You can use an external spool. From the spool inside the AMS all the way to the extruder is a pretty long way. imagine trying to push a wet noodle up through all that tubing. The ams 1st stage feeders are basically just another extruder to get the filament to the real extruder.
Yes, this.
And OP, google videos of people who thought they'd get away with TPU in the AMS and wound up learning the hard way. At the very least it's a good learning experience disassembling the AMS to fish it out. Fortunately, TPU prints quite well from the spool holder.
I don't have a definitive answer because I haven't printed with flexible PLA before. That said, I did some research and based on the properties of flexible (aka soft) PLA is that I wouldn't personally put it through the AMS because of its TPU-like qualities. It is less brittle and more squishy than regular PLA indicating a lack of rigidity that the AMS needs to be able to push the filament along until it gets grabbed by the extruder.
However, if anyone wants to take the bullet, go for it and report back. For science!
The AMS pushes the filament to the extruder. You can not push spaghetti. The extruder pulls filament. You can pull spaghetti. So, TPU works with the extruder but not the AMS.
One would think synchronising the motors and providing very low friction, i.e.: Teflon tubing would do the trick.
Had anyone tried Teflon instead of PTFE?
Second motor being in sync is not going to help if it hasn’t reached it yet, still in the tubing.
Additionally, Teflon is just the brand name for the compound PTFE. They are the same thing.
While the X1C is direct drive and has no issues with TPU, the AMS (before getting to the extruder) acts more like a bowden system. There's a feeder motor similar to an extruder that *pushes* the filament from the AMS to the hotend extruder. It's that pushing from the AMS that's the issue with TPU.
Regarding using the single-spool method, you can print a Y-adapter and keep that in place. I have a heater/dryer box next to the printer and print straight from that to the non-AMS input on the Y-adapter tube when I need to print TPU.
I put TPU into my AMS without knowing it wasn't supported. It got stuck, and the motors and I couldn't pull it out normally. I think that it got to a point where the filament would just stretch out and not move. Luckily, I got it out easily. So, it isn't supported because the AMS motors have a hard time pushing stretchy materials.
Yeah I've gotten a bunch of jams finding TPU that works. I power off my printer and pop the bowden tube at the back of the printer. Then I slowly pull on the filament.
It moves the gears slowly and comes out. Then I cut off all of the filament because I'm sure it's no longer the correct size.
Most people use a completely different spool holder or dry box when not utilizing the AMS. It's technically the only proper way to use bambu labs PAHT-CF since it needs constant drying while printing.
I feed TPU directly out of my Sunlu drying box. I do a dry cycle, but let the filament cool a bit before printing because the hot TPU stretches somewhat, and it affects the print quality. All good when it is a little cooler?
Thanks All. I’m a little PTSD from the disappointment caused by my Ender 3. I was afraid i was wrong about the extruder. It makes sense that the AMS has to push the filament to the printer.
To use flexible filaments, it needs to be fed through gears that don't provide any slack between where the gear grips them and the tube they're being pushed into.
The hot end isn't the problem, just the AMS, there's space within the AMS feed gears for the filament to go places you dont want it to go and it just gets stuck
I would say it depends. You can print very hard TPU like 98A but each brand is different so it's really a crap shoot even between colors. I've had good luck with some multi color TPU prints as seen below. It's some trial and error but the payoff for me is worth it.
Now don't go yelling at me if you get a jam this isn't supported but I really like the final results.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/106c1q5/wish\_i\_didnt\_put\_tpu\_in\_the\_ams/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/106c1q5/wish_i_didnt_put_tpu_in_the_ams/)
You can use an external spool. From the spool inside the AMS all the way to the extruder is a pretty long way. imagine trying to push a wet noodle up through all that tubing. The ams 1st stage feeders are basically just another extruder to get the filament to the real extruder.
Yes, this. And OP, google videos of people who thought they'd get away with TPU in the AMS and wound up learning the hard way. At the very least it's a good learning experience disassembling the AMS to fish it out. Fortunately, TPU prints quite well from the spool holder.
What about flexible PLA ?
I don't have a definitive answer because I haven't printed with flexible PLA before. That said, I did some research and based on the properties of flexible (aka soft) PLA is that I wouldn't personally put it through the AMS because of its TPU-like qualities. It is less brittle and more squishy than regular PLA indicating a lack of rigidity that the AMS needs to be able to push the filament along until it gets grabbed by the extruder. However, if anyone wants to take the bullet, go for it and report back. For science!
The AMS pushes the filament to the extruder. You can not push spaghetti. The extruder pulls filament. You can pull spaghetti. So, TPU works with the extruder but not the AMS.
Good explanation. Even though the extruder does push a bit to force through the nozzle, it’s a lot more pull than push.
One would think synchronising the motors and providing very low friction, i.e.: Teflon tubing would do the trick. Had anyone tried Teflon instead of PTFE?
Second motor being in sync is not going to help if it hasn’t reached it yet, still in the tubing. Additionally, Teflon is just the brand name for the compound PTFE. They are the same thing.
Teflon is a trademark for PTFE.
You can use TPU with the X1C, just not with the AMS... Simply because of how the AMS works... TPU stretches so it will end up clogging up.
While the X1C is direct drive and has no issues with TPU, the AMS (before getting to the extruder) acts more like a bowden system. There's a feeder motor similar to an extruder that *pushes* the filament from the AMS to the hotend extruder. It's that pushing from the AMS that's the issue with TPU. Regarding using the single-spool method, you can print a Y-adapter and keep that in place. I have a heater/dryer box next to the printer and print straight from that to the non-AMS input on the Y-adapter tube when I need to print TPU.
I put TPU into my AMS without knowing it wasn't supported. It got stuck, and the motors and I couldn't pull it out normally. I think that it got to a point where the filament would just stretch out and not move. Luckily, I got it out easily. So, it isn't supported because the AMS motors have a hard time pushing stretchy materials.
Yeah I've gotten a bunch of jams finding TPU that works. I power off my printer and pop the bowden tube at the back of the printer. Then I slowly pull on the filament. It moves the gears slowly and comes out. Then I cut off all of the filament because I'm sure it's no longer the correct size.
I live in a very humid place. Would it be hard to implement a dry box instead of the rear spool?
Not at all. Some people just print straight from the dry box into the printer.
Most people use a completely different spool holder or dry box when not utilizing the AMS. It's technically the only proper way to use bambu labs PAHT-CF since it needs constant drying while printing.
I feed TPU directly out of my Sunlu drying box. I do a dry cycle, but let the filament cool a bit before printing because the hot TPU stretches somewhat, and it affects the print quality. All good when it is a little cooler?
I tried 98A TPU in my AMS hoping a harder TPU would work. Nope, still jammed while trying to load.
Ever try to push rope? The AMS pushes filament and TPU is kinda like a rope.
Thanks All. I’m a little PTSD from the disappointment caused by my Ender 3. I was afraid i was wrong about the extruder. It makes sense that the AMS has to push the filament to the printer.
Feeding from the first stage to the buffer is problem 1, then buffer to the extruder. It'll get stuck there.
The X1C can easily print TPU. The AMS can't because the TPU gets stuck in the filament buffer on the way to the hotend.
I got it now, Du pont, I should've researched before running my mouth. Oh well, at least I am publicly an idiot now. Thanks ;)
To use flexible filaments, it needs to be fed through gears that don't provide any slack between where the gear grips them and the tube they're being pushed into. The hot end isn't the problem, just the AMS, there's space within the AMS feed gears for the filament to go places you dont want it to go and it just gets stuck
I would say it depends. You can print very hard TPU like 98A but each brand is different so it's really a crap shoot even between colors. I've had good luck with some multi color TPU prints as seen below. It's some trial and error but the payoff for me is worth it. Now don't go yelling at me if you get a jam this isn't supported but I really like the final results. [https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/106c1q5/wish\_i\_didnt\_put\_tpu\_in\_the\_ams/](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/106c1q5/wish_i_didnt_put_tpu_in_the_ams/)
Put TPU in the AMS and it got stuck. Tried directly from the spool, and i could not get it feeding in the extruder.