TPU and PLA on Bambu Lab X1 Carbon with AMS

Bambu Lab X Series
1

I am considering buying a Bambu Lab X1 Carbon with the AMS combo for a science fair project and I wanted to know if it can print both TPU and PLA at the same time using the AMS. The TPU I am going to use is Ninjaflex Semiflex I think 98A Shore Hardness. Can I use the TPU with the PLA on the AMS?, or will the TPU not work with the filament cutting mechanism the printer uses.

2

TPU is not officially supported in the AMS, but some people had success with the higher hardness TPUs. It might or might not work.

3

Does standard 95A hardness work? If that does then 98A will.

4

The official answer is that TPU won’t work.
Some people tried and had success, some failed, so if you want to print the two together without manual switching, the AMS is at best a risk.
An IDEX printer or printer with a tool changer might be a better solution.

5

Could I try using a Y-connector from the AMS and the one that goes into the printer so I can switch between PLA and TPU? Like this: Printables

6

No,
you can either use the AMS or use the manual feed. The manual feed cannot retract the filament automatically, so every filament switch must be done manually.

7

Could I configure timed stops in the slicer when I want it to switch and tell it to increase the temp. of the nozzle after the stop?

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8

Yes, you can configure stops in the slicer and do the filament switching manually, but then any other printer can do that too without any AMS. And depending on the model, it might be hundreds of filament switches required.
The problem is that TPU is too flexible for the AMS to push it through the tubes reliably and too soft to be easily grabbed by the motors. It might work in the AMS, but noone here is (or should) give you a guarantee that it will work. It might work with the AMS all fine, it might work after you switch the PTFE tubes out to ones with smaller inside diameter, or it might not work at all. The AMS is not designed for soft filaments.

If TPU and PLA mix is a hard requirement, an IDEX printer might be a better choice for you, or a printer will a toolhead changer.

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9

I know this is an old thread but it still shows up as the first hit in some searches. There is an officially supported “TPU for AMS” sold by Bambu now.

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