Upstream issue: bambulab#10778
Labels upstream: enhancement, status: needs-triage
To the Bambu Lab Hardware Engineering and Product Management Teams,
As a dedicated user heavily invested in the Bambu Lab ecosystem, I want to commend you for consistently setting the industry standard for user experience. Your enclosed AMS ecosystem and the unbuffered AMS Lite have revolutionized multi-color printing. However, I am writing to propose a hardware solution to a specific operational friction point experienced by your most advanced A1-series users: the inability to seamlessly operate a mixed AMS environment.
Currently, if an A1 Mini user wishes to utilize an AMS Lite alongside an enclosed AMS unit (AMS, AMS 2 Pro, or AMS HT), they are forced to execute a tedious, manual hardware swap. This involves physically unplugging data cables, rerouting PTFE tubes, and changing the hub configuration. This disrupts the signature "Bambu experience" and actively discourages users from expanding their hardware ecosystem.
While the A1 Mini features two 4-pin ports, I recognize that attempting to run both architectures natively through the mainboard introduces severe engineering bottlenecks:
- The Bottleneck of Dual-Architecture Telemetry
The AMS Lite and the enclosed AMS units operate on fundamentally different mechanical principles.
- The AMS Lite is an unbuffered system, relying on rotary encoders on the spool holders to detect tension and feed filament directly to the toolhead.
- The enclosed AMS units utilize a buffered system, relying on the AMS Hub's spring-loaded sliders and hall sensors to carefully manage tension between the AMS motors and the extruder.
Forcing the A1 mainboard to simultaneously manage and alternate between these two entirely different sets of telemetry loops, motor timings, and tension-sensing algorithms would inevitably tax the MCU, potentially compromising standard print operations.
-
The Mechanical Risk of a 5-in-1 Toolhead Hub
To accommodate both systems directly at the toolhead, Bambu Lab would need to engineer a 5-in-1 filament hub (4 lines from the Lite, 1 line from the enclosed Hub). Managing filament retractions with five different entry angles vastly increases the risk of internal collisions within the hotend throat. The timing required to prevent the enclosed AMS filament from jamming against the AMS Lite filament would require flawless, highly complex firmware adjustments.
-
Power Delivery Limitations
The internal power supply of the A1 series is optimized for its specific payload. Powering the four motors of an AMS Lite while simultaneously driving the motors of the enclosed AMS units risks exceeding the peak wattage limit, leading to voltage drops during heavy print moves.
The Proposed Solution: The Bambu Unified Hub
(Please refer to the attached conceptual architecture schematic for a visual breakdown of this workflow.)
To circumvent these mainboard and toolhead limitations, I propose the development of an external, independently powered accessory: the Bambu Unified
[Body truncated — see upstream issue for full details]
Upstream issue: bambulab#10778
Labels upstream: enhancement, status: needs-triage
To the Bambu Lab Hardware Engineering and Product Management Teams,
As a dedicated user heavily invested in the Bambu Lab ecosystem, I want to commend you for consistently setting the industry standard for user experience. Your enclosed AMS ecosystem and the unbuffered AMS Lite have revolutionized multi-color printing. However, I am writing to propose a hardware solution to a specific operational friction point experienced by your most advanced A1-series users: the inability to seamlessly operate a mixed AMS environment.
Currently, if an A1 Mini user wishes to utilize an AMS Lite alongside an enclosed AMS unit (AMS, AMS 2 Pro, or AMS HT), they are forced to execute a tedious, manual hardware swap. This involves physically unplugging data cables, rerouting PTFE tubes, and changing the hub configuration. This disrupts the signature "Bambu experience" and actively discourages users from expanding their hardware ecosystem.
While the A1 Mini features two 4-pin ports, I recognize that attempting to run both architectures natively through the mainboard introduces severe engineering bottlenecks:
The AMS Lite and the enclosed AMS units operate on fundamentally different mechanical principles.
Forcing the A1 mainboard to simultaneously manage and alternate between these two entirely different sets of telemetry loops, motor timings, and tension-sensing algorithms would inevitably tax the MCU, potentially compromising standard print operations.
The Mechanical Risk of a 5-in-1 Toolhead Hub
To accommodate both systems directly at the toolhead, Bambu Lab would need to engineer a 5-in-1 filament hub (4 lines from the Lite, 1 line from the enclosed Hub). Managing filament retractions with five different entry angles vastly increases the risk of internal collisions within the hotend throat. The timing required to prevent the enclosed AMS filament from jamming against the AMS Lite filament would require flawless, highly complex firmware adjustments.
Power Delivery Limitations
The internal power supply of the A1 series is optimized for its specific payload. Powering the four motors of an AMS Lite while simultaneously driving the motors of the enclosed AMS units risks exceeding the peak wattage limit, leading to voltage drops during heavy print moves.
The Proposed Solution: The Bambu Unified Hub
(Please refer to the attached conceptual architecture schematic for a visual breakdown of this workflow.)
To circumvent these mainboard and toolhead limitations, I propose the development of an external, independently powered accessory: the Bambu Unified
[Body truncated — see upstream issue for full details]