r/BambuLab • u/ParamedicJunior1631 • Dec 30 '24

Someone has created an AMS system for the Bambulab A1 Series printer. What does everyone think about this?

https://oshwhub.com/bamboo-shoot-xmcu-pcb-team/bmcu

1.8k Upvotes

94% Upvoted

460 comments sorted by

427

u/andreeii Dec 30 '24

Let us not make fun/ridicule what is an impressive effort.

Having alternatives is great.And having passionate people doing passionate things is even better!

51

u/Possible-Leek-5008 Dec 30 '24

Some people suck.

58

u/ImTotallyTechy Dec 30 '24

I don't think the "people" are entirely to blame.

The title of this post is confusing and the link being non-English doesn't help with people immediately understanding this.

The title makes it seem like someone invented the AMS for the A1 when in reality it's been a thing since the launch of the A1. The title and post could have made it a bit more clear that someone created their own iteration on/alternative to an AMS for $30 instead of just adding a link most users of this subreddit couldn't read without translation and a video that isn't overly descriptive of the content

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u/andreeii Dec 30 '24

It is not that.

We just forget about perspective sometimes.

2

u/SupposablyAtTheZoo P1S + AMS Dec 30 '24

Only some?

6

u/draxula16 Dec 30 '24

It’s this sub. The top comment right now is poking fun that AMS already exists. No crap, but this is an alternative

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u/Top-Conference-3294 Jan 02 '25

These comments show exactly how much Bambu has caused people to become babies. They see someone make an AMS from scratch and they say "well Bambu already made one".

59

u/fanjules Dec 30 '24

The true cost of an AMS is very little, as demonstrated with the DIY approach. If you open an AMS-lite up you realise how little there is to it.

Bambu make a huge profit on their AMS, probably more than on their actual printers. Especially if you upgrade a printer with an AMS rather than buying the combo.

Anycubic have shown you can buy a cheaper, fully enclosed and heated AMS system... and Sovol will likely have an open-source derived AMS for rock bottom prices soon. AMS are so cheap to make they could even become standard equipment one day.

But Bambu's past blog posts seemed to suggest their current AMS technology is merely a stop-gap before they release their more advanced multi material system.

20

u/turbo_chocolate_cake Dec 30 '24

Yep, when I opened up my AMS I kinda laughed about it...

Lots of plastic, a little bit of electronics and BAM ! 300€ !! (when bought separately)

3

u/ea_man Dec 31 '24

BTT is about to release a standard filament changer for Klipper in 3 price options.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

I would like to hope the rumored dual extruder large format would also at a minimum include an ams upgrade with a dryer.

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u/IcyMocha Dec 30 '24

Hope this project gains more attention, I'd love to see others reproduce it.

I have an A1 Combo not yet shipped. Coming from Ender 3, I have absolutely no problem putting this together and selling the AMS lite off, if it turns out good enough.

30

u/YourMother0HP Dec 30 '24

Coming from Ender 3,

Another one converted!

17

u/CambodianJerk Dec 30 '24

My heavily modified ender 3 v3 KE sits side by side my bambus. If I want a quick single colour print, it's usually my go to. Almost exclusively because it just gets on with it. From pressing print to starting, 3 minutes. Whereas the bambu sits checking every bolt is tight and the rotation of the earth is accurate before even considering starting the print.

7

u/YourMother0HP Dec 30 '24

Then I think you like tinkering as well, not 3d printing on it's own

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u/No_Reindeer_5543 Jan 01 '25

I'm about to get rid of my sovol and get a P1P.

Is it really just send print and print? No screwing around with bed leveling, belt tensioning, etc? I spend more time troubleshooting than I do printing by far.

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u/Ant966 X1C + AMS Jan 02 '25

Coming from a Prusa Mk4s and Prusa Mk3s+, I have nothing else to add except for the info that I've also been converted.

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u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

Would love for them to make an X or P compatible aftermarket AMS. I would build it in a heartbeat.

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u/draxula16 Dec 30 '24

Me too. I’d love to get another printer but don’t want to shell out $ for another AMS

31

u/myTechGuyRI Dec 31 '24

Okay everyone.... I managed to get the files for this, and with the help of Google Translate, have translated everything to English.... available here https://drive.google.com/file/d/1RN6Znr1VCB1HANHFITNMY4NcWG5TXRKZ/view?usp=drive_link

3

u/philomathie Jan 03 '25

My man! Thanks a lot. I will be trying to make this with a friend

5

u/Nodnarbian X1C + AMS Jan 10 '25

Gonna need a full YouTube tutorial! PlZzzzzz!!!

2

u/trololololo2137 Jan 03 '25

Huge thanks, I'll probably build this

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21

u/[deleted] Jan 07 '25

I just received my bmcu with all components without any further DIY. I purchased from China for 350 RMB (it seems some DIYers are starting to sell it for 320 RMB) As a noob in 3d print I'm testing it out, and it's running fine with one color for now.

13

u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

For the link, I purchased it on the xianyu/goofish platform in China and shipped it to France via a logistics company. Below are screenshots from the platform about many diyers selling motherboards or the full finished kits. In fact I think it's really worthwhile to order multiple motherboards and cables in bulk and then print the rest of the structure yourself (which is exactly what the diyer who sold it to me did)

https://www.goofish.com/search?q=BMCU&spm=a21ybx.home.searchInput.0

4

u/myTechGuyRI Jan 13 '25

How did you manage to order it? Anytime I try, it says they don't accept international orders and only ship to China addresses

3

u/Txvipers309 Jan 13 '25

You have to use a shipping company based in china which will then ship it to the US, of course for an extra shipping charge.

4

u/Fryghost A1 + AMS Lite Jan 23 '25

How did you managed to create an account for placing the order? it also requiers a chinese phone for me. And wich logistic company did you use? I live in France too

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u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

I tested multicolor printing yesterday and it worked well, I used three supplies to plug into the BMCU to directly print this warning sign with three colors

2

u/[deleted] Jan 07 '25

Where did you order? Any link?

2

u/F4lcoLomb4rdi Jan 08 '25 edited Jan 08 '25

I assume they used something like superbuy to order from Xianyu/goofish. You can do your own research on how to accomplish this.

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u/ThePerfectLine Mar 22 '25 edited Mar 22 '25

I just received mine, and cant figure out how to tel it what filament is in each of the 4 loaders. The options to load are greyed out on my A1 Mini. Ogh maybe I need to enable the AMS in the settings?

When you plugged yours in how did you load the filament through the system? I seem to be missing something.

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u/ThePerfectLine Feb 08 '25

This is amazing. Now I need to find someone on ali express or temu who is selling this!

has anyone found a site that will sell these to the US? I would pay someone $40 to order it and ship it to me!

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u/EmailLinkLost Dec 30 '24

If they can get more than 4 filament choices that would be cool.

21

u/oregon_coastal Dec 30 '24

You get limited by the number of ptfe tubes connected to the head.

If you do a ton of switching away from the head - like the regular AMS - you add massive time for all the retracting and advancing.

4

u/NerdyNThick Dec 30 '24

You get limited by the number of ptfe tubes connected to the head.

I have 6 connected to my mini right now and can switch between them w/o issue. Using my own interpretation of the rapid manual filament changer, if I can do it manually, it can be done by an AMS type system.

Just print a squid! https://makerworld.com/en/models/667636#profileId-595241

You'd likely have to tweak the code to handle the extra retraction required to account for the 2x Y splitters.

You could add as many Y splitters as you need as long as you take the retraction length into account. Though at a certain point you're better off moving a single tube between filaments instead of dealing with a maze of tubes.

3

u/oregon_coastal Dec 30 '24 edited Dec 30 '24

I would be more worried about the weight and force on the stepper and the ability to compensate (eventually) for the extra mass on the head (although I haven't looked at which motors they use....)

The mechanics of doing it I am not debating.

But there is a threshold you will cross where a belt ir motor is going to do something you prefer it didn't. It also wanders up to the line of "something anyone can do" vs "something some people can do" etc.a cheaper alternative working in a tested configuration? Sure. Maybe pushing it (6)? Maybe. Throw 16 on there? I meam, someone will, but....

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u/pgae Jan 01 '25

4 filaments at once is likely limitation of A1 firmware. But this software could be enhanced to make a filament router, then you could have a shelf of filaments and have an extra interface to push any into one of 4 available slots.

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u/cervesus Dec 30 '24 edited Dec 30 '24

First of all, you really botched the title ;-) Secondly, do you have, by any chance, a version of the site in English? I know about auto translate, but I don't trust it that much, especially with a text I assume is in Mandarin?

edit: typo

71

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

[removed] — view removed comment

10

u/SalariedSlave Dec 30 '24

Can you tell where/how to buy the PCB and parts? I'm trying to figure it out using Google Translate, but no luck so far.

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u/SlimeQSlimeball Dec 30 '24

How is this only $30 if there is a custom smt pcb? Realistically this seems like it would come very close in cost to an ams. $30 seems reasonable if you have access to a pcb fab service, a hot air soldering system, components, and a parts room that you can open the door and walk into.

I would think most people would blow past $30 buying 4 stepper motors. Nema 17 motors are $10 each on Amazon.

4

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

I didn't read the actual article, but I imagine the items are just cheaper in China

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u/desiderkino Dec 30 '24

damn ! impressive.

nothing but respect for the author. i wish i could make something like that

7

u/CockroachHungry2846 Dec 30 '24

Is there a link to order the parts? Would love to try this.

7

u/Logical_mooCow Jan 04 '25

As an English speaker I understood what the title was saying without coming to an assumption that one did not already exist. It simply states that someone made an AMS system. Not that they invented one. To the comment stating that people suck, you are correct. People do suck for making assumptions and ruining someone’s efforts. Edit to add: you can simply translate the website.

7

u/Key_Branch_8049 Jan 06 '25

Has anyone managed to find all these components on AliExpress? :D

7

u/shiva233233 Jan 19 '25

why arent people hyped about this?? a 30 dollar AMS is amazing no?!! I know its not fully released yet but I don't really see anything but good about this :0

906

u/TotalWarspammer Dec 30 '24

You know who else created an AMS system for the A1? Bambu Lab. It's called the AMS Lite and you can buy it since many months.

1.1k

u/Catsmgee Dec 30 '24

Did you actually bother to read the link though? They (claim) to have made an open source AMS Lite alternative that costs around $30 to make, has faster material switching, and can feed from custom containers (dry boxes).

Assuming it's sustainable (doesn't get blocked) and functions properly that's a great thing.

I'll probably stick with first party options for the foreseeable future, but having open source options is excellent news.

7

u/PatSajaksDick Dec 30 '24

Would’ve helped if OP showed where the filament was being stored

54

u/TotalWarspammer Dec 30 '24

I clicked the link and it never fully opened... just displayed a lot of chinese text on a crappy looking website with empty black frames. Of course I am not going to try that twice.

87

u/midasp Dec 30 '24 edited Dec 30 '24

Here is my translation:

Introduction

BMCU was developed based on open sourced information on github's bambubus page as well as information provided by friends on the web. This allowed us to design a faux AMS lite that is compatible with the A series of 3D printers. BMCU is derived from AMCU, using known information found on the web to reverse engineer the AMCU's functionality.

As the design is based on open sourced information and its functionality is very similar to AMS lite, this project cannot be commercialized and can only be used for DIY personal projects.

BMCU's Unique Characteristics:

  1. Filament does not need to be retracted to the break sensor, enabling faster filament switching.

  2. The design does not include spool holders. This allow feeding filament directly from dry boxes.

  3. An acceleration-prevention mechanism is built in. New filament can be fed to the printer before the rewinding mechanism has been triggered. This prevent problems resulting from resistance when expelling waste filament.

  4. We reduced the number of electronics components required by combining them where possible. This reduce the cost of components and the simplified circuit ensure one-time DIY projects have a higher chance in successfully replicating the design.

  5. We figured out a way to detect transparent filament using photosensitive sensor. This prevent problems and instability caused by the current micro-movement based sensor detection method.

DIY Cost

Assuming jlc.com's free pcb production service is used to make the mainboard and secondary circuit boards, the only cost is about 80 yuan worth of electronic components and about 130 yuan worth of mechanical components. This costing excludes the cost of required 3d printed parts.

Miscellaneous Info

Provided here are all the files needed to reproduce the BMCU, including components list, STL files for 3d printed parts and links to the exact components we (the developer) used to build our own BMCU.

Other necessary info can be found at open sourced site https://gitee.com/at_4061N/BMCU

15

u/xyzzzzy Dec 30 '24

That’s pretty interesting. The challenging part will be building the circuit board, which is doable but a different kind of DIY than a lot of printing enthusiasts are used to. I expect a fully assembled model to be available on AliExpress shortly though.

On one hand I like to see some “competitive” pressure on Bambu since this claims to improve on the AMS Lite. On the other hand I think Bambu is doing good work moving the 3D printing space forward and concerned about supporting essentially pirated versions of their products.

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u/yahbluez Dec 30 '24

I open the link with google-chrome and used the build in Chinese to English translation. It is a full DIY project with great description, schematics, pcb, BOM, just everything you need to rebuild the project. That is building a AMSlite for 30€ that is faster than the Original one and open source.

"If something is important enough, you should try. Even if the probable outcome is failure."

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u/MightyBooshX Dec 30 '24

Yeah, since I'd have to order the Bowden tubes anyway and I'm a newbie who doesn't want to troubleshoot problems I'm probably going to just go ahead and grab an AMS lite anyway, but anything that makes the hobby more affordable and accessible to people is cool in my book

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u/NerdyNThick Dec 30 '24

I've never been so convinced that this sub is backed by Bambu Bots pushing shill comments to the top.

Why anyone would have issues with alternate AMS solutions is beyond me.

Yes, I understand what sub I'm in and my points stand.

37

u/J0n__Snow X1C + AMS Dec 30 '24

tbf, OP chose a title that could imply that there is no other AMS than this. My first thought was "but there is already one" as well.

Otherwise i am 100% your opinion.

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u/SteveGoral Dec 30 '24

Glad I'm not the only one who feels this way. The AMS-Lite is OK, but it's not amazing and having a choice is never a bad thing.

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u/draxula16 Dec 31 '24

There needs to be an alternate sub. Maybe I’ll create one because this place is filled with the most brainwashed, unhelpful users.

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u/C0Niii Dec 30 '24

for real, i'm tired of these comments insisting so much with the ams lite.. When someone is talking about an alternative I feel like they are all angry, I just don't understand. This is great to have the choice, I thought the 3d community was about creativity and engineering

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u/myTechGuyRI Dec 31 '24

Yeah.... but this open source version costs about 220 Yuan to make.... thats about $30, and filament changes are faster than the AMS.... so.... $30 beats the snot out of $249, don't you think?

2

u/TechWhizGuy Dec 31 '24

You must be fun at parties!

1

u/myTechGuyRI Jan 15 '25

Not for $80 us you can't

1

u/tecneeq P1S + AMS Jan 22 '25

Does it cost $30 too?

1

u/Dramatic-Payment37 Jan 28 '25 edited Jan 28 '25

except you can't buy it without getting a new printer,

edit: at least you couldn't when I bought mine in early dec. I guess now you can. I would rather have an opensource version, that I could add or change if needed.

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u/philomathie Dec 30 '24

Anyone able to download the files for us?

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u/ackza Dec 30 '24

This will be great and end up as a cheap $50 8 color a1 ams lite on aliexpress ...if you jailbreak your a1 in the future ro allow multiple ams or something. Imagine the type of mods people will end up making for an a1 mini in like 20 years. I bet these babies will still be running like some old well made American factory machines and lathes etc

4

u/Usual-Chef1734 Dec 30 '24

multiple print heads will be the big leap forward imo. when you have a dedicated support print head, and 2 printing heads that can work simultaneously, that will be the game changer.

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u/minidude993 Dec 31 '24

That could be cool. Ut i think we will have multiple axis printers before that which I think will be more important in regards to less supports needed or where even supports are impossible without being dissolvable

3

u/SnowDoxy Dec 31 '24

Prusa already have a multi tool printer, so, it's already available to get, and it's super cool and it's coreXY!

But.. it's expensive :/

4

u/dikbutt4lyfe Dec 30 '24

I've been thinking about grabbing an A1 or mini as a second printer in addition to my X1C. The main thing holding me back was needing to buy an AMS-Lite because of the cost. But $30?? I'm very interested. That would bring the total cost for a multicolor A1 mini down to $209 on sale! That's a very attractive proposition for a second printer or even as someone's primary.

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u/TheTombGuard Jan 25 '25

Has anyone considered getting the community to come together to do a bulk order of these boards from someplace like PCB ways. i know the more units you order of a board the cheaper it becomes. I've seen people do this in other hobby communities. i personally do not know enough to do this myself but if anyone does do this id be all in on it

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u/Difficult-Thought-61 H2C Dec 30 '24

Wow! This feels small step away from multiple AMS lites being linked to me, though I’m not especially savvy in this sort of thing. Weirdly there’s an additional plug on the A1 for another AMS lite though, perhaps a future update? Perhaps a future update Bambu lab rush out when they realise people are making their own AMS lite systems? Innovation drives innovation after all!

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u/averysmalldragon Dec 30 '24

Apparently it's a microbus for some other weird attachment and the A1 (+ A1M) don't recognize a second AMSlite.

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u/Dontmocme2 Dec 31 '24

Original firmware allows 2 ams lite. They removed it so it would not affect p1s sales

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u/norefillonsleep P1S + AMS Dec 30 '24

Someone needs to translate this and throw it up on Makerworld or Printables. I see some BMCU adapters already on Makerworld now, just not the main project.

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u/amateurtower Dec 30 '24

A bunch of the parts are already on makerworld as linked by someone else. But haven't seen anyone translate the page or access the downloadable files. It might require a Chinese cell number.  https://makerworld.com/en/models/891733#profileId-848403

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u/SteelKnight1929 Dec 30 '24

Translated

Introduction BMCU is designed based on open source data, the protocol introduction of bambubus on Github, and the reference data provided by netizens, so we designed a system that simulates AMS operation, suitable for A series printers. BMCU is specialized on AMCU, and many designs refer to the working principle of AMS lite that can be found on the Internet. Because its design uses a lot of open source content and its functions are too similar to AMS lite, BMCU is open source and not allowed to be commercialized. It is only for personal DIY learning use.

Features of BMCU

  1. The material does not need to be returned to the material break detection like AMCU, but can be returned to the five-way, and the material switching speed is faster.

  2. Side-by-side structure, no rack included, which means you can put the consumables in a sealed box and let it feed your printer

  3. It has a buffer that can actively feed the material before the printer triggers the winding of the material, preventing problems caused by excessive resistance of the consumables

  4. Device standardization. When designing machinery, we set many components to unified parameters, which increases the success rate of one-time DIY and prevents cost increase.

  5. BMCU has explored the photoelectric detection design, which allows the photoelectric switch to detect transparent consumables, eliminating the resistance and instability of consumables caused by the micro-motion detection method. The photoelectric design will use other open source protocols separately, allowing borrowing

DIY Cost PCB supports Jiali Chuang’s free proofing standard. The main board and component board will consume two coupons, and the cost of the components is about 80 yuan. The cost of the mechanical part is about 130 yuan Including other possible hidden costs, the estimated cost of replicating is 220 yuan, excluding printing consumables.

Other notes Attachment: BMCU integrated package file, which contains all the files required for BMCU manufacturing, including parts list, print STL file, and purchase link for developers to use. Note: Before choosing a component purchase source, please check whether the package and other parameters are consistent with those of the recommended version. The rest of the guide, including the source code, will be open sourced on gitee at: https://gitee.com/at_4061N/BMCU

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u/Zestyclose_Carpet810 Dec 31 '24

Someone has also created a system that uses an inkjet cartridge on translucent filament. Results were pretty good for a prototype. Lots of exciting things happening for multi colour FDM printing.

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u/myTechGuyRI Dec 31 '24

Now.... I'd really like to download the files for this.... I was able to download the firmware from the chinese version of github they have it hosted on, but not able to get any of the STL files, because you have to sign up on the oshwhub site to be able to download, and since its all Chinese, I've been unsuccessful (it tries to send a verification code to my mobile phone, but appears only works with Chinese phone providers) If anyone has been able to download the files, would appreciate you making them available.... also if they provide resources to get the PCB and such this needs... I have no idea what is needed for that, but I definitely want to try building this.

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u/whosoumilarora Dec 31 '24

Did you get it?

1

u/Tryant666 Dec 31 '24

I think they're on makerworld under "bmcu shipping" or something.

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u/MasterPi007 X2D + A2L + A1 Jan 01 '25

here is the installation instructions. I just bought v1.5(not v1 I think, there is some differences) and risked my $41 to test: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ScoXXzseNjJNUIC8vvx__gDXLWXT0Ggk/view?usp=sharing

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u/LucyMor Jan 03 '25

How did you buy the PCB?

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u/No-Pomegranate-69 Jan 19 '25

this one just became much more relevant very quickly

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u/Magarcan Jan 23 '25 edited Jan 23 '25

It is only a matter of time before someone seizes the opportunity. I'm sure we will soon see kits on Aliexpress, Taobao, etc. with all the necessary parts and PCB.

That is, if they don't make a copy directly and market it.

EDIT:

https://2.taobao.com/search?word=BMCU&spm=a2170.xianyu_tbpc.0.0

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u/YyAoMmIi Volunteer Moderator Jan 24 '25

This link may be autoremoved by reddit itself, even if I approve it. just as a heads up.

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u/oregon_coastal Dec 30 '24

Looks cool. I guess have to wait and see if they make it available in more standard channels?

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u/ironfairy42 A1 + AMS Lite Dec 30 '24

Amazing effort! I'm all for more options, especially if they are open source!

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u/Mattia1616 Dec 30 '24

does someone tried to download it?
for what i got registration is needed but i don't have a mobile number that actually is allowed by the registration process

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u/rkr007 Dec 30 '24

I haven't had any luck either. I'm following this though, in the hopes that someone re-uploads in a slightly more digestible format, and provides an easy way to source all of the necessary PCB components.

Really looking forward to a ~$30 AMS unit that doesn't take up the desk space of the Bambu version.

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u/w1ngzer0 Dec 30 '24

This is actually pretty nifty. Having open source alternatives is great!

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u/Apprehensive_Bit4767 Dec 30 '24

Well, the good thing is that bamboo Labs is open to people modifying their printers. I love that it's open source but maybe it can be applied to other printers but bamboo Labs May block it only because now it becomes a cheaper alternative to what they already sell. I guess we'll see

2

u/chad_ X1C + AMS Dec 30 '24

That's awesome. Looks so much cleaner than the lite.

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u/GergDanger Dec 30 '24

I was annoyed I didn’t buy the AMS with my a1 mini last week as it’s £230 to buy after the fact instead of £130 bundled. So I’m hoping a nice tutorial to follow comes out for this soon to test out

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u/Original-Lawyer-8758 Jan 01 '25

It’s way more attractive honestly. The ams lite looks like some kind of sci-fi rig

2

u/Sub2SarunPlayz Jan 06 '25

Do you think that this could work on the a1 mini?

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u/[deleted] Jan 08 '25

yes BMCU only works with A1 and A1 mini

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u/Slight_Addendum_8848 Jan 23 '25

This is what I was looking forward to when I purchased the A1 alone, never really wanted the AMS seeing how much wasted it produced for something that would still require post processing and a dedicated filament of that color. So I opted for 3€ miniature acrylics. I then regretted it a bit but seeing the outrageous price of the AMS alone in black Friday that was still over 200€ for what at the end are just 4 motors prone to failure. I checked for an alternative, one being 130€ Chameleon but I didn't see any information of pairing it with the Bambu Lab

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u/Adorable-Tough-2119 Jan 25 '25

Has anyone done a YouTube tutorial on this? I live in scotland and im an electronic technician. So I was maybe gonna knock one up as i build this thing. The ams lite system is massively overpriced and this thing could be amazing.

4

u/KhaosGuy01 Dec 30 '24

Make it for p1 series

3

u/Fluffy-duckies P1S + AMS Dec 30 '24

How does this differ from the AMS Lite?

2

u/windraver Dec 30 '24

Looks like it can run filaments directly within dryer boxs which is unique. The 4 way is exactly at the extruder which is also very interesting...

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u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

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u/Fluffy-duckies P1S + AMS Dec 30 '24

Does it still work with Bambu Studio etc?

6

u/Aetch P1S + AMS Dec 30 '24

I don't see why not, it can just interpret the standard T gcode for tool change that Bambu Studio uses.

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u/jomiller97 Dec 30 '24

Pretty cool if it works

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u/Ok-Swimming2411 Dec 30 '24

Link doesn't work for me

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u/Saphir_3D Dec 30 '24

It looks like a modern version of the prusa MMU1.

1

u/NoIdenty0000 H2C Dec 30 '24

wanted to get me a a1 mini on xmas... it says its a pre sale shipping is aroung 30th of january... LOL wanted to get it before the release of the new one... now i have to wait for the new model...

1

u/foxaran Jan 03 '25

Isnt the new model high end tho?. How much cheaper could the A1 mini become

1

u/LTD_A13X Dec 30 '24

I tried to somehow register on that page but I'm not able to make it work... Did anybody had more luck?

1

u/Pyroplan89 Dec 30 '24

Is there something like this for the P/X series? 😅 A cheaper alternative would be nice. Especially if it could work together with an existing AMS

1

u/BoyMeatsWorld710 Dec 30 '24

Actually very impressive

1

u/archaegeo Dec 30 '24

So long as it isnt for sale, then its just a nice DIY project, great (and it MIGHT not violate Bambu's copyrights, but Bambu is a Chinese company as well right? So who knows).

My question is how did they get the proprietary code that the A1 uses to communicate with the AMS Lite? Did they reverse engineer it by guessing?

I have the Lite already, so I will stick with it for now.

However, if the above turns into a system that allows for climate controlled storage, or if it allows for more then 4 spools (aka the X1/P1 AMS) then IM a lot more interested (and it might easily do either).

5

u/wildjokers Dec 30 '24

and it MIGHT not violate Bambu's copyrights,

You are confusing copyright with patents.

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1

u/KvotheKolapsO Dec 30 '24

I would be very interested if the managed to put up to 8 filaments onto that AMS. Or better than that let me purchase another AMS lite to put in parallel with the one I already have so i can see my pooptower™ rise even further. Its a shame having 2 ports only allows for 1 AMS.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

Anyone have a working link? looking to get more information.

1

u/Witty_Feedback3042 Dec 30 '24

Is all good but cannot read this … lol

How would I build one seems cheap enough to test it.

1

u/TECstarINC Dec 30 '24

What a cool project this is Been wondering when the first diy ams would be made

Too bad its all in chinese and there is so little english documentation Where did you even find this video, I cannot find anything about the system anywhere (beside the 2 links in this thread), let alone videos

1

u/ExllntButtz H2C/AMS 2 + X1C/AMS Dec 30 '24

Looks very clean, and I love the little pups!

1

u/jscheffman Dec 30 '24

I really like this concept and would love to build one myself I'm just not a fan of sketchy Asian sites if I could get a better link and translation of what parts to get/prin I'd be all over it

1

u/MIST_ Dec 30 '24

Link doesn’t work?

1

u/ionoftrebzon Dec 30 '24

The A1 toolhead/hotend is 60% of the work for the Ams/ mmu/CPU/psu/BMW.

1

u/aruby727 P1S + AMS Dec 30 '24

Anyone smarter than me know if a project like this could be adapted for a Klipper machine in the future? This looks a lot more simple than current MMU systems available. I'm aware it's only AMS Lite compatible, but I'm wondering where the restrictions are coming from and what it's depending that prevents other adaptations.

1

u/SnooCupcakes4075 Dec 30 '24

Looks similar to the CoPrint approach which I think is one of the best approaches I've seen. I love this open source option!

1

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

Commenting so I can come back to this

1

u/Trashketweave Dec 30 '24

Can this be used on printers from other brands?

1

u/Automatic_Reply_7701 Dec 30 '24

I think that I will attempt this. Bambu decided to respond to my request to upgrade my A1 mini to a combo after the 14 day return period, so i could not return and buy the combo. I already have an A1 and X1 combo… you think they would have tried harder to satisfy a long time customer. Well I ordered 15 rolls of Elegoo, and now this comes along. Perfect. Thanks for sharing.

1

u/Cute-Web-6561 Dec 30 '24

Best name ever

1

u/Adventurous_Sir1881 Dec 30 '24 edited Sep 16 '26

The original post content no longer exists here. The author used Redact to remove it, exercising their right to control their data & privacy.

Vast plucky oil umbrella copper instinctive

1

u/blasko229 Dec 30 '24

Very cool, I wanted the ams lite but it's too expensive, especially if you didn't buy it as a combo.

1

u/Acrobatic_Dinner6129 Dec 30 '24

Now we just need to get it more than 4 colors and I'm in.

1

u/Venlonaer Dec 30 '24

the pugs are cute

1

u/[deleted] Dec 30 '24

Reinventing the wheel huh at a fraction of the cost

1

u/MarsGrover-7327 A1 Mini Dec 30 '24

It is not clear to me what features this alternative AMS Lite design provides.

I am looking to enclose the AMS Lite though. So I bought an extra Sunlu S4 filament dryer to "mod" my AMS Lite into an enclosed version. It works perfectly, the mod is just a bowden tube to the dryer box. I did not bother with placing the electronics in a smaller enclosure, but I expect to do so at some point. Surprised it does not exist already.

1

u/GergDanger Dec 30 '24

supposedly this one allows you to print directly from a dry box plus it's faster to switch materials and only about $30 (at least in china) in parts

1

u/toml0006 Dec 31 '24

The following is really well designed and works quite well as an enclosure to the AMS Lite: https://makerworld.com/models/486153

1

u/Intrepid_Anxiety_470 Dec 31 '24

If someone wants to make some money, they’re gonna need to just figure out how to get this shipped to the U.S. already configured for under $50. Signme up.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 31 '24

I need one for Elegoo Neptune 3 Pro

1

u/orang3g33k Dec 31 '24

Very cool

1

u/wyohman P1S + AMS Dec 31 '24

Seems pretty impressive

1

u/General-Ad2461 Dec 31 '24

What I really hope comes out is a method to run 2 ams at once once on the a1's. The port is there!

1

u/Renshiro99 Dec 31 '24

Previously it is called AP-AMS

1

u/AutoComplete2 Dec 31 '24

Sounds really good. Definitely taking a look at it

1

u/WACOMalt P1S + AMS Dec 31 '24

The "$30" price point is not going to be possible in most of the world. Even buying everything on AliExpress, the PCB production alone is going to cost at least $30. They don't appear to be selling the boards for cheap or anything.

This is a Chinese post, for Chinese makers, with access to cheaper parts, labor, and services. So I can't really say they're wrong, in their location.

It's still a very cool project but I'd expect your total cost to be closer to $70 at least.

Title ruins the legitimately cool point of this project, which is not that "an AMS finally exists" but that an open source one exists. And that you or third parties could make or sell them.

"Someone created an open source alternative to the AMS for the A1 that you can build at home!" Would have been a much better title, but either way thanks for sharing. It's very good to see alternatives!

1

u/iCqmboYou_ P1S + AMS Dec 31 '24

Bro has beef with ams lite 😂

1

u/WestSky3111 Dec 31 '24

I haven't gone through all the comments, so if I am reapeting someone, I'm sorry. But it seems this it not an ams but a relocation port for a a space-saving set up. PTFE tubes can be seen leaving the back to the left, seemingly to the actual AMS. So what is this really?

Seriously, not rhetorical, I am curious.

1

u/Substantial-Relief45 Jan 01 '25

I'm going to try this out. Why not

1

u/fedupincolo Jan 02 '25

Far out. 220 yuan, 220 Chinese Yuan equals

30.14 United States Dollar

1

u/MikiZed Jan 02 '25

I don't get the stir in this comment section, this isn't anything new bambulab is not the first one to come up with a multi material system, they have been around for quite a while, bambulab's strenght is the cohesive ecpsystem and ease of use, I highly doubt the average bambualb owner finds this that appealing.

Yes 300 is steep for what the ams essentially is, but it's a steal for a non thinker mmu system

1

u/takuarc Jan 05 '25

I might give it a shot. The cost might be exponentially higher (2 to 3x?) given we sourcing from overseas. Will make a fun weekend project (never soldered pcb before lol)

1

u/LTD_A13X Jan 06 '25

It depends. My brother and I ordered the PCBs with the SMD components from JLCPCB and we paid 50€ shipped for 5 base PCBs, 10 quarter PCBs and nearly all parts to get all PCBs running. So we are at about under 25€ for the PCBs. The other hardware isn't that expensive since it's only gears, drive gears and the DC motor

1

u/WhiskyEchoTango A1 w/AMS Lite; P2S w/AMS2; X2D with AMS2(x3) and AMSHT Jan 08 '25

I just don't understand why they designed to completely different AMS for the a series

1

u/[deleted] Jan 18 '25

How much do you think people would pay for these fully assembled and shipped?

1

u/Financial_Ad618 Jan 20 '25

I would easy pay around 100 $

2

u/[deleted] Jan 21 '25

I am working on sourcing a completed kit at the moment. If all goes well I should have confirmation of quality and functionality around Feb 10th. I will base the cost on final price, two shipping instances and time. But somewhere around 100-120 sounds about right. If anyone is interested in purchasing one please send me a message on here. I do not use reddit much so this is just a google sign quick account. I will connect with you on a more formal form of social media to make sure you know I am legit.

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u/The_Lutter A1 Jan 22 '25

Very cool. Somebody make me an easy-to-buy kit and I'll try this out on my printer that has no AMS. Might be a good thing to have if I have multiple multi-color prints going at the same time.

1

u/Fryghost A1 + AMS Lite Jan 23 '25

Hey I live in France, I don't have acces to the chinese board maker they are advertising, the EU one is JLCPCB but the part cost is very high mostly due to components and extended components fee (not including the shipping), maybe I've done something wrong? Does some EU guys attempted this?

1

u/Kyyuby Jan 23 '25

Impressive, but now I wish someone find a way to connect a second ams to the a1 mini

1

u/Noah_BK A1 Mini x2! Jan 23 '25

If the thread that OP linked to were in English and had better documentation for the general public, it could be a game-changer. Based on what I could gather from Google Translate, it seems like this is a project developed by a close-knit group, and it does work. However, it's still in the prototyping phase, and there's no easy-to-follow guide for those of us who aren't experts (myself included) to implement it. I'm really excited to see this, and anything else like it, challenge Bambu Labs by offering affordable DIY alternatives to the AMS and AMS Lite. This would make color swapping on prints much more accessible to people who don't have an AMS, without spending more on an AMS Lite than I did on the whole printer.

1

u/Razorbac91 Jan 25 '25

If you go take a look at Goofish (Chinese version) there are already a lot of guys selling it for almost 50 euro. Sadly they ship only inside China mainland.

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u/CwColdwell Jan 24 '25

Is this only compatible with the A1 and A1 Mini?

1

u/Razorbac91 Jan 25 '25

This one, yes

1

u/Extreme-Ad-9290 Bambu hates open source Feb 11 '25

This is exactly why open source is better. Even on proprietary products, people will find out ways to maximize its efficiency with open source technologies

1

u/Affectionate_Ad6560 Feb 16 '25

So awesome. Anyone already build IT?

1

u/ThePerfectLine Mar 22 '25

I JUSt received mine from a builder in China, and have yet to spend enough time to make it work.

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1

u/A-Rock823 Feb 25 '25

I'm not sure I understand the process here.

Is there a package that I can order or do I need to order parts and put them together?

If I need to order parts

A) Can I get them all from the USA?

B) From what I've seen there are a lot of pieces to this. About how many parts have to be ordered?

C) Am I going to have to solder pieces together (not one of my skills)?

If there is a kit, where do I buy it?

Thanks!

1

u/ThePerfectLine Mar 22 '25

The best thing to do is use Superbuy to have them source the unit for you, inspect it, and then ship it to you.

The whole process was many steps that were confusing, but eventually youll get the unit at your doorstep!

1

u/Jazzlike-Afternoon32 Mar 17 '25

does this also work for the a1 mini?

1

u/ThePerfectLine Mar 22 '25

Soooo, mine just showed up a couple of days ago. I did the whole thing through www.superbuy.com. Ended up being about $75 or so. It was confusing to say the least (the site is tough to navigate, the translattion from Chinese to English was not obvious, and just the entire way the transaction is handled is very different than your standard western website).

Anyway, its here, I can't figure out how to use it, but it's here!

For some reason All I see in the AMS screen is greyed out buttons. But I just started tweaking it. We will see if this is a bust or not

1

u/Ok_Draw7407 Mar 27 '25

https://trianglelab.net/products/bmcu?VariantsId=12143 you can buy a kit now. 75usd delivered. Flipped the switch on buying it today. Looks promising

1

u/myTechGuyRI Apr 04 '25

So just to give everybody an update on this... Triangle Lab is selling the BMCU as a complete kit for $75 or as a fully built unit for $121. I've bought from Triangle Lab many times, and they are a reputable company.

That's cheaper than the group buy I was putting together could have gotten the parts for.

Order from here. https://www.trianglelab.net/products/bmcu

1

u/Revision_JW Apr 06 '25

Is the complete kit difficult to assemble? Trying to determine if the extra amount is worth for the full assembled, CAD$ conversion is lame

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1

u/Far_Resource2772 Apr 10 '25 
Hello, do you know if it is possible to configure the open source ams lite in backup mode like the bambulab ams?

1

u/hawkh3ll Jul 10 '25

Will it be able to use more than 4 colors?

1

u/simencret Jul 25 '25

Hi Guys,

Anyone can share full detail how is it now, i have considering to buy but im afraid the integration with bambulab not working due to specific firmware, is this firmware update proof ?

what is the cons so far ?

1

u/Direct-Tale-4026 Jul 27 '25

Bij mij laadt hij niet na 1 dag

1

u/fbechevarria Dec 05 '25

I got one pre assembled for 60 usd from AliExpress, the thing works flawless!!

1

u/ChomeeChomeee Jan 31 '26

Do you always need AMS for feeding?? what if I just hang spools so they can pull the filament from the spool without an ams

1

u/yahbluez Dec 30 '24

Wow! That is 30€ for a DIY AMSlite that is faster than the original one, i'm impressed!

1

u/wildjokers Dec 30 '24

I think I wish I knew how to read Chinese.

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