Since it doesn’t appear that BBL will be publishing their RFID tag encryption for filament anytime soon (if ever), or adoptimg an industry standard I would like to see them add functionlity to Bambu Studio which would allow the user to create an NFC tag for a user-defined filament profile (e.g. non-BBL filament) that could then be read by an AMS unit. Possibly export a BBL encrypted file for a user-defined filament profile that could then be written to an NFC tag. This would allow them to maintain their encryption standard for BBL filaments while allowing AMS units to read non-BBL filament spools.
I am no expert in this area and do not know if this has already been proposed or even possible but it seems like it could be done.
I’m sure the argument against would be that it would cannabalize BBL filament sales (most likely the reason for the encryprion in the first place) so why would they do it? If you are using BBL filament solely because of the RFID functionality I doubt that many would switch just because you can make your own tag and if you are using other branded filament already htere is no impact.
But what would be the idea? to put nfc stickers to other brands of filaments?
I didn’t do any research to verify any of the following AI statement so take it as you will. Your statement "or adoptimg an industry standard " … what standard?
AI Overview
RFID tags on 3D printer filament spools first appeared in 2022, introduced by Bambu Lab
. This was for use with their Automatic Material System (AMS) to automatically detect filament type and color. Other companies, like Raise3D and Creality, later followed suit with their own proprietary systems.
Key events in the development of RFID filament spools:
2022: Bambu Lab launched its AMS, which reads RFID tags on their brand of filament spools. This enabled the printer to automatically recognize the material and color of the filament, removing the need for manual input.
2023: Early in the year, Bambu Lab users began attempting to bypass the locked RFID system to use tags with third-party filament.
2024:
Creality released its Hyper PLA filament with RFID chips for its K2 Plus printers.
A method was found to retrieve data from Bambu Lab's RFID tags, making it easier to create clones for third-party filament.
2025:
Anycubic's Ace Pro and other printers were shown to work with user-programmed RFID tags and a third-party app.
Elegoo proposed a standard for an open RFID system for 3D printer filament, which aims to create a universal system that is not limited to one brand
To expand a little… I think in principle if the printer companies cooperated and came up with a cross platform schema for filament so that they could read each others would be great, to a point. But it seems like it would end up being a very large and rapidly changing dataset. Being able to create your own to trigger your own customs settings for that filament I think would be pretty neat also. Of course you may need to tweak it every time you calibrate for a new spool of that same filament, if you do that.
Haven’t watched it (yet) but just throwing this out there in case it is of intrest to you.
Yes. That would enable you to sync the ams to Bmbu Studio rather than manualy changing BS everytime you swap out filament.
IMO thats the incentive that BBL has attached to its branded filament.
Repeatedly asked and answered without almost silence.
The only answer ever provided amounted to this.
Not happening
It would be great if the Bambu Handy app could read the tag and show the spool info on the device.
It would have been good if new printers had RFID readers on the external spool, they haven’t, why does that need to be manually provided?
Too many wasted opportunities without giving up the data.
the idea behind their filament is to have a consistent experience where the settings were worked out by bambu, it is not an intentional locking up of the tech
I am all up for more functionality and being open, but this is a very difficult case since BL doesnt even prevent you of using anything you want (just by setting stuff manually)
Some more info reversing bambu rf tag…
can’t insert YouTube link.Try to search on YouTube, Iceman channel " First look at Bambu 3d printer DRM"
If you want to go down the rabbit hole of RFID tags look at
TigerTag
I’m not accusing them of “locking up of the tech”, although that topic has been debated ad nauseum. I’m just advocating for a way that would allow the user to produce rfid tags that an AMS can read.
My thinking is that BL could add functionality to Bambu Studio which would generate the rfid data for user filament profiles thereby keeping their encrypted signatue key secret.
The options are:
Not possible to keep it secret within the app, or
Too difficult or time consuming, or
Not in BL’s best interest.
My vote is #3.
I think is a mix of those two, because if it was a big selling point they will assign resources to make some ecosystem of settings-inside-rfid-tags protocol.
It even could degrade the experience for some people, i.e. you get some TPU that has “BL compatible rfid tags” and it doesn’t print OK, then BL will get the support requests, not this third party.
I don’t think BambuLab or any other manufacturer will disclose their RFID systems, and there will be a uniform standard that works with all printers/slicers.
Aside from that, Bambu’s RFID tags have long since ceased to be a selling point for me. I can enter the filament type on the printer just as quickly as it takes AMS to scan the RFID tag.
I know that Elegoo has made its tag opensource.
Bambu Lab would benefit from supporting the eventual open source, but not to adopt it themselves.
If they can read the open source spools in addition to their own they could read all spools.
Adopting it would mean others could read theirs, they would be far less inclined to do that.
They might think that supporting the open source spools could mean less sales of their own spools as that barrier would be down.
So, it could go either way, support or not.
I can’t see them dropping their scheme on favour of the open source model as for them, there are only downsides.
They may also be licensing the technology and thus they can’t release the source for it.
In the early days of BambuLab, there was already massive criticism from the community regarding open source – but it was ignored.
Bambu announced a long time ago that it would share its RFID system with other manufacturers, but that hasn’t happened yet – let’s just say they have absolutely no interest in sharing it.
Seems prusa made an open system around the RFID tags:
Well, as it turns out, it looks like Prusa had the same thought and are actually implementing it. I think others will adopt the standard and even extend it.
They already have the first manufacturers on board, and there will certainly be many more.
Bambu would do well to consider taking this step as well; their RFID system is no longer a compelling reason to buy their filament, and if printer and filament manufacturers increasingly adopt open standards, they’ll quickly find themselves left behind.
And since it’s open source, it will also find its way into slicer software.
I had not read their actual spec. I assume it will evolve. One cool thing about it is it looks like it also has a QR code. So it does not require a NFC reader.
Not really as useful as it sounds for those that don’t use NFC. Most phones can read NFC. QR codes need an app and camera. But are more common. And can be read from further away.
I wonder if there will be a filament management system. Logging what you have. Maybe some tools to make sure you have enough on hand. Probably some manufacturer will come out with one that auto orders…
Hopefully it will be implemented by most printers.