Shenzhen-based 3D printer manufacturer Bambu Lab has launched a new firmware for its X1 Series of 3D printers. The optional security update introduces authorization and authentication controls for key 3D printing operations, altering how third-party software interacts with the 3D printer.
Some in the 3D printing community have not received the news well, leading to Bambu Lab refuting claims that the firmware, currently undergoing beta testing, restricts third-party tools or forces users into a closed ecosystem. Those who choose not to install the update can continue using external software without any changes. The company has also introduced a new tool called Bambu Connect, designed to integrate third-party software with updated printers. Bambu Lab is collaborating with software developers, including Orca Slicer, to ensure a seamless connection with external tools.
I wouldn’t lean too much on their open source sales point. Yes, it’s open source, but there isn’t much more to that than a custom config for Klipper. The engineering diagrams on their GitHub are mainly just standard measurements for fans and such. They do include their own custom parts measurements, so that is nice.
Cheap printers come with cheap parts and sub-par QA. I have heard great things about Sovol, but also very bad things about Sovol.
The SV08 has been around long enough now so maybe most of the bugs are worked out. If Sovol didn’t solve some problems, the community likely did. It’s the nature of 3D printing communities, after all.
If you want a cheap printer to be a workhorse, it needs to be disassembled completely and rebuilt after inspecting and replacing any critical parts with quality ones.
These kinds of printers are just what they are. They work great until they don’t.