There would be a benefit for the high AMS count users if they had more inputs.
If they are truly going to be able to park filament at the switch it would speed up filament changes quite a bit (latest Bambu Studio beta talks of this).
Being able to have all AMSs parked right at the switch would maximize efficiency, but I doubt they will be able to park them at the 4 in 1s just before the switch. At least it should be able to park the last filament it retracted there.
It will eliminate the need for manual switching when the nozzle management things out there and work great as is, but that parking I can see a lot of time savings for those who run complicated prints. Probably not enough to really make it a worthwhile project though.
This is interesting. When I go to the Bambu Lab U.S. store the filament switch module page asks whether this is for the X2D, H2D, H2C. Only the X2D version is available to order. The other two give you the Notify me when availableâ option. But what Iâm reading in the statement posted from Bambu earlier in this thread, I should be able to order the X2D version and use it on my H2C. Or am I missing something?
Hi
Information from bambu support team. (I issued a ticket to check it)
the hardward is the same, only need a 3D-printed bracket for H2 series to mount on the machine.
Purchase the HW in any time is no problem.
The only thing we need to wait is the new firmware.
Thatâs right. The module is the same, you only need an H2C specific bracket on of course the tube- and cable routing is different.
Hello, everyone
The H2C works great, and the installation and setup (using the original mount) were a breeze.
Thanks, Bambu
So I verified with support that it is the same hardware but they told me the H2C needs a firmware update to support it that wonât be out until later this year. It sounds like some of you are successfully using it now. Are you using the release firmware or beta? Iâd love to use it now if it works.
The final version hasnât been released yet, but hopefully it will be soon. In the meantime, you can try signing up for the beta and test it out for yourself. (But donât forgetâitâs a beta.)
Coming back to the discussion about 2 vs 4 / 6 / 8 Inputs: I think there would be another relevant difference. If each of the inputs has its own switch to assign the attached AMS left or right, it could speed up a lot in certain scenarios:
With current FTS, you can have only two groups of AMS via 4in1s, one group for input 1 and one group for input 2. When you want to switch between two filaments in the same group, you still have to fully retract all filaments, do the switch and then feed the new filament, no matter which nozzle you want to use. You canât switch the assignment for the currently inactive nozzle while the other path is still loaded.
With each AMS switchable individually, you could already feed the next filament up to the switch while the last filament is still printing. When it should go to the other nozzle, it can even feed up to the nozzle.
When it should go to the same extruder, the old filament only needs to be retracted to the switch, and the new filament is already at the switch input.
Only when two subsequent filaments are in the same AMS, you need the full retract and feed cycle.
I think that could already makes a difference with 3 AMS.
Tell me about it, having 8 AMSs I have to think what colors to put in the left and the right nozzles. Not because I lack Vortek on an H2D but because most of my prints are 1 or 2 colors. I have white, gray, green, yellow in left and red, orange, blue, black in right and it seems to work for most things. I try to only swap things around the In HTs and leave the AMS 2s alone. Iâd rather dry in them, and swap in engineering filaments there. Itâs also where I feed the fiber filaments. So nice to just turn on drying for that filament and not worry about the other three spools compatibility.
Maybe in the H3 version they can have the switch built into the buffer of the printer and allow more than 2 paths. Could even have lamp cord type bundles of four lines from the AMS 3 to the printer and have four four way inputs. One can dream.
That version released yesterday
They not to use the new 4:1 adapter with the switch.
I guess that should read"âŚthey ADVICE not toâŚ" or something like that?
In the wiki, they only write that they strongly advice against using the 4in1 with a single AMS. For multiple AMS, you donât have a choice but to use the 4in1 adapters.
Since I typically print multi-color figurines, with the adoption of Mixed Color in Bambu studio, I have 4 AMS 2 Pros (2 on each FTS inlet - A and B). I have CMYW + OGVB assigned to both left and right nozzles. How does this help? Glad you asked (lol). If you only Mix two colors to create a new color, you will be able to use both nozzles with greater efficiency since the FTS doesnât retract the filament all the way back to the AMS, unless it has to use a filament from the same AMS. You dedicate you primary colors to the Vortek and use the left nozzle as a floater. Need to mix Green and Orange. Green on left, Orange on Right⌠Minimum swap time.
If you dedicate CMYK to your Vortek, you still have 2 additional vortek filament assignments while letting the left nozzle be used as a the mixing nozzle. Less waste plus Less time. Any additional AMSs can be used for specialized colors to maximize color mixing.
Still a lot of playing around that needs to be done but we have at least moved beyond the dedicated nozzle filament hurdle that has hampered us on the H2 series.
I have a switch installed now and was testing to see if it âmightâ work. At the moment, it doesnât fully work yet, but while loading filament I noticed it really didnât like having two AMS units feeding into a single 4:1. It would jam when trying to retract the filament back out.
Whatâs strange is that I have three HTs and one AMS Pro connected on another setup, and those were loading and unloading just fine. Not sure why.
What I can say so far is that you definitely need some extra PTFE length after the 4:1s before connecting to the switch. It was having a rough time with very short PTFE lines.
Iâve been playing around with mine and it has been very problematic. The drag is just insane, seemingly in the switcher. Iâve got to find a feed setup that limits the drag. I donât like using the original 4-1 splitter because they sometimes fail to let go of the PTFE tube when you ask, but the new one is just too draggy. With a new 4-1 (without the rubber scrubbers) and the switch, CF/GF filaments really put drag on the system. It is cool to not have to play with the filament rolls in order to use a specific nozzle (like a 0.6mm or 0.2mm on an H2C) but the drag has to take a toll on the extruders. Gonna need a lot more PTFE to try Bambuâs suggested setup, but also the Bambu setup doesnât allow for using the space on the Left side of the machine to place units. Because of the one way nature of the switcher it can only take units placed on the right (or you need lots of tube with lots of bends which, again, adds to the drag problem).
Isnât there a buffer just before the extruders?
Yes, but a motor struggling to pull filament through the drag is always going to put more stress, wear, and tear on the system. Extruder motors, AMS assist motor, and PTFE will fail sooner under greater load.
I thought there was a feedback loop of the AMS pushing to fill up the buffers so that the extruder didnât need to pull everything, do I misunderstand how it works?
Yes iâve only been using the new 4:1 w/no scrubbers. I hope when the software is a go and it losses that âhuge dragâ inside the switcher. I donât understand why they are running the BBL setup shifting everything to the right especially when most owners have everything on the left. Maybe one of the setups with the switch running in from the bottom and up to H2? I donât need to add extra ptfe to my setup. Iâll print a âdown/upâ setup and see how it flows.