Bambu FDM Printer

1. Plate in, plate empty. Check that there is a plate in the printer, with no old print or calibration lines on it. No plate? Ask staff for one.
2. Right way round. Place the plate so it sits flat against the pins at the back.
3. Clean. Wipe the plate with a paper towel and isopropanol. Some prints may also need a thin layer of glue if they don't stick; ask staff if you are unsure.
4. AMS. For the printers using the AMS (the P1S and the H2D), check which slot your filament is in (1-4 from left to right).

• File: .stl, .3mf or .obj. In Autodesk Fusion, export with File → 3D Print, or press S and search for 3D Print.
• Bring it to the lab computer on a USB stick, with AirDrop or with justbeamit.
• No file yet? Print the starter file space162-tag.3mf from the lab computer's desktop, or download a model from MakerWorld or Printables.
• Optional: install Bambu Studio at home to try orientation and supports and see the print time. You still slice and send the print from the lab computer.

On the lab computer:

1. Open your file. Start Bambu Studio and drag your file into the window. You should see your part sitting on a grey plate.
2. Printer: choose the type of the printer you will use: H2D, P1S or P1P. You'll find the type on the front of each printer.
3. Plate: choose the plate that is in the printer. The type is printed on the plate: usually Textured PEI or Engineering. The printer does not check this for you, and choosing the wrong plate normally results in a failed print.
4. Nozzle: 0.4 mm. All the lab printers, except the TPU (a P1P) printer, use the standard 0.4 mm nozzle. The TPU printer uses a 0.8mm nozzle and is labeled accordingly.
5. Filament: choose the preset for the material you will print with, for example PLA or PETG. You can find the material type on the side of the filament spool. Not sure which? Ask staff.
6. Slice. Click Slice plate and look at the preview: nothing should float in the air, supports should be where you need them, and the print time and filament use should look reasonable. See print settings for more info.

Always slice in Bambu Studio. If you want to run custom G-code or G-code from other software, ask staff first.

1. Send the print. Click Print plate, choose the printer by its unique name (you'll find it on the front of the printer) and choose the correct slot where your filament sits in the AMS. Then click Send.
2. Wait for the checks. The printer heats up and measures the plate before it starts. This takes a few minutes.
3. Watch the first layers. A good first layer is flat and even, the lines touch each other, and it sticks to the plate. Always check that the first few layers come out nicely before leaving the lab!
4. Something looks wrong? If lines are curling up, not sticking or turning into blobs, stop the print on the printer's screen and see Something went wrong? below.

1. Let it cool for a few minutes. Most prints come off more easily when the plate is cool.
2. Take out the plate and bend it gently. The print should pop off.
3. Remove leftovers with a scraper, not your nails. Getting plastic under a fingernail is not a pleasant experience.
4. Clean up for the next person. Wipe the plate with isopropanol and put it back in the printer. Supports and failed prints go in the filament waste bins below the printers.

• The first layer doesn't stick. Stop the print. Clean the plate with isopropanol, check that the plate chosen in Bambu Studio matches the plate in the printer and that you have chosen the right filament preset. Then try again. If it still doesn't stick, you can try to add a brim (see Print settings) or ask a staff member.

• The print came loose, or there's a tangle of plastic. Stop the print. Let it cool, then remove the plastic. Do the same checks as above, and make sure you have sufficient supports. If filament is wrapped around the nozzle, don't pull it off. Tell staff.

• The AMS can't load the filament, or the filament is stuck. Don't force it. Tell staff.

• The printer shows an error. Take a photo of the screen and tell staff, or post it on Discord.

• The print takes much longer than expected. Check the print time in the preview before you send. Settings like layer height and infill can extend print time quite a lot (see Print settings).

Material	Use it for	Allowed
PLA	First prints, models and prototypes. Start here.	Yes
PETG	Tougher parts that can take some heat.	Yes
TPU	Flexible parts. Can be difficult to print with. Do NOT use with AMS.	Ask staff
ABS	Strong, heat-resistant parts. Gives off harmful fumes.	Never

Not every material works in the printers, and some can damage them. Only use the materials above. Ask staff before you use your own filament.

These settings change how strong your part is, how it looks and how long it takes to print.

Infill: how much plastic is printed inside the part. More infill gives stronger parts but uses more material and takes longer. 10–15% is usually enough for prototypes and decorative models; use 30–50% or more for parts that take a load. The pattern (gyroid, grid, honeycomb) also affects strength.

Walls: the number of outer walls (shell or perimeters). More walls give stronger parts, especially thin ones or parts with fine details. 2–3 is a common default; use more for mechanical parts.

Layer height: thinner layers give a smoother surface but take much longer to print. 0.2 mm is a good default. Use 0.1 mm for fine detail, or 0.3 mm for fast prints where the surface matters less.

Supports: overhangs steeper than about 45° need supports to print. Bambu Studio can add them for you. They have to be removed afterwards and leave a rougher surface, so turn your part to need as few as possible.

Brim: a flat border around the base of the part. It helps the part stick to the plate and stops it from warping or coming loose. Use it for tall, narrow parts or parts with a small base.

If you still have questions about print settings you can check out Bambu's own settings guide, ask a staff member or post it on Discord.

• Staff are in the lab Monday–Thursday, 09–15.
• Discord: ask in the Space 162 server.
• Going deeper: the Bambu Lab Wiki has manuals and troubleshooting for every printer.