Mods and Upgrades for Bambu Lab X-1 Carbon 3D Printer

In this article there are some recommended upgrades and modifications, mostly 3D printed modifications, to Bambu Lab X-1 Carbon 3D printer. From accepting a wider range of filament spools to easily swapping away from using the AMS, shining a little light on our prints, and even more.

Bambu AMS Disconnect Tool

Designer: @Jody

Download: https://www.printables.com/model/382058-bambu-ams-disconnect-tool

This is a must-have tool for the X1 with an AMS. It made it so much easier to disconnect that connection, remove the Teflon tube. If you have a bamboo machine, you might know that removal of the AMS off of the top of it is surprisingly annoying. The clip on the connector for the wiring is on the back side, between the case and the connector, where it's hard to get to. This 3D printed tool is designed to slip in between there and actuate the clip, so you can remove the connector easily.

Now, the Teflon tube work goes into the buffer, which is recessed in, so it's hard to get to the clip for it. The other end of this tool is designed to press into that recess, so you can remove the tube easily.

More Light for  Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab X-1 Carbon 3D printer has a single light bar, but it's inadequate. It does have a camera, and you can film time lapses in the software, but they turn out grainy and dark because of inadequate lighting.

BambuLab Top Glass Riser 4 COB LED Remix with LED Shield

Designer: @dkarjadi_251732

Download: https://www.printables.com/model/365027-bambulab-top-glass-riser-4-cob-led-remix-with-led-

There are a handful of designs out there to go about adding LEDs to this machine. Most of them are a little riser setup that goes on top and raises the glass up, providing space to put a strip of LEDs in. 

Hydra AMS - Enhanced Bambu Lab AMS

Designer: @humebeam

Download: https://www.printables.com/model/392134-hydra-ams-enhanced-bambu-lab-ams

Bamboo Labs didn't maximize the interior space of the AMS, so larger diameter spools, wider spools, or smaller 500 gram spools couldn't fit into the existing system. To fit bigger spools of filament in the AMS unit, we're going to do the Hydra AMS upgrade. The Hydra AMS is a 3D printed interior shell that replaces the existing shell of the Bamboo Labs automatic material system.  

The designer made these parts printable within the build volume of the X1. We're going to have to reuse the interior components of the AMS with these new shell parts. Firstly get these things disassembled. Making sure to label all the wiring for the individual motors and connections when disconnecting them, so you'll know where to put them back on when reassembling all this stuff. 

Get the shell stripped down to just the base components of the AMS. Assembling the three parts of the Hydra into one is simple, and it actually pretty firmly attaches together. But then a couple of M3 by 20 screws go in place to ensure that they are properly aligned and won't come apart.

Installation into the case for the Hydra AMS is very straightforward, same as the original came out. Slip it in, two electrical connections at the back of the box, set it down into place, and then two screws hold it in. It achieves a goal of increasing the size of spools that can fit in here, as well as decreasing with 500 gram spools. 

Bambu Lab Over-Engineered Y-Splitter

This Y- Splitter allows you to bypass the AMS without having to disconnect or change anything. Currently, filament comes out of the AMS, runs down into the buffer system, up through the Teflon tube, and then in through the back panel of the machine. If I want to run things like abrasive materials, you already saw what would happen if you were to run abrasives through the AMS. You're not supposed to do that. Or TPU, it's too soft. The AMS can't feed it properly. Then what you need to do is reach back here on the back side of the machine, disconnect this feed tube, and then feed the filament into there. It's not complicated, but it's an extra step to the process that makes it a little bit annoying.

Designer: @BrandonRaineri

Download: https://www.printables.com/model/298958-bambu-lab-x1-overengineered-y-splitter

This Y-Splitter accepts a couple of these little collets that actually allow it to replace the push-connect fittings on the backside of this machine so that the Teflon tubes will fit into it securely and be engaged like they should be. It also has a screw hole for an M3 by 20 screw to pass through it and securely hold it to the backside of the machine, so everything is really locked in. This is a really nice design. It's nice and smooth, so when you're not using the AMS, the filament will be retracted out of that tube as it does at the end of every print, and all you have to do is feed filament into the empty hole on the other side of the Y, and boom, you've bypassed the AMS without having to disconnect anything. That Y-Splitter is pretty easy to install.