Glossary

Bambu Lab and FDM 3D-printing terms, defined in plain language — the vocabulary you need to read a review or a slicer setting without guessing.

A

Adhesion process

How well the first layer sticks to the build plate. Influenced by plate type and cleanliness, nozzle height, bed temperature, and material. Poor adhesion causes warping and detached prints; excessive adhesion can damage the plate on removal.

See also: First layer, Build plate, Warping

AMS (Automatic Material System) hardware

Bambu Lab's multi-filament unit that feeds up to four spools into one printer and switches between them automatically. The AMS Lite is the open-frame version bundled with the A1 series; the standard AMS is the enclosed unit for the X1/P1.

ASA materials

An ABS-like engineering filament with UV and weather resistance, suited to outdoor parts. Requires an enclosure and warps easily without one — practical on the X1/P1, hard on the open A1.

B

Bed leveling (auto) calibration

A probing routine where the printer measures the build plate at multiple points and compensates for tilt and warp in software. Bambu machines run this automatically before prints, which is why first-layer issues are usually plate or adhesion problems, not leveling.

C

Calipers calibration

A precision measuring tool (typically digital, 0.01 mm) used to verify printed dimensions and drive flow-rate and shrinkage calibration from data rather than appearance.

CoreXY mechanics

A motion system where two stationary motors drive the toolhead in X and Y via crossed belts, leaving the bed to move only in Z. It enables high speed and acceleration with low moving mass — the architecture behind the X1, P1, and A1 mini.

D

Drying (filament) materials

Removing absorbed moisture from hygroscopic filament (PETG, ASA, TPU, nylon) by heating it in a dryer or oven. Wet filament causes popping, stringing, and weak layer bonding that no slicer setting fixes.

E

Enclosure hardware

A closed printer chamber that retains heat and blocks drafts, essential for warp-prone materials like ABS and ASA. The X1 and P1 are enclosed; the A1 and A1 mini are open-frame.

F

First layer process

The foundation layer printed directly on the build plate. It determines adhesion and dimensional accuracy for the whole print, so it's printed slower and often hotter than subsequent layers.

I

Input shaping calibration

Vibration-compensation firmware that cancels the resonance ringing (ghosting) caused by fast direction changes. Bambu machines self-calibrate this with an accelerometer in the toolhead.

M

Multicolor / multi-material process

Printing a single model in multiple colors or materials using the AMS. Single-extruder multicolor is sequential, so it adds significant time and purge waste compared with single-color prints.

P

PETG materials

A tougher, slightly flexible filament with better heat and chemical resistance than PLA. More stringing-prone and benefits from drying. A good middle ground for functional parts.

S

Spaghetti detection hardware

A camera-and-AI feature on Bambu machines that watches for failed prints producing tangled filament and can pause the job. Useful as a safety net, not a substitute for a well-calibrated first layer.

T

TPU materials

A flexible rubber-like filament for gaskets, grips, and dampers. Prints slowly and is sensitive to moisture; the standard AMS struggles to feed it reliably, so direct spool feeding is often recommended.

V

Volumetric speed calibration

The hard limit on how fast the hotend can melt and extrude plastic, in mm³/s. It — not the printer's top travel speed — usually caps real print speed; exceeding it causes under-extrusion regardless of stated machine specs.

W

Warping process

Corners or edges lifting off the plate as the print cools and contracts unevenly. Worse with ABS/ASA and large flat bases; mitigated with an enclosure, brim, adhesion aids, and a warm plate.