Unboxing & Calibration
Unboxing
To be honest, I thought I’d received the printer without its AMS (material selector), so small was the package. But inside, no empty space, polyurethane foam everywhere, no risk of breakage, even if your delivery man is playing soccer with the package… That’s the kind of unpacking we appreciate. But if you have to send the machine back… it’s going to be a real headache. Zip ties are even used to hold the foam in place.
It takes 15 minutes to assemble the AMS Lite, all the tools are supplied, the screws are well packed for each step, and the instructions are easy to read. An assembly that’s within anyone’s reach.
For our tests, Bambu Lab sent us 3 spools of filament: PLA Galaxy, which is a new color, PLA Basic Green and PLA Basic White.
Start
Once the machine is plugged in, you’ll need to choose the language, the region and you can connect to Wi-Fi, which is rather recommended to use all the software features later on, but not at all mandatory if you’re worried about the Chinese government spying on you.
Then calibration begins. But it’s not a calibration of the platter as you’d expect from the competition – no, it’s already calibrated. The A1 Mini compensates for vibrations to improve print quality. You’ll need to restart this calibration if you move the printer. And sound calibration… Because yes, this 3D printer has ANC (active noise cancelling). For my other 3D printers, I prefer to isolate them in another room to be able to work, but the noise level of the Bambu Lab printer is so much lower when it’s on my desk. So no, it’s not silent, but I can work or watch a movie without turning up the volume or subtitles. Only the fan makes any real noise, and Bambu Lab offers a silent mode.
Finally, there’s a firmware update. And if you wish, you can link your printer to the BambuHandy smartphone application via a QR code displayed on the screen.
