I have some practical questions that I couldn’t find answers to, and I’d love to hear your insights.
I’m currently working on a 3D model that I’d like to make compatible with all Bambulab machines using the “pre-configured” MakerWorld profiles. My goal is to make it directly printable on any Bambulab machine without requiring additional adjustments, making it easier to use, especially for beginners.
However, I’m facing several challenges:
I only own an X1C, which doesn’t allow me to test my models on all machines in the lineup.
I’d like to avoid publishing a model that might be frustrating to print, particularly for new users.
Here are my questions:
What is the recommended method to optimize a model for each machine (P1P, X1, X1C, A1, etc.) while keeping it user-friendly?
Should I create specific print profiles for each machine and include them in the uploaded file?
Or is it better to share the model without profiles and let users configure their own settings based on their machine?
I’d love to hear your feedback, especially if you’ve published models on MakerWorld or worked on multi-machine compatibility before.
You can start by dialing a profile for the A1 Mini. Being the printer model with the smallest build volume, it becomes somewhat compatible with the X1/P1/A1 (standard) series since the user only has to select the printer. You can stop there or you can decide to create additional profiles for the bigger printers if said profile will make it more beneficial for owners of the X1/P1/A1 (standard) to choose over the A1 Mini profile. If you don’t have an A1 (mini) to test your profile, just change the printer in Bambu Studio when you print.
Pro:
You only need to maintain/update one profile.
Con:
If you consider this a con… Others will take advantage and upload profiles for the other models.
P.S.:
Unless I’m designing a model specifically for the X1/P1, I limit the model’s dimensions to the A1 (Mini)'s volume so that everyone regardless of their printer can print it. Case in point below:
Thank you so much for this response @chiz_m ! Honestly, I hadn’t thought of this approach before, but it’s probably the simplest and easiest to maintain. Having just one profile is fantastic.
Designing within the dimensions of the A1 Mini and, once the model is finalized, exporting the profile for this printer seems like the ideal solution. After that, it’s just up to the user to choose the appropriate build plate.
Why didn’t I think of this sooner?!
That said, how should I handle testing? Should each user test on their own and then share their results?
Another question came to mind:
When I design sliding parts with no play, I leave a gap of 0.15 mm. For parts that need to move freely, I use a gap of 0.35 mm. However, I haven’t tested these tolerances on the A1 Mini yet. Are the tolerances consistent across all Bambulab machines?
Lastly, I primarily work with PETG HF, but this raises a question about filament compatibility. From my experience, what works well in PETG generally works in PLA too. However, would it make more sense to design directly for PLA, given that it’s more commonly used?
If you want to test your tolerances on an A1 mini, maybe contacting someone who owns one and asking for a print to be run would provide a direct answer.
Alternatively, load it onto makerworld, people will let you know if there are issues.
I’ve found my mini prints aswell as the others, the A1 is probably the worst one & that’s marginal & not really worth mentioning.
The only real difference I find is with ironing & top layer flow.
Obviously orientation can matter with a bed slinger aswell but what works for one will work for all.
Testing with another printer in a closed group before publishing would indeed be a great idea. However, MakerWorld doesn’t really offer a solution for this, apart from perhaps the forum… And even that is somewhat limited.
Publishing the model and asking the community to test it and provide feedback seems like a viable option, as long as it’s done reasonably and doesn’t bother people unnecessarily.
I think a middle ground is possible. Here’s what I’ll do:
I’ll post a simple and clean profile for the A1 Mini directly on the site. This profile can be tested on the A1 Mini, and since it will also work on the X1C, I’ll list the model as compatible with these two machines. For the other models, I’ll wait for user feedback before confirming compatibility.
Regarding feedback, here’s the note I plan to include:
Citation “This model has been tested on an X1C and is configured for the A1 Mini. Please adjust the settings based on your printer, filament, and printing conditions. When providing feedback, please specify which printer you used so I can update the machine compatibility. Thank you for your understanding.”
Some parts will be highlighted, and any non-constructive comments will be reported. At some point, we have to filter feedback, and we are committed to doing so.
How do you handle the case when a part of your model is too large for the mini? I have designed a smaller version of this part for the mini, but I’m still not certain of the best way to handle this in the print profile and I’d like to stay away from multiple profiles.