Bambu Lab H2D In-Depth Review: Dual Extruder, Multi-AMS, 10W/40W Laser, Blade & Pen All Tested

Summary

Highlights

• Aurora Tech thoroughly tested the Bambu Lab H2D with extensive footage, resulting in their longest and most detail-oriented review. 🎥
• The dual extruder design minimizes filament waste, even without AMS, making it an efficient choice for two-tone printing. 🖨️
• Its laser module options (10W and 40W) add substantial cost, but offer versatility for engraving, though with a limited work area. 💸
• Despite some speed limitations compared to its predecessors and competitors, the H2D boasts superior print quality and a comprehensive feature set. 🖨️
• Aurora Tech awarded the H2D top spot among midsize 3D printers, celebrating its advanced technology and wide array of features. 🏆

Key Takeaways

• The Bambu Lab H2D is a versatile machine featuring a dual extruder, laser, blade, and pen options, catering to diverse creative needs. 🎨
• It's the most detailed review from Aurora Tech, with over 1,500 clips and 110 GB of captured footage! 📹
• The H2D excels in print quality and versatility but is slower than some competitors, though speed isn't everything! 🐢
• The dual extruder minimizes filament waste, especially in two-color printing, and integrates well with the AMS for efficient, multi-color setups. 🎨
• Despite being slower in some areas, the H2D's superior surface quality makes it a compelling choice for creators. 🌟

Overview

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Welcome and Introduction The chapter is an introduction to an in-depth review of the Bamboo Lab H2D conducted by the Aurora Tech channel. The review process started in early February and was highly anticipated. The team tested the machine extensively with a variety of materials and configurations. They documented the process with over 1,500 video clips and photos, resulting in more than 110 GB of footage.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Channel Milestone and Product Overview The channel reached a milestone of over 100,000 subscribers since its launch in 2021. The video production has been time-consuming, highlighting the efforts put into creating quality content. Three versions of the H2D are discussed, with the base model being a dual nozzle 3D printer priced at $2,400 in the US. Tariff impacts are mentioned as a reason for higher US prices compared to other regions.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Pricing Details and Testing Overview The chapter provides an overview of Bamboo Lab's pricing structure for their products. It details the costs for upgrading to the AMS2 Pro combo and purchasing laser modules. Specifically, the AMS2 Pro combo adds $300 to the base price, totaling $2,700. Including the 10W laser module and accessories increases the price by an additional $800, totaling $3,500. Opting for the 40W laser module further increases the price by $900, bringing the total to $4,400. The chapter also introduces an upcoming video featuring product testing.
• 01:30 - 03:30: Hardware Overview The chapter provides an overview of various hardware configurations, including different extruder setups (single and dual), the usage of one or multiple AMS units, and features of the laser version. It also discusses the H2D printer, highlighting its fully enclosed Core XY design and details such as its maximum build volume (350 x 320 x 325 mm) and the effect of printing mode on the X-axis build area. Additionally, it notes the actively heated chamber of the printer, which can reach temperatures up to 65° C.
• 03:30 - 04:30: Extruder and Filament System This chapter discusses the Extruder and Filament System of a 3D printer. It specifies the physical dimensions and space requirements, detailing the printer's weight of around 85 lbs, which increases to approximately 100 lbs when the Automatic Material System (AMS) is loaded with four spools. The overall table space needed is about 50x60x65 cm, plus an additional 40 mm if the AMS is utilized on top, to allow full opening for filament changes. The motion system configuration includes a linear rail on the X-axis, linear rods on the Y-axis, and a combination of three lead screws and linear rods on the Z-axis, all functioning in synchrony.
• 04:30 - 05:30: Fan and Automation Features The chapter details the features of a high-tech printing system, focusing on its fan and automation capabilities. A key highlight is the optional vision encoder, which functions as an alignment tool for the print head to ensure motion accuracy across the workspace, maintaining precision within 50 microns. Additionally, the H2D printer features a dual nozzle system, which facilitates two-color printing without the need for filament purging, even in the base model, enhancing efficiency and capability.
• 05:30 - 06:30: Camera and Software Features The chapter 'Camera and Software Features' discusses a completely new design featuring Bamboo Labs' custom high precision permanent magnet synchronous motor. This motor offers improved extrusion control. The discussion includes details about the standard nozzle, which supports a flow rate of up to 40 mm³/s, and an optional high flow version that can achieve up to 65 mm³/s. The hotend can reach temperatures up to 350°C, allowing compatibility with various materials, including basic PLA and high-performance fiber-reinforced nylons. The bed heats up to 120°C.
• 06:30 - 07:30: Voxil PLA Sponsor Mention The chapter titled 'Voxil PLA Sponsor Mention' provides an overview of the technical specifications and features of the H2D 3D printer. It highlights the printer's capability of high-speed travel and acceleration. Specifically, it mentions that the printer can reach travel speeds of up to 1,000 millimeters per second and an acceleration of 20,000 millimeters per second squared. However, for optimal print quality, the default print profiles utilize a maximum speed of 350 mm/s and an acceleration of 10,000 mm/s squared. Additionally, the chapter describes filament handling, which is managed by the upgraded AMS2 Pro system. The chapter seems to focus on conveying the efficiency and advanced technology embedded in the H2D printer.
• 07:30 - 08:30: Unboxing and Setup This chapter discusses the setup and functionality of Bamboo Lab's automatic material system (AMS). It highlights the dual role of the AMS as a filament dryer, capable of maintaining temperatures of up to 65°C, while the newly introduced AMSHT unit can reach up to 85°C and includes a TPU bypass for flexible filaments. The system's scalability is emphasized, supporting up to four AMS units and eight AMSHTs, enabling the management of up to 24 spools simultaneously. The usability of the system is further enhanced by allowing daisy chaining of all AMS units to one extruder alongside external spool usage.
• 08:30 - 09:30: Calibration and Settings This chapter discusses the calibration and settings of a 3D printer, particularly focusing on the H2D model. It highlights the printer's ability to operate with up to 25 spools simultaneously and compatibility with older AMS units. Additionally, it outlines the closed-loop system of fans, which includes part cooling, auxiliary, hotend, chamber circulation, and exhaust fans. Moreover, it mentions the printer’s capability to manage temperature for low-temp filaments like PLA by automatically adjusting its vents while maintaining an enclosed environment.
• 09:30 - 12:00: First Print Test This chapter focuses on the features of an exhaust fan and a camera system integrated into a 3D printer. The exhaust fan boasts a three-stage filter system consisting of a prefilter, activated carbon filter, and HPA filter. It also includes advanced automation features such as strain gauges, bed leveling, input shaping for vibration compensation, flow rate calibration, and automatic nozzle offset alignment. The camera system features a live view camera, a nozzle camera, and a tool head camera. The laser version of the printer includes an additional 8 megapixel bird's eye camera to enhance functionality.
• 12:00 - 13:00: Sound Test and Print Inspection Chapter Title: Sound Test and Print Inspection The chapter discusses advancements in engraving technology with a focus on 3D scanning and accurate job positioning features for enhanced engraving. The Bamboo Lab H2D is highlighted for its multitude of features such as Bamboo Studio, which allows slicing for different printing modes, including cloud printing, local network, and offline USB printing. The chapter acknowledges Bamboo Lab for providing the machines and thanks the sponsor Voxil PLA, a brand from a print farm.
• 13:00 - 16:00: Benchmark Prints The chapter titled 'Benchmark Prints' discusses the rigorous testing of 3D printing materials by a company in California. They use over 150 3D printers, operating continuously, to ensure quality and reliability of their filaments. Specifically, Voxil PLA Pro, a modified PLA, is highlighted for its high impact strength and capability to support high-speed printing at 500 mm per second with a flow rate of up to 25 mm cubed per second at 210 degrees Celsius. The transcript also mentions the introduction of a new PETG Plus filament.
• 23:00 - 24:30: Dual Extruder Test The chapter titled 'Dual Extruder Test' highlights the affordability and ease of use of certain filaments that are priced at $16.99 per 1 kg roll, with free shipping for orders of four rolls and bulk discounts for six rolls. These filaments work well for high-speed printing and are compatible with Prusa Slicer without needing adjustments. Additionally, the chapter mentions accessories available for Prusa and Bamboo Lab machines and directs readers to voxalpla.com for further information.
• 18:00 - 23:00: Material and Print Tests This chapter covers the unboxing and setup of a 3D printing machine, describing the contents and their arrangement inside the package. Accessories such as a spool holder, spare parts, short Bowden tubes, and a set of bamboo filament swatches are included. The box's top cover can be removed to facilitate lifting the machine, even though it is heavy. The Automatic Material System (AMS) is pre-installed inside the machine, requiring detachment for use. The chapter notes the similarities between the AMS2 Pro and the original AMS used on the X1 Carbon model.
• 24:30 - 28:30: Multi-color Printing Test The chapter titled 'Multi-color Printing Test' discusses several internal changes to a printing machine, focusing on improvements in filament management. Notably, the Bowden tubes are now accessible without opening the base, aiding in clearing filament jams or clogs. The machine features three filament inlets tailored for different extruder needs: right, left, and flexible filament. An external spool is mounted and connected to the left extruder inlet, while the AMS connects to the right extruder, offering two connector options on the AMS2 Pro. These enhancements are likely designed to optimize multi-color printing efficiency and flexibility.
• 30:30 - 36:30: Laser Module Test The chapter titled 'Laser Module Test' discusses the setup process for connecting the machine, highlighting the use of an additional port for linking AMS units. It mentions the inclusion of a safety key required for operation, and the steps for powering on the device, selecting language and region, and connecting to Wi-Fi. The device supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. It also offers an option to bind the machine to a Bamboo Lab account through a mobile app for enhanced functionality.
• 36:30 - 37:30: Blade Cutting and Pen Drawing This chapter focuses on setting up and initializing a printer, with specific instructions such as scanning a QR code to link the printer to a phone account. It also covers agreeing to mandatory terms, with an optional choice to join a user improvement program. Subsequent steps involve removing screws, zip ties, and protective materials from the printer before it undergoes a 30-minute calibration process.
• 37:30 - 44:30: Pros and Cons Discussion The chapter titled 'Pros and Cons Discussion' introduces the ease of use and advantages of Bamboo Lab's touchscreen user interface. It highlights the ability to provide real-time feedback and progress updates, ensuring that users are kept informed about current operations and estimated completion times. The description suggests that users can feel relaxed and assured while the interface takes care of the tasks.
• 44:30 - 46:00: Conclusion In the Conclusion chapter, the process of finalizing and updating the system is detailed. After completing calibration, the settings menu is used to update the firmware—a task taking approximately 20 minutes for the machine and 3 to 4 minutes for the AMS2 Pro. Following the updates, a prompt instructs on setting up the new AMS, involving the loading of four spools of filament in auto mode. This setup verifies connection to the appropriate extruder, utilizing filament feeding and sensor detection to ensure accurate system integration.

Bambu Lab H2D In-Depth Review: Dual Extruder, Multi-AMS, 10W/40W Laser, Blade & Pen All Tested Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 Welcome back to Aurora Tech channel. Today we're doing an in-depth review of the Bamboo Lab H2D. We received this machine back in early February and have been testing it extensively ever since. It's probably the machine we were most excited to try out. With high expectations, we set to do a thorough review, testing as many materials and configurations as possible. In total, we recorded over 1,500 video clips and photos totaling more than 110 GB of footage, making this the most
• 00:30 - 01:00 time-consuming video we've ever done since launching the channel in 2021. We also recently passed 100,000 subscribers, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who has ever watched, liked, and especially subscribed to our channel. The H2D is available in three versions. The base model is a dual nozzle 3D printer currently priced at $2,400 in the US. The price was increased due to tariffs, so it should be lower in other regions. You can check
• 01:00 - 01:30 Bamboo Lab's website for pricing in your area. The AMS2 Pro combo adds $300, bringing the total to $2,700. The laser version includes the AMS2 Pro, a 10W laser module, and other laser related and blade cutting accessories, adding another $800 for a total of $3,500. If you want the 40 W laser module, that's an additional $900, bringing the total to $4,400. In this video, I'll be testing
• 01:30 - 02:00 everything from single and dual extruder setups to using one AMS or multiple AMS units as well as the laser version with all its available features. First, let's take a look at the hardware. The H2D is a fully enclosed Core XY3D printer with a maximum build volume of 350x 320x 325 mm. The X-axis build area is reduced by 25 to 50 mm depending on the printing mode. It has an actively heated chamber capable of reaching up to 65° C
• 02:00 - 02:30 internally. The printer weighs around 85 lbs and with the AMS loaded with four spools, the total weight is about 100 lb. It requires approximately 50x 60x 65 cm of table space, plus an additional 40 mm if you're using the AMS on top to allow it to fully open for filament changes. The motion system uses a linear rail on the X-axis, linear rods on the Y-axis, and triple lid screws and linear rods on the Z-axis, synchronized with a
• 02:30 - 03:00 timing belt. One standout feature is the optional vision encoder, this is a special alignment plate that allows the print head to scan the workspace and verify motion accuracy. According to Bamboo Lab, it can maintain consistent distance independent accuracy within 50 microns across the entire build plate. The H2D uses a dual nozzle single tool head design, meaning both nozzles move together on the same carriage. This allows for two color printing without filament purging, even on the base model without an AMS. The extruder is a
• 03:00 - 03:30 completely new design, featuring Bamboo Labs custom high precision permanent magnet synchronous motor, which offers improved extrusion control. The standard nozzle supports a claimed flow rate of up to 40 mm cubed per second. And there's an optional high flow version that can reach up to 65 mm cubed per second. The hotend can reach up to 350° C, making them compatible with a wide range of materials from basic PLA to high performance fiber reinforced nylons. The bed heats up to 120° C. By
• 03:30 - 04:00 default, it comes with a double-sided textured PEI sheet. The smooth PEI plate is optional. As for speed, the H2D is capable of travel speeds up to 1,000 millimeters per second and 20,000 millimeters per second squared acceleration. In practice, the default print profiles use a maximum print speed of 350 mm/s and 10,000 mm/s squared acceleration to ensure consistent quality. Filament handling is managed by the AMS2 Pro, an upgraded version of
• 04:00 - 04:30 Bamboo Lab's automatic material system. It also functions as a filament dryer capable of maintaining up to 65° C. There's also a new AMSHT which supports drying temperatures up to 85° C and includes a TPU bypass outlet for flexible filament. The system supports up to four AMS units and eight AMS HTs, allowing the H2D to manage up to 24 spools simultaneously. If you daisy chain all AMS units to one extruder and use an external spool
• 04:30 - 05:00 holder on the other, you can in theory print with 25 different spools at once. It's also backward compatible with the original AMS. Those old units from your X1C or P1S are still usable with the H2D. All fans on the H2D are closed loop, including the part cooling, auxiliary, hotend, chamber circulation, and exhaust fans. For low tempmp filaments like PLA that prefer cooler ambient temperatures, the printer can automatically open its top and rear vents while remaining fully enclosed.
• 05:00 - 05:30 The exhaust fan includes a three-stage filter system, prefilter, activated carbon, and HPA. It also features advanced automation like multiple strain gauges, bed leveling, input shaping for vibration compensation, flow rate calibration, and automatic nozzle offset alignment. On the camera side, the H2D includes a live view camera, a nozzle cam, and a tool head cam. The laser version adds a fourth higher resolution 8 megapixel bird's eye camera, which helps with
• 05:30 - 06:00 accurate job positioning and 3D surface scanning for engraving. For slicing, it uses Bamboo Studio, which supports cloud printing, local network jobs, and fully offline USB printing. So, overall, the Bamboo Lab H2D is absolutely packed with features. I would like to thank Bamboo Lab for sending us the machines and I would also like to thank Voxil PLA for sponsoring today's video. Voxil PLA is a brand created by a print farm in Southern
• 06:00 - 06:30 California where they exclusively use their own filament across more than 150 3D printers running 24/7. This extensive realorld testing ensures consistently high quality and reliability. Voxil PLA Pro is a modified PLA that delivers higher impact strength and supports high-speed printing up to 500 mm per second with a flow rate of up to 25 mm cubed per second at a standard printing temperature of 210°. Their new PETG Plus also handles
• 06:30 - 07:00 high-speed printing just as well. Both filaments are affordably priced at just $16.99 per 1 kg roll. Orders of four rolls qualify for free shipping and bulk discounts are available starting at six rolls. Filament profiles are included in Prusa Slicer and require no tweaking or tuning to achieve good results. In addition to filaments, they also offers accessories for Prussa and Bamboo Lab machines. For more information, please visit voxalpla.com. The machine arrived in a
• 07:00 - 07:30 large box with an accessories box placed on top. Inside you'll find a spool holder, some spare parts, short bowden tubes for filament guidance, and a set of bamboo filament swatches. The top cover of the box can be removed, so even though the machine is heavy, it's not too difficult to lift it out. The AMS is packed inside the machine. To remove it, you'll need to unscrew and detach the mount. At first glance, the AMS2 Pro looks very similar to the original AMS I currently use on the X1 Carbon, but
• 07:30 - 08:00 there are some internal changes. For example, you can now access all the Bowden tubes without opening the base, which is useful in case of filament jams or clogs. At the back of the machine, there are three filament inlets for the right extruder, left extruder, and one specifically for flexible filament. I mounted the external spool and connected it to the left extruder inlet at the bottom, while the AMS connects to the right extruder. There are two connectors on the AMS2 Pro. You can use either one
• 08:00 - 08:30 to connect it to the machine, and the unused port is for linking additional AMS units. Like some laser engravers, the H2D now includes a safety key. You have to insert it before the machine will operate. Once the power cable is connected, you can turn it on. Choose your language and region, then connect to Wi-Fi. The machine now supports both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks. Enter your Wi-Fi password and once connected, you'll have the option to bind the machine to your Bamboo Lab account using the mobile app. If you prefer to print
• 08:30 - 09:00 offline, you can skip this step. Scanning the QR code links the printer to your account and it will appear on your phone. Back on the touch screen, you'll reach the agree to whatever it says screen. You don't really have a choice if you want to use the printer, but you do get to choose whether or not to join the user experience improvement program. Then it will remind you to remove the screws from the bed as well as all zip ties and protective materials securing the print head. The printer will then start calibration, which takes about 30 minutes. You don't need to do
• 09:00 - 09:30 anything. Just sit back and relax. One thing I like about Bamboo Lab's touchscreen UI is that it always provides real-time feedback and progress, so you know exactly what it's doing and how long it'll take.
• 09:30 - 10:00 Once calibration is complete, I went into the settings menu to update the firmware. The machine update took about 20 minutes and the AMS2 Pro update took about 3 to 4 minutes. After that, the main screen displayed a prompt to set up the new AMS. I loaded four spools of filament and chose auto mode. This process checks which extruder the AMS is connected to. It feeds filament from the first spool into the extruder and the filament sensor inside the specific extruder detects it and identifies the connection. If you're using Bamboo Lab
• 10:00 - 10:30 filament with RFID tags, the machine will automatically detect the filament type and color. For third party filaments, you'll need to enter that information manually. Once all filaments are set up, we can begin printing. For the first test, I chose a 23minute Beni and used the first AMS slot. Before the print actually starts, it'll go through a round of preparation. Let's time it and see how long it takes.
• 10:30 - 11:00 The preparation, including heating and a quick calibration, took exactly 5 minutes. The Benji printed quickly, though not as fast as some other new generation printers that include a 12 or 15inute Benji test
• 11:00 - 11:30 file. Let's do a sound test. When the door is open, the noise level stays in the low 60s dB. When fully enclosed, it drops by about 10 dB to the low 50s.
• 11:30 - 12:00 with prep time included. The whole job took 23 minutes, so actual printing time was around 18 minutes. Let's take it to my new light box for inspection under the macro lens. Since this is a 0.24 24 mm layer height Beni. The layer lines
• 12:00 - 12:30 are more visible than usual, especially under magnification, but the overall surface quality looks great. Cooling is decent with the Benji positioned to near the auxiliary fan. The top surface isn't perfectly smooth, and there's a bit of stringing. Still, for a Benji with an actual print time of just 18 minutes, I'd say it outperforms most fast Benji prints straight out of the box compared to other machines currently on the market. Next, we'll do some benchmark prints, starting with the number slider to test
• 12:30 - 13:00 clearance. As you can see, the printer is shaking, but it's actually doing that on purpose. There are four soft rubber feet at the bottom for antiibration, and you'll notice the table itself isn't shaking at all.
• 13:00 - 13:30 The print finished in 2 hours and 50 minutes, which is about average compared to other new generation printers. However, the print quality is excellent. The top surface shows almost no stringing and the bottom printed beautifully with all tiles adhering well to the bed. All tiles can move freely. Then I printed the mini honeycomb box to test the extruder's
• 13:30 - 14:00 retraction performance.
• 14:00 - 14:30 The extruder managed to extrude a tiny bit of filament and retract immediately. And it handled this behavior well. However, midway through the print, it paused and the LED light under the bed started flashing red. It turns out the AI print monitor triggered a false alarm, mistaking the print for spaghetti failure. I went into the settings menu,
• 14:30 - 15:00 selected print options. I disabled the AI monitoring feature, and resumed the print. After resuming, the print completed successfully in 2 hours and 25 minutes. All honeycomb patterns were printed
• 15:00 - 15:30 cleanly with virtually no stringing, and the top surface turned out well. When compared with other printers known for good results on this model, the H2D stands out. For the top surface, it's better than most machines with only the KD+4 producing similarly clean results. Next, I printed my simple geometric tolerance model to test part fit. The print completed in 1 hour and 18 minutes, which is again an average
• 15:30 - 16:00 time. On the square side, it clears up to 0.05 05 mm and stops at zero clearance. On the cylinder side, it also clears 0.05 mm and gets stuck at zero. That means the H2D achieved a perfect score on both sides for this model. Then I will print the Robo Alpaca to evaluate surface quality.
• 16:00 - 16:30 The middle section of the model gives the print head more space to accelerate. While the printer isn't the fastest, it still moves quite quickly.
• 16:30 - 17:00 The print finished in 4 hours and 35 minutes. The surface quality looks excellent. Let's examine all four angles and compare it to results from other printers. Compared to the Bamboo Lab X1 Carbon, the X1 Carbon is about 10% faster, but I think the H2D surface quality is better. Compared to the Creity K2 Plus, the K2 Plus prints much faster, but the H2D also has better surface quality. Compared to the Pruza XL, the
• 17:00 - 17:30 XL is slower, mainly due to its Marlin based firmware. The surface quality of both machines is very similar. Compared to the Chitty Plus4, the H2D is a bit faster, but I think the surface quality of the Chitty Plus4 is slightly better. Compared to the FL Sun S1 Pro, the fastest printer I've tested, the S1 Pro is nearly twice as fast, but the surface quality of the H2D is noticeably better. Before moving on to other materials, I'll print a PLA sheet to
• 17:30 - 18:00 test the first layer. The print finished in 44 minutes and the sheet can be peeled off without breaking. Both the top and bottom surfaces look perfect.
• 18:00 - 18:30 I'll then switch to a large 0.8 mm diameter nozzle to print a PETG trash can. The quick swap nozzle design is similar to the A series. You just need to open the clip and swap in another nozzle set. No tools required. I am printing with a 0.56 mm layer height. And the first layer looks
• 18:30 - 19:00 good. I'm using Voxal PETG Plus, which can handle flow rates up to 25 millimeters cubed per second. When using a larger diameter nozzle, the print speed is automatically adjusted based on the flow rate. So, the actual speed with this 0.8 mm nozzle is about 75 mm/s. I'm printing with three walls, so the wall thickness will be 2.4 4 mm, making the trash can super rigid. The print finishes in a little less than 9
• 19:00 - 19:30 hours. The surface quality is good as we just printed at 75 mm/s. And as a Core XY machine, the top surface came out very consistent. There's not much visible difference between the top and bottom surfaces. Adhesion was also solid. PETG stuck well even at just 70° C. The bottom layer printed perfectly on this textured PEI sheet. The next material I'll test is TPU. Generally, flexible filaments are challenging to print with the AMS, but
• 19:30 - 20:00 Bamboo Lab has released a new AMS HT, which supports high temperature drying and includes a simple bypass outlet specifically for TPU feeding. I'll start with a TPU I often use, Arion's regular 95A. The extrusion is smooth, and since the TPU95A profile sets the flow rate to just 3.6 mm cubed per second, the print speed is limited to 45 mm/s. The print
• 20:00 - 20:30 finished in 41 minutes, and the outer surface looks pretty good. However, since the spool had been opened and stored in a camera cabinet, the filament condition wasn't perfect. As a result, the inner surface isn't as clean. There's a bit of inconsistency visible. Next, I'll try a softer TPU, Bamboo Labs 90A. I'll still feed it through the bypass outlet. For this softer 90A filament, the slicer offers a dedicated profile
• 20:30 - 21:00 that prints even slower with the volutric speed set to 2.8 mm cubed per second. That brings the actual print speed down to 35 mm/s. This print finishes in 48 minutes. Since this is a new spool, not only does the outside look good this time, the inside also looks clean with zero stringing. I'll test one more flexible filament, Fiberflex, which Prussa sent me. It uses the Shore D scale. At 40D, it's more flexible than regular 95A, but
• 21:00 - 21:30 not as soft as 90A. I'll reuse the 90A G-code for this print, and feeding it through the HT bypass still works smoothly. The extrusion is stable and the print
• 21:30 - 22:00 finishes in 48 minutes. It's still a pretty good print. The outside is clean, though not quite as good as the new spool of Bamboo 9A. There's also a bit of residue on the bottom layer. In terms of flexibility, the 95A is slightly flexible, the 40D is more flexible, and the 90A is the most flexible of the three, and the extruder, when fed through the bypass outlet, performed well with all three filaments. However, if you want to print something even softer, like 85A, Bamboo Lab recommends raising the spool to the
• 22:00 - 22:30 height of the printer and feeding it directly into the extruder from the side. Personally, that's a bit too much hassle. If I really need to print 85A, I'd probably use my PUSA Mark IV with a simpler design for flexible filaments. Up next, I'll test ABS printing. The actively heated chamber can reach up to 65° C, and for ABS, the slicer profile sets it to 60° C. The chamber reaches this target in under 10 minutes. I'll print without using any
• 22:30 - 23:00 glue to see if the heated chamber alone is enough to prevent warping. This print includes two stackable boxes and took 5 hours and 37 minutes to complete. The result is excellent. No warping, no layer cracking, and a beautifully printed bottom. I'll also try some glass fiberfilled ABS. The ABS glass fiber profile has a volutric speed limit of 12 mm cubed per second. So, the maximum print speed is capped at 150 mm/s. As you can see, I'm using a smooth PEI
• 23:00 - 23:30 sheet similar to the one on the X1 Carbon. This clip was actually recorded earlier as I've had this machine for almost 3 months. The print finished in 1 hour and 9 minutes. The texture of glass fiber filled filament is rougher than carbon
• 23:30 - 24:00 fiber, but this functional part still printed very well. Next, I'll test the dual extruder. I loaded white PLA on the external spool and black PLA in the AMS to print a pre-loaded Panda model. Since the model uses only two colors, the dual extruder setup should produce minimal filament waste. When no filament purging is needed, switching between the left and right extruder takes only a few seconds.
• 24:00 - 24:30 The print finished in 1 hour and 17 minutes. The color transitions were clean. The extruder offsets were well calibrated and filament waste was
• 24:30 - 25:00 limited to a tiny prime tower. I will also use the dual extruder to print a PLA horse model with specialized support material. But first, I will it using regular PLA for both the model and the support as our baseline. That print took 4 hours and 41 minutes. For a model like this, the result was decent. Though after removing the support, the bottom surface wasn't very smooth. Then I will use Bamboo Labs breakaway PLA support material. Initially I used tree supports with the
• 25:00 - 25:30 support material as interface between the support structure and the model, but that didn't go well. The tail failed first and eventually the head did too. So I resliced the model using traditional support structures instead. Since this is a breakaway support material, if it aderes too strongly, it defeats the purpose. On smaller contact areas, the support didn't bond well with the PLA, and a noticeable amount of support residue dropped from the model. Still, the print completed successfully in 10 hours and 29 minutes. The supports were fairly easy to remove. Comparing
• 25:30 - 26:00 both prints side by side, the difference in surface quality isn't drastic, though some detailed areas came out cleaner with the special support material. The biggest improvement was on the bottom surface, which looked much smoother. Since there was no filament purging, the only waste came from the Prime Tower. But because we were only printing a single model, the Prime Tower actually ended up heavier than the model itself. Before moving on to multiolor testing, I'll print one more model using
• 26:00 - 26:30 the dual extruder setup, a pipe wrench made from high temperature nylon carbon fiber with high temperature breakaway support material. 20 minutes.
• 26:30 - 27:00 Unlike the horse model, this wrench has flatter support interfaces, which helps the PACF adhere more reliably to the support material, and you won't see much support material detaching from the model like in the previous print. The job finished in 2 hours and 4 minutes, and the print quality looks excellent. Since this model has a relatively short Z height, the Prime Tower was also much smaller. After removing the support, the internal
• 27:00 - 27:30 surfaces came out extremely clean, and the moving parts fit perfectly with proper clearance. I can turn the knob and adjust the wrench freely. Let's try printing with multiple AMS units using eight colors at once. I'm going to print this Vegeta model with five different hair colors. The print is estimated to take 27 1/2 hours. The model and supports will use about 170 g of filament, while the Purge Waste and Prime Tower account for over 400 g.
• 27:30 - 28:00 Let's compare that with the same model printed on the single extruder X1 Carbon. The model and support weights are identical, but the flushed filament drops from 450 g to 308 g on the H2D, a 24% reduction. The Prime tower on the H2D weighs about 13 g more than the X1 Carbon, possibly because of increased wiping for the time-lapse footage or a slightly larger size. Still, overall, the H2D uses 130 g less filament, saving
• 28:00 - 28:30 around 19% compared to the X1 Carbon. It also finishes 13 hours and 45 minutes faster, which is about a 33% time savings. Now, looking at the preview, it takes less than 11 hours to print from the base up to the chin, but printing the hair in five different colors takes more than 26 hours. The slicer also provides suggestions for rearranging the filament to reduce tool changes. One thing I'm unsure about is grouping the red filament with lighter colors in the same AMS and printing them through the
• 28:30 - 29:00 same nozzle. It might cause staining or color contamination unless you manually increase the flush volume by 3 to five times during color change. But I'll follow the slicer suggestion and see how it performs. Since the contact area of this model is pretty small, the 55° C heated bed on the PEI sheet set by the default profile didn't work too well. Normally, when I print a model like this on textured PEI, I bump it up to at least 65° C. But since this print was going to take almost 30 hours, I wanted
• 29:00 - 29:30 to save some energy. So, I swapped to the smooth sheet like the one on the X1 Carbon and apply some glue for better adhesion. The lower part of the model only uses blue and white, and the dual extruders handled that combo really well. No filament changes, no flushing, just clean transitions. But once it needed three colors, things started slowing down. The left AMS was switching between white and skin tone, while the right AMS kept printing blue, and it got even slower when the
• 29:30 - 30:00 hair started. Both AMS units were constantly switching filaments. As expected, printing red alongside light colors using the same nozzle did lead to some color contamination, but we were already pretty far in, so I just let it finish. Surprisingly, the slicer's time estimate was spoton. It finished in exactly 27 1/2 hours. If I had swapped out the red for another color, I think the result would have looked much cleaner. Anyway, let's check the weights. The model with
• 30:00 - 30:30 support came out to 163 g, right in line with the estimate. The prime tower was 90 g, slightly lighter than the predicted 98, and the purge waist or poop was 293 g, just under the estimated 308. So, after seeing that, I wanted to try something different. Instead of printing five colors at once, I printed two hair colors at a time using five spools total. This made much better use of the dual extruder setup. I printed three sets, so six models total to compare the time and waste against
• 30:30 - 31:00 printing all five at once. Each two model set took 10 hours and 7 minutes. The models still weighed 32 g each. The Prime towers were about 35% lighter, and the poop piles were much smaller, around 53 g per set. Of course, we're going to end up with three sets of Prime towers and poop piles. Here's a quick summary. When printing two at a time, the waste is about 55 g per model, and each one takes about 5 hours and 4 minutes. When printing five at a time,
• 31:00 - 31:30 the waste jumps to 76 g per model, so about 28% more, and each model takes around 5 and a half hours. And most importantly, by not printing red and light colors with the same nozzle, I was able to avoid color contamination completely without manually purging even more color and cause more waste. Okay, we'll now take a look at the laser version. Starting with the 40 W module. To mount the laser head, you need to remove the cover from the print
• 31:30 - 32:00 head, slide the module in, secure it with the lever, and connect the cable. You'll also need to connect the air tube for the air assist pump. Additionally, the build plate must be swapped out for the cutting panel. Every time you switch to the laser head, it requires a quick calibration, which takes about 2 minutes. I'll begin with a piece of 3mm plywood. For software, you'll need to download Bamboo Suite. The interface is straightforward. I'll start with a simple plywood engraving and cut. After importing an image, I'll select engraving. Though this can be changed
• 32:00 - 32:30 later or combined with cutting. I'll let the software scale down the SVG file, let's say to 100x 100 mm. Since I selected engraving, it will use the fill mode for the logo to cut out the shape. Afterward, I'll add an offset line and set that path to laser cut. Now, there are two operations, one for fill engraving and one for cutting. If I hit prepare now, the software arranges them as two separate jobs. But since we want to engrave and cut the same job, we need to go back and attach the two operations
• 32:30 - 33:00 together. After that, it correctly processes both in one job. For the material, I'll select 3mm plywood. If you're using thicker material, you can enter the thickness manually or let the machine detect it. Rapid measure will scan the center of the material, while targeted measure lets you pick a specific point. We'll try that later. The measured thickness is 3.67 mm, and we'll use that value and send the job to the machine. The touchcreen shows a live view from the onboard camera, and the video quality is actually pretty good.
• 33:00 - 33:30 Since I had to film through the green safety door, showing the live feed directly looks even better on screen. I didn't set any feed rate or power manually. Everything was handled by the software.
• 33:30 - 34:00 The engraving turned out nicely and with AI assist, the cutting was clean. Overall, the laser workflow seems easy to use. Next, I'll engrave a photo on the same piece of plywood and again add an offset cut. I'll position it next to the logo. Since I already measured the material, I can skip that step and just send the job.
• 34:00 - 34:30 However, the estimated job time was
• 34:30 - 35:00 inaccurate. While the software said it would take 10 minutes, it actually took about 20. High-owered lasers like the 40 W module aren't ideal for photo engraving. And you can see that the image details aren't very clear. I'll switch to the 10 watt module and run the same job again for comparison. The software automatically detects the 10 watt module, so there's no need to reconfigure anything. I'll keep all the
• 35:00 - 35:30 settings and reposition the job to an empty space below the logo. The engraving speed was similar to the 40 watt and took about 22 minutes. However, the cutting was much slower, taking around 2
• 35:30 - 36:00 minutes. The total job time was about 25 minutes, only 5 minutes longer than the 40 watt module. This time, the software's estimate, 20 minutes, was closer to the actual result. I think the 10 watt module produced better engraving detail than the 40 watt. If you're wondering why the time difference between the two modules is only 4 to 5
• 36:00 - 36:30 minutes, here's a quick comparison. The engraving speed is almost the same, likely because the 40 W module was using lower power while the 10 watt was at full power. So, for engraving, both operated at similar speeds. For cutting though, the 40 watt was significantly faster. It completed the bottom line in about 12 seconds, while the 10 watt managed only about 20% of the same cut in that time. After that, I tested a variety of materials including
• 36:30 - 37:00 slate, 3D printed parts, leather, and stainless steel. These are some of the items I've made with the laser module so far. The H2D laser version also includes a blade cutting module. I gave that a quick test as well. For the demo, I used a regular sheet of copy paper and tried
• 37:00 - 37:30 cutting out some text. This time, I selected basic blade cut and chose 80 g copy paper as the material. The workflow is the same as laser engraving.
• 37:30 - 38:00 You can also swap out the blade for a pen mount, letting the machine draw directly on the material. Okay, let's talk about the pros and cons
• 38:00 - 38:30 of this machine. Starting with the pros. One, it's not the fastest 3D printer, but the print quality, accuracy, as well as retraction are all topnotch. For surface quality, it is better than most printers. For retraction and accuracy, it's the most accurate machine I have tested so far. Two, the dual extruder wastes almost no filaments when printing two colors, printing special support materials. So, if you only print two filaments at the same time, this dual nozzle print head is probably the best
• 38:30 - 39:00 solution. Three, when combining the dual nozzle with the AMS solve a few problems of existing cut and poop system, the slicer will suggest how to locate your filaments to utilize the dual extruder with AMS for minimum filament change. As a result, even when printing multiple colors, it wastes about 30% less than the old X1 Carbon or any other cut and poop multiple filament system. Four, the heated chamber works extremely well. It can reach 60° C in under 10 minutes, making the machine
• 39:00 - 39:30 ideal for printing ABS, ASA, and other materials that require a warm, stable ambient temperature. This is the kind of printer you can start, walk away from, and expect a solid result when you return. Five, this is a premium machine with outstanding build quality and a high level of refinement. For example, the top and rear vent covers automatically open when printing materials that require a cooler environment. It can also detect the installed build plate and nozzle type, alerting you if they don't match the
• 39:30 - 40:00 sliced file settings. From the onboard sensors to the user interface and slicer integration, everything feels more advanced and polished than anything else currently on the market. Six, the AMS is compatible with most filament brands. When I printed the 8color Vegeta model, I used a mix of different brands, including some with cardboard spools, and they all worked smoothly with both the original AMS and the new AMS2 Pro. I didn't encounter any feeding issues throughout the print. Another nice improvement with the new AMS is the
• 40:00 - 40:30 built-in drying feature. It rotates the spool during the drying process, ensuring even heating, and includes an automatically controlled vent that opens and closes to release moisture and then reseals the box. Seven, as a laser engraver, it performs very well. The software is more intuitive than most that come bundled with dedicated laser engravers, and the tool head mounting process is straightforward. Even with the required quick calibration, you can switch from 3D printing to laser engraving in under 5 minutes. For Bamboo
• 40:30 - 41:00 Lab's first laser product, they've done an even better job than many companies that have been in the industry for years. Now, for the cons. One, if a file is sliced using a specific extruder, you're locked into using that same extruder when printing it later, even if the filament you want is now loaded on the other extruder. I understand that the outer edges of the print bed are only reachable by their corresponding extruders. So, if a model is positioned on the left, it must be printed with the left extruder, and the same applies to the right. Still, it would be far more
• 41:00 - 41:30 flexible if the machine could automatically offset the model to allow users to select either extruder, especially for smaller prints that don't require the full build area. Two, the H2D is not only slower than super fast printers like the FL Sun S1 Pro and relatively fast ones like the Creality K2 Plus, but also slower than Bamboo Lab's previous flagship, the X1 Carbon, at least for most small to mediumsiz prints. This is primarily due to its slower acceleration, a result of the
• 41:30 - 42:00 bulkier print head. However, thanks to its faster travel speed and higher infill print speed in the default slicer profile, the H2D can match or even slightly outperform the X1C on larger models. Personally, it's not a major issue as long as the H2D continues to deliver excellent print quality. Though, it is a bit surprising to see a newer model not surpass its predecessor in every category. Three, the default PLA print profile set the bed temperature to 55° C on a textured PI sheet, but it
• 42:00 - 42:30 didn't stick well for small and some easy to warp prints like this Blu-ray disc stand. In that case, you have two options. Increase the printing temperature to 65° C or use the optional smooth surface and apply glue. Four, the vision encoder system is quite advanced since mechanical components like linear rails, rods, timing belts, and gears aren't always perfectly precise or identical across machines. Using a calibration plate, an onboard camera to measure actual versus expected movement
• 42:30 - 43:00 is a smart approach to improve dimensional accuracy. However, when I tested it by printing a simple calibration cube before and after running the vision encoder calibration, I couldn't detect any difference. the X and Y dimensions were virtually identical. It's possible the calibration cube isn't sensitive enough to reveal the improvements, or perhaps the HTD is already accurate enough out of the box that the difference was minimal in this case. It would be helpful if Bamboo Lab provided a dedicated test print or benchmark model that clearly demonstrates the potential benefits of
• 43:00 - 43:30 using the vision encoder so users can better understand its real world impact. Five, for the laser version of this machine, both the software and hardware perform well. However, there are a few key drawbacks. First is the working area. The usable bed space is only 262x 250 mm, which is smaller than most standard laser engravers. Second, unlike having two separate machines where you can engrave and 3D print simultaneously, the H2D can only perform one task at a
• 43:30 - 44:00 time. This becomes especially inconvenient during multiolor prints, which can tie up the machine for an entire day or longer, meaning you'll have to wait until the print finishes before starting any engraving work. Finally, there's the price. The base model is priced at $2,399, and adding another $300 for the AMS2 Pro feels reasonable. However, if you want the laser functionality, you'll need to pay an additional $800 for the 10 watt module and related accessories.
• 44:00 - 44:30 Opting for the higher powered 40 W module increases the total price difference to $1,700 compared to the base model. These costs aren't far off from buying well-built dedicated laser engravers such as the X Tool S1, which offers a significantly larger working area, or the M1 Ultra, which also capable of blade cutting and pen drawing. In conclusion, after two years of other competing brands catching up, many of which have only recently reached the level of Bamboo Lab's former flagship, the X1 Carbon, Bamboo Lab has once again
• 44:30 - 45:00 raised the bar with the release of the H2D. This new flagship machine is even more advanced and addresses one of the X1 Carbon's biggest limitations, excessive filament waste during multiolor printing. The dual extruder system enables simultaneous printing with two filaments while generating virtually no purge waste. For multiolor prints, combining the dual extruders with the AMS, and following the software's optimized filament grouping can reduce both print time and material usage by up to 30% and potentially more
• 45:00 - 45:30 when using multiple AMS units. With its larger build volume, improved print quality, and overall greater refinement, the H2D is a compelling and worthwhile upgrade from the X1 Carbon despite slightly slower speeds for small to midsize prints. As for the laser version, while the software is thoughtfully designed and the hardware does well, it may not be the most costefficient solution. It's better suited for users who occasionally do laser engraving and don't mind the limited working area. The blade cutting
• 45:30 - 46:00 and pen drawing features aren't a big deal to me, but they're certainly nice add-ons. However, if laser engraving is a regular part of your workflow or business, a dedicated laser engraver with a larger working area could be a more practical investment. That said, it wouldn't be surprising to see Bamboo Lab develop a standalone laser solution in the future. As a 3D printer, this is undeniably the most advanced machine on the market right now. Nothing else even comes close. I'm confident in awarding it the title of the most advanced
• 46:00 - 46:30 midsize 3D printer on my recommendation list at auror channel.com, where it currently holds the number one spot. If it fits your budget, this is the dream 3D printer to own. My website scans major brand sites and updates prices hourly to help you find the best deals. So, please check it out. That's it for this video. If you found this video helpful, please give it a like and consider subscribing to our channel. Thank you for watching and I will see you next time.