Vortek Upgrade for H2D or Snapmaker U1?

Bambu Lab H2 Series
1

I’m struggling with this choice.
For owners of the H2D, the cost of the Vortek upgrade is around US$800, plus an estimated 4-5 hours of work. This turns your EXISTING two-nozzle 320(ish) x 320 x 325 printer into a 7 nozzle 300(ish) x 320 x 325 printer.
Filament waste is significantly reduced and print times are somewhat shorter.
It has the potential for up to 24 colours (with additional AMS).

The Snapmaker U1 is US$850, with minimal assembly and provides a 4 toolhead 270 x 270 x 270 ADDITIONAL printer.
Filament waste is similarly reduced, and print times are even shorter.
But it can (practically) only handle 4 colours.

For effectively the same price you can either:

  • significantly upgrade an existing machine
    or
  • add an additional machine that is arguably less capable (smaller, fewer filaments though faster) but gives you an additional printer.

What’s the general opinion here? (I’m looking at this as close to a like-for-like comparison, so ignoring Prusa or Bondtech etc.)

2

Always is better to have another machine instead of upgrading a new one, in this case paying close to 1k is literally purchasing a snapmaker, you save money and time

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Not to mention what a joke Vortek is if you compare it to the true multimaterial that u1 is.

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4

Vortek definitely has some negatives (more filament waste than U1, slow filament changes, increased complexity) but also some positives (up to 7 filaments without poop and up to 24 with pooping, significantly larger build volume, properly sealed and heated chamber).
I truly appreciate the clever engineering that went into Vortek, and that it’s taking a different approach to the standard (something Bambu seems to be clever at) The fact that they’ve built a full-fledged upgrade for the H2D/H2S and not just left owners wanting is pretty rare.
Ultimately though, I rarely use more than 2 or 3 filaments in a job. The majority of my multi-material prints are one or two colours plus Support material, with the occasional more complex multi-material functional print and the U1 can handle those better than Vortek, along with proper flexibles and more complex engineering filaments. I’ll still have the H2D+dual-AMS for more than 4 colour or for larger prints, and my P1S can handle simpler stuff/overflow.
I don’t really need a third FDM printer but I’m thinking the U1 is better value for the price.

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5

It comes down to your use case. U1 does not have a heated chamber and has lots of ventilation holes, so it will not work well with engineering filaments if at all. Its limited to 4 filaments, 7 on the H2C. Also Snapmaker does not have the best history with software etc.

I will say having two printers is a big plus and very convenient.

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I for one am way more excited about the developments to true toolchangers like the XL and [to a lesser extent] U1. Being able to pick up and squirt plastic in varying ways is cool and all, but being able to pick up a tool that can do ANYTHING, while the workpiece is still fixtured/affixed to the build plate… pretty huge untapped potential. Vortek, INDX, and Dual nozzle are good, but don’t really hit the same.

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If you can wait until enough users have used the two printers for a while, the choice may become easier.

There is a thread speculating about long term reliability of H2C. For those interested in U1, the same question should also be asked. The answers won’t come until both have been used long enough.

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You can get under 30 seconds of filament swapping if you align the AMS directly behind the printer as well as cutting the PTFE tube so its hella short. Most of the swap time is retraction and reloading filament.

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I’m struggling with the same (almost) decision. I was convinced I would buy the Vortek upgrade as soon as available for my H2S.

But I was really disappointed to see that they have reduced the physical bed size so you have to replace it. At first that seems ok… As long as you can accept a slightly smaller build volume.

It means all my H2 build plates also have to be replaced, having only recently bought them, and also I’d need to buy a bunch more nozzles on top of the upgrade kit cost. As I have the H2S I don’t have the option of using my existing nozzles in the “other” toolhead. So again I’ve recently bought extra and high flow nozzles for my “S” that will also be redundant.

I don’t know if the Vortek nozzles will be the equivalent of standard or high flow.

The upgrade kit only includes 3 nozzles based on the photo on the store page and the details on the wiki installation guide for the H2D (S guide not available yet) they are 3x 0.4 so I’d immediately need the hotend combo at an extra GBP 129. And then add at least one or two more nozzles to keep separate for engineering filaments.

The Snapmaker is an alternative purchase for me as my multicolour use for now is only PLA, PETG, ABS and ASA.

They are promising a cover to make it enclosed but no heated chamber right now… 3rd party add-on for heating maybe.

The big drawback is only 4 colours with no AMS-type system planned to go beyond 4.

I print a lot of 4 colour models but I’d like to be able to fit at least 4 colour plus a support filament.

My H2S could do this as is with a second AMS.

The U1 forum has lots of teething problems so it will take time to see if it’s become a dependable machine in a few months from now.

Maybe they’ll do a U1XL with six or seven to heads!

Or maybe a 3rd party will be able to offer an AMS upgrade

The other benefit of going U1 is having another printer. I have an A1 and an H2S and I run both continuously.

It’s really useful for a big project like Multiboard or similar wall storage, filament racks etc. and for models that use multiple plates to complete.

It’s also great when you’ve just started a long job on one printer and want to keep doing other prints.

I use my two printers so much at the same time, I would make use of a third, possibly keeping one mainly free for small jobs.

So difficult choices!

There will be many more multicolour multi-material printers coming out over the next year or so.

Maybe a Vortek X2C, as a mini H2S with Vortek, which they would have to widen the cabinet for so keep the 256 cubed build and keep existing build plates.

There’s obviously a market for a single toolhead H2 with Vortek and with competition driving prices and waiting for the first sale discount that could be a lot more affordable as an extra machine.

I think I should wait and see for now… which is well outside my skill set !!

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Oh and also I have a ton of Bambu filament that wouldn’t be compatible with the U1 RFID system!

11

You should just upgrade to H2C. You are earning!

12

H2S ends up with the same constraints as the 2D/2C with the upgrade although cost wise it works out around the same ‘all in’ as a new 2C minus the time spent going through the upgrade. I think one of the biggest issues with the upgrade process for a few folks is going to be enough bench space to be able to do it - plus it’s a big lump of machine to handle.

I’ve also ordered a U1 but also decided it was easier to just order the 2C 10w laser ultimate combo than upgrade my existing 2D laser (Lack of space for dedicated laser/cutter). I’d need another AMS to get best use out of it, that kit comes with enough nozzles to use all the Vortek spots but the real kicker was the cost. I can realistically expect to pocket about £1500 for my 2D and the 2C is £2900, so £1400 difference. However the upgrade kit is £700, with the new machine I get an extra AMS 2 Pro and HT (£350) and 3 x Vortek 0.4mm nozzles (£32 ea, so £96 total), so with the extra hardware that I can use/would have bought anyway the actual cost difference is £250.

I held off on buying anymore build plates as it looked likely the 2C would have smaller plates, which it does. I do have a wide selection of 2D nozzles but can use those on the left toolhead so not a complete waste of money.

TL:DR, I’m paying Bambu £250 at most to do my Vortek upgrade and end up with a 0 hours printer/AMS and a warranty they can’t argue I invalidated when upgraded the 2D.

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Ultimaker has a cheap top cover for the printer

14

I am aware, but there is another problem.

15

The holes are a bit of an issue but not insurmountable. I already insulated my P1S by wrapping it in foil coated bubble wrap. Not super elegant, but it works.
Probably need to print/find spool covers for U1 anyways to keep filament dry.
It does add to the cost (as does the lid) but I think the Vortek upgrade needs extra nozzles to
Fill out all seven slots? So both options cost more than at first thought.

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It comes with enough nozzles to populate it and a spare for the left, 8 total.

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Dont go for the prusa xl, as great as it sounds its way to expensive and doesnt work properly. Mine doesnt

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Prusa always has nice ideas, but the execution is subpar. Thats why I love the idea of the INDX, but I would never buy something so complex from Prusa. Bambu I trust to execute on a good idea.

Thats the basic difference. Other companies have great ideas, Bambu can execute them reliably. I take execution over ideas any day of the week. Any business person will tell you ideas are cheap, execution is everything.

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Yeah, the XL isn’t “it” imo, but it’s the closest. They just dont sell enough of them to make mass third party toolhead development interesting, and they dont seem to be pushing them themselves (why doesnt that thing have a lowpower PrusaLASER toolhead for marking PLA, like holy ■■■■) But something like it will come along eventually.

20

Agreed. Prusa has done great things for the 3D printing ecosystem but I’m done with buying machines that require so much fiddling to get them working. The best thing Bambu did was to make a printer that works, reliably and repeatedly, straight out of the box. Working around the shed and garden, I ran off several small functional prints today on my P1S that I whipped up in 3D Builder and printed out, in under an hour, with no muss or fuss. I’m not going back to calibration prints and e-steps and retraction tests and flow calibration and all that.
Plus… I already spent way too much on the H2D kit with lasers and cutters etc. no budget for Prusa’s prices.