I use a standard 0.4mm hot end on my A1 which is fine for regular prints. For more detailed prints I want to swap to a 0.2mm hot end.
I understand when I want to change the hot end to a 02.mm I’ve to unload the filament, exchange the physical hot end en change te settings in bambulab to a 0.2mm hot end/nozzle.
Do I need to do something to the 0.4mm (peperation, cleaning) to conserve it for later use. Can I reuse the 0.4 again if i want to change back from 0.2 to 0.4
Do I need to do some preparation or cleaning before reuse?
I cant find anything describing the reuses, storage and preparation.
They are definitely reusable and will last quite a while. There’s normally no cleaning or prep needed but occasionally you might notice some buildup on the tip of the nozzle. You can either heat the nozzle up on the printer and wipe it off with something non-abrasive or take it off and heat it up with a heat gun, or other heat source and wipe it off.
With the right gloves hot ends are “hot” swappable, in the sense that you can unload the filament, heat the hot end with the printer, turn off the printer and then swap the hot end.
What @Rmedias said is very important - power off when you do the swap.
Take some good photos of the wiring with the extruder cover off to the side so you can get good photos. Note how the hot end is mounted, too. And particularly note how the wires are captured under clips to hold onto them. They keep the wires from metal fatigue and breaking. They keep the wires moving with the extruder instead of basically vibrating until failure.
Also, be gentle with the connectors and pull on them instead of the wires. If you pull wires out of the connectors you add repairs to the list of things to switch back with a possible wait for parts. There’s some tools you can print on MW to help remove the connectors without stressing them.
And great time to inspect the hot end like @PrinterMcgee notes. You can see all of it with it out, check for accumulated filament under the sock, etc.
FYI If you buy other hot ends, you should note there are two versions of the Bambu 0.4 hot end, one stainless steel, the other hardened steel.
At present there is no setting option for the A1 to differentiate between them.
Bambu PLA-CF and Bambu PETG-CF = hardened steel 0.4 mm nozzle
Just to clarify;
All you need to swap is the nozzle and that’s easy and quick. The “hot end” is what the nozzle attaches to and is more complex to change, but you won’t need to do that if you just want to print with a 0.2mm (or different) nozzle.
There are loads of YouTube videos showing how it’s done.
It’s best done when the printer is cold.
Unclip the head cover.
Carefully ease off the silicone nozzle cover.
Press the filament cutter lever to cut the filament.
Unclip the nozzle.
Remove nozzle*.
Put new nozzle in.
Fasten clip.
Replace silicone cover.
Refasten head cover.
DONE
Just keep the 0.4mm nozzle somewhere safe where it can’t be damaged, no maintenance needed. Ready to go back when you need a different nozzle.
*First time you change it the nozzle may seem stuck, but try to gently move the heatsink from side to side to loosen it and it’ll come away.
Once you’ve done it a couple of times it’ll take less than a minute.
Thanks all for you tips.
The words nozzle and hot-end makes it a little bit confusing.
The picture shows the item I’ve have. I’ve a 0.2mm variant. Bambulab calls it hot end.
I assume this is also the “nozzle”
Yeah, that’s the nozzle. Bambu just calls it the hotend. Traditionally the term hotend would be the nozzle, heater, thermistor, heatsink and fan. On the X1/P1 printers Bambu uses the terms “hotend” and “complete hotend” for the ones that have everything. It does get confusing.
You’re correct the official part name is ‘hotend’.
The difficulty is that Bambu themselves refer to it as the nozzle in some parts of their documentation.
As we’ve seen earlier in this thread that leads to confusion.
Bambu should just call the part a nozzle and the heating part the hot end.
