. The fact that each printer is designed differently is based on the intelligence of the designer, the availability of materials, the production possibilities and then also on the comfort they want to offer the customer. If you are afraid that something will break or stop working, don’t buy it, you will save yourself stress and money. Also sell your car, TV and computer while there is still time before it breaks. And if you don’t see something or don’t understand something, you always have two options: either take a good look and understand it (study, learn), or stay away from it. There are many people who see it and understand it and after agreement they will definitely be happy to help you or at least advise you.
I’ve been in IT for over 30 years and before that, as a kid, I was constantly taking things apart and putting them back together again. Sometimes successfully and sometimes less successful but it was good learning. With most electronics today most of us are buying consumer/hobbyist appliances and not commercial grade (and even then some commercial quality is questionable). That means we are getting budget components combine with push for micronization resulting in some electronics being a bit more of a challenge to work on. Doesn’t really matter which consumer printer you are using its going to be pretty much the same issue.
3D printing is still relatively new and has come a long ways in just a few years. I’d recommend if you want to be able to perform repairs and have less issues to either take a class or two on electronics repair. Getting used to taking things apart, using solder, replacing paste, belts and all that to get that hands on with guidance from someone who has experience and can help you learn how to use tools where hands wont fit is always beneficial. My local community college offers vocational classes like this for fairly cheap ($200-300 for I think 9 weeks). If you don’t like that route, YouTube, Forums, Amazon for Tools and start tinkering.
I bought my X1 and other printers fully expecting that I would need to learn the components and maintenance steps. Just part of being a hobbyist. I love learning. A challenge pops up and I look at it as learning opportunity & luckily many times, my kids join in on the learning.
Like you, I imagined a bunch of small handed people putting together these machines by hand, which would make your argument plausible.
However, when I had the good fortune to work for a Chinese company that sent me to their plant to watch how they make their products (not Bambu lab, but in photography industry), turns out all these machines are made by machines. All the workers just sit in front of a screen and monitor the production.
So, their little hands have nothing to do with how their machines are built or engineered.
I’m well versed with fabrication. clean room environments, and its involvement with machinery and circuits. Just because something is made by machine does not mean that two hands (no matter the size) cannot learn to repair it with a proper set of tools & knowledge. There is NOTHING on the Bambu X1 or my other printers that I can’t take apart and get back together. I might have to use some tweezers, needle neck plyers, a magnifying glass, magnetics, a solder iron, heat gun, an extension rod with sticky adhesive on the end, or something else but its all possible. Heck even replaying trace circuits on a circuit board at home is possible. Luckily, Bambu as well as others, have decent warranty coverage as well as make it fairly easy to get replacement components.
As I said before, you can learn how to do it if you want or you can complain about not being able to, that is completely up to you.
Wow, I was expecting some form of legitimate gripe about slow and frustrating customer service, a refund request that was ignored or generally something worth the time to read the post. Man, was I disappointed.
What response was it that you were expecting? “Oh, we’re sorry we made you awkwardly insert a screw. Here is a refund for the cost of your machine and we are doing a mass recall of our entire product line in order to resolve this issue for that one guy who reported the issue.”?
I had to rebuild my entire hotend a few months back and I had zero issues doing so. I have large hands and diabetic neuropathy so my hands are a bit clumsier than most do to a lack of sensation in them. It was a bit fiddly but I magnetized my hex keys and that helped an incredible amount.
I legitimately would love to hear what response you were hoping for as well as whatever emails etc. that you did get though… as that could put a different spin on things…
I have a P1S combo and agree with the first post that not all on and in the printer is ideal, there is a lot of room for improvement.
But, having said that:
I had far worse printers to deal with and they did not even have a housing around them.
Yes, tiny screw, short cables and fiddly connectors are a pain, especially once age plays trick with you.
When it comes to things like printers, other mechanical things and even certain electronics I am damaged goods.
For too long one of my jobs was to fix broken things and to come up with ways to make them better/more reliable.
So where you see a print head I see a ton of possible improvements but that still won’t mean they would make sense if applied, at least mot for everyone and in all cases.
Cost, quality, functionality and durability need to form an acceptable balance.
Bambu did not do that bad here and it is mainly the software/firmware that still lacks a bit while the hardware of their next gen printers will certainly come with some changes.
Bambu has goal to reach, like securing their market position and expanding it.
Fail here and the company has no future.
Their idea was not bad - provide a great working printer at a price the people would go for and bind those customers to the brand.
Like any company burning hot and growing fast the support and service fall behind at times but that’s something Bambu can improve on…
Ever just opened something like an Xbox or modern phone and took it apart?
For my P1S I need a hand full of small allen keys and some screwdrivers…
For other consumer electronics I need special tools to undo the housing parts, special screwdrivers and of those at least 4 different sizes/types for no reason at all.
More often than not the design is such that removing things in the wrong order or without knowing what’s lurking behind will either break things or make it near impossible to get them back together without the special tools only the manufacturers or authorises repair centre has access to.
Yes our printers are a terrible puzzle but a solvable puzzle while other things are designed to intentionally make working with for repair near impossible - we should keep that in mind…
Dead on mate…my hands fat chubby and short that’s what the wife’s says lol…and i have arthritis so the for small things…
But that’s where the wife’s will do the tricky bits…she has long fingers and slim…she as got to a use lol…
That is not the brag you think it is. All engineering and hard science students have to take the differential calculus, integral calculus, differential equations, classical mechanics, electromagnetism, relativity, and quantum mechanics sequence. That and linear algebra is the foundation of all of technology. Yet when those students become design engineers it is incumbent upon them to develop and build their own prototypes. Even using screws 1.5mm screws and smaller when applicable. R&D departments around the world are full of highly educated individuals doing all manner of tinkering.
Just to add emphasis - I fully agree their support sucks for such an overall astounding product lineup. Their saving grace is that they are built well enough that it’s somewhat rare to have an issue that requires support, and the replacement parts all seem to be priced reasonably.
Whether or not one is mechanically inclined is pretty much born with. Education does little on that. Also some branches of modern education do not have enough hands-on training, thus the joke about “How many [blank] does it take to change a light bulb?”
I am a large overweight American. Giant hands and all. I have absolutely no problem working on these machines. I’m getting old too. Hands cramp up and bleed for no reason. Still these along with actually difficult devices still ain’t a problem with the right tools.
Sure they are trying to make this mainstream. But it’s still will be considered a hobby for a long time. I can’t think of one part on these machines that could benefit from being 1mm bigger.