Update (02/04/2024): Bambu Lab has now announced on its website that the A1 3D printer is now officially recalled. “To ensure the absolute safety of our customers, we are expanding the recall to all A1 printers currently on the market, regardless of their condition,” the blog post says.
The company offers A1 owners who purchased their device directly from Bambu Lab’s online store two options: return the printer for a full refund plus $80 for a new Bambu Lab printer; Or wait for a replacement heated bed and receive a $120 coupon for all items in the store, such as: B. Filament and nozzles. You also receive a 6-month warranty extension.
Replacement printers will be available around May, while replacement heatbeds could ship as early as the end of March. Bambu Lab posted a YouTube video showing the repair process so you can decide which option you want to choose.
A1 owners must fill out this form to begin the refund or device replacement process.
If you want to return the printer, you must pack it in its original packaging. The refund will take approximately 15 days and will be processed after Bambu Lab receives your printer.
If you purchased your printer through a reseller such as Micro Center, you will need to contact them but should receive the same offer.
Our original article from Friday (02/02) is below:
Earlier today, a select few 3D printing YouTubers received notice from Bambu Lab that all A1 3D printers should be turned off and not used until the company makes an official announcement. We reported on this “recall” notice on January 28, immediately after Bambu Lab announced that “a very small portion of A1 printers” had a safety issue that caused damage to the cable that powers the heatbed and could then lead to short circuits or power failure.
Tom’s Hardware did not receive this notice and Bambu Lab did not respond to our request for clarification. We discovered the information on Twitter when members of the 3D printing community asked why certain popular YouTubers were notified of a possible recall in advance of the public.
We also learned that Micro Center, the brick-and-mortar technology retailer that sells Bambu Lab products in the US, has pulled A1 devices from its shelves and will accept any sold-back models as returns.
“Micro Center’s top priority is to ensure the safety and satisfaction of our customers. We accept all customer returns of the Bambu Lab A1,” Micro Center Marketing Manager Laura Wall told us. “We have stopped selling the A1, removed all A1 inventory from our shelves, and are in the process of returning the entire inventory to Bambu Lab.”
Grant Posner, president of 3D Musketeers, a professional 3D scanning and additive manufacturing company with a YouTube channel of the same name, has long criticized Bambu Lab’s security measures. He asked Twitter: “Do companies share safety information with influencers before publishing it?” Because if so, that seems to be a problem.”
The email to YouTubers, shared in a blurry screenshot, reads as follows.
Dear partner,
Recently, Bambu Lab published a blog about the A1 Heatbed Cable after conducting an extensive investigation into unstable temperature readings and heating issues with our A1 printers. We have identified the root cause of these issues as damage to the heatbed cable and provided solutions based on the condition of the cable as described in the following link: https://blog.bambulab.com/a1-heatbed-cable-callback/
Although the feedback we have received so far indicates that the damage has only occurred in a small proportion of current A1 printers, we have concluded that we need to take further action to address potential issues and risks to users when operating our machines.
In order to best protect the safety and rights of our users, we therefore advise you not to use your A1, regardless of whether your heated bed cable is damaged. We are currently in discussions to formulate the most appropriate solution and will publish our plan through official channels as soon as possible. We thank you for your patience.
If someone asks you about this issue, please advise them to stop using the device and wait for the official answer. Emphasize that Bambu Lab prioritizes user safety and is committed to providing the best solution for all users.
We once again deeply apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. If you have any further questions, we are happy to help you at any time.
Thanks and all the best!
Users have posted photos of their A1 cables on the Internet, Twitter, Facebook, TikTok and Reddit. Many people fear that they too have a damaged printer.
TikTok users are spreading the news about the Bambu A1 recall. (Image credit: TikTok)
Twitter user @ZioFancoD told Tom’s Hardware that he received a warning from Bambu Lab customer service to “stop using the A1 printer for the time being” after filling out a help ticket and submitting a photo of his cable.
“I’m pretty knowledgeable about printers and tinkering, but I wrote that I was uncomfortable replacing the bed and wanted to know more about replacing the printer,” said ZioFancoD. He posted a screenshot of the customer service response on Twitter.
(Image credit: Bambu Lab)
Bambu Lab still lists the A1 printer for sale on its website, but you can’t order it. The product description says “Coming Soon”. And there’s a button to ask the company to notify you when it’s available.
(Image credit: Bambu Lab)
When we tested the Bambu Lab A1 in December, we gave it 4.5 stars and an Editor’s Choice Award. In our testing, we found the bed-slinger-style printer to be fast, easy to use, excellent, and produces high-quality prints. With its optional AMS, the A1 offers one of the cheapest and easiest ways to output multicolor models.
However, if you want a similar experience and don’t mind a much smaller print bed (180 x 180mm), the Bambu Lab A1 Mini, which came out first, is not affected by the cable issue and has not been recalled. This smaller product remains one of the best 3D printers you can buy right now.