As a long-time enthusiast in the 3D printing world and content creator for amazingprint.net, I’ve navigated through various printers, from MakerBot to Creality, and currently operate a print farm powered by 20 P1S models. My experience has been generally positive, allowing me to successfully sell prints on platforms like Etsy and Amazon. However, my journey with the Bambu Lab A1 series 3D printer has been markedly different and frankly, quite frustrating.
Last year, intrigued by the A1 Mini, I acquired four units. Disappointment struck swiftly. Within just three weeks, each one succumbed to extrusion problems. We’re talking clogged nozzles, inconsistent filament feed – the full spectrum of extruder nightmares. Hoping for a better experience with the standard A1 3d Printer, I then purchased two. Regrettably, these mirrored the issues of the Minis, failing after a mere ten hours of operation. Compounding the problems was the heat bed recall, which ultimately pushed me to sell all six A1 units and move on.
Believing in second chances, and perhaps hoping the wall-mounted AMS Lite setup was the culprit, I recently invested in eight more A1 3D printers (this time without the AMS Lite). My intention was to dedicate these machines exclusively to PETG printing. However, my hopes were quickly dashed. Within ten days, three of these eight printers have already failed. One arrived with a defective extruder gear straight out of the box, clicking incessantly without ever loading filament. A support ticket has been open since the 10th, with no response yet. This is becoming a significant bottleneck in my production.
The recurring theme across 9 out of 14 A1 3D printers I’ve owned is baffling. They seem to function adequately initially, but then nozzle clogs and extrusion inconsistencies emerge. Even after meticulous cleaning and cold pulls, a persistent obstruction seems to linger. It’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause, but the sheer number of failures points to a systemic issue within the A1 series.
Close-up of a clogged extruder on an A1 3D printer, showing filament feeding issues and nozzle obstruction, highlighting common problems with A1 series reliability.
For context, environmental factors are controlled; humidity in my print room averages a low 30%. Filament consumption is high, going through a new roll of Sunlu PETG every couple of days, ensuring freshness. I’ve experimented with print temperatures, starting at 250°C and reducing to 220°C, yet the clogging problem persists. Interestingly, my older A1 Minis experienced similar issues even when using PLA, the same material flawlessly used in my reliable X1 Carbons and P1S printers. This further isolates the problem to the A1 series itself.
Today alone, I spent a grueling eight hours removing PETG from a textured plate. The A1 had extruded just enough filament to weld the print to the surface with incredible tenacity, creating a real adhesion nightmare. My patience with these machines is wearing thin.
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PETG filament stuck firmly to the textured bed of an A1 3D printer after a failed print, illustrating adhesion problems caused by inconsistent extrusion and clogging issues experienced with the A1 model.
The attached video further illustrates my current predicament, showcasing the standard filament stand setup, free of any joint issues. All eight A1 3D printers are configured identically, ruling out setup inconsistencies.
I’m reaching out to the community: Has anyone else encountered similar persistent issues with their A1 3D printers? I’m seriously contemplating returning these eight units and investing in more P1S printers – a decision I probably should have made initially. The promise of the A1 series hasn’t materialized into reliable performance for my print farm needs.
