Bambu Lab unveils nine-nozzle H3C 3D printer priced at $2,499

Chinese 3D printer maker Bambu Lab has announced its most advanced home-oriented printer yet, the H3C, priced at $2,499. The machine can combine different colors, soft and hard materials, and different nozzle sizes in one print, because it holds nine filament rolls and nine print heads at once. The technology site The Verge reports on the device after its reviewer tested it for the first couple of weeks.

How it works

The printer still prints in only one material at a time, but its Swaptek system can exchange the active head for any of the other eight in six seconds. All the tools sit in a rack at the front of the machine, where each can be preheated to the right temperature ahead of use.

Using new cyan, magenta, yellow and white PLA filaments, the reviewer printed a rainbow-colored bird feather that imitated many of the in-between shades. Combining flexible TPU with rigid PLA, he made a wristwatch housing with an integrated flexible band.

Filament is stored in an airtight container called the AMS 3H. Two of the nine slots have built-in dryers that reach 85 degrees Celsius and keep drying material during printing. Wet filament is one of the main remaining causes of failed prints.

Drawbacks

The reviewer points to several problems: he had to start every print twice because the printer reported a camera initialization error, he lost half a day of printing to a false failure detection, and the beta version of the slicing software initially mishandled color mixing. TPU must be loaded manually, and in slot 6 it can cause a jam.

Rivals already offer similar systems: the Snapmaker U1 costs $700–$900, and Prusa's 8-tool INDX system costs $2,249. Certification filings leaked online suggest Bambu Lab is preparing a smaller P3C with seven tools. By next spring, its three existing dual-nozzle printers — the H2D, H2C and X2D — will be able to print with two different nozzle sizes.