Short answer: match the AMS to your printer — AMS Lite for the A1 and A1 Mini; AMS 2 Pro, the original AMS or AMS HT for the P1S, P2S, X-series and H2 series — run the guided calibration once, cut every PTFE tube end square, and let the RFID tags on Bambu Lab filament load the right profile automatically. Do that, keep your spools dry, and multi-colour printing on a Bambu Lab machine is close to plug-and-play. The one thing most guides get wrong is TPU: only TPU for AMS (Shore 68D) goes through a standard AMS; softer grades need the AMS HT or the TPU Feed Assist Module.
3D BRO is an authorised Bambu Lab reseller and Australia's authorised Bambu Lab service centre. We print every day at our Regents Park warehouse in Sydney and we see the same handful of AMS problems on the repair bench every week — this guide is the setup routine that prevents most of them.
Which AMS fits which Bambu Lab printer?
Bambu Lab now makes four Automatic Material Systems, and they are not interchangeable.
| AMS model | Compatible printers | Slots | Drying | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMS Lite | A1, A1 Mini | 4 | No | Multi-colour PLA and PETG on the A1 series |
| AMS | P1S, X1 series, P2S, X2D, H2 series | 4 | Passive (desiccant) | Enclosed multi-colour on CoreXY machines |
| AMS 2 Pro | P1S, X1 series, P2S, X2D, H2 series (A1 series via firmware update — see note below) | 4 | Active heated drying | Humid Australian coastal cities; PETG and PLA that must stay dry |
| AMS HT | P1S, X1 series, P2S, X2D, H2 series (A1 series via firmware update — see note below) | 1 | Active high-temperature drying | Engineering filaments and TPU 95A via the dedicated TPU outlet |
CoreXY machines chain multiple units through the AMS Hub — up to four AMS units for 16 colours. The AMS Lite is the A1 series' native system; Bambu Lab has since extended AMS 2 Pro and AMS HT support to the A1 series via firmware, so check the official Bambu Lab wiki for the current requirements for your exact printer and firmware before buying, or ask us to confirm. You can compare every printer and AMS bundle in our Bambu Lab collection, all shipped from Sydney stock.
Step 1: Physical setup and first-run calibration
Mount the AMS, run the PTFE tube from the AMS outlet to the printer's filament inlet, and connect the data cable (the six-pin cable on enclosed models; the A1 series uses the dedicated AMS Lite port). Two details matter far more than they look:
- Cut every PTFE tube end square. An angled cut leaves a lip that filament tips catch on. The result is intermittent "failed to pull back filament" errors hours into a print.
- Run the calibration when prompted. The printer measures the feed path length with the AMS attached. Skip it and you'll get retraction and loading errors mid-print until you go back and do it.
The Bambu Lab wiki has step-by-step photos for each AMS model if you want them alongside.
Step 2: Load filament the right way
Cut the filament tip at 45° so it threads through the internal path cleanly, then feed it into the slot until the AMS grabs it — don't force it. With official Bambu Lab filament the RFID tag is read automatically and the slot is labelled with the exact material, colour and print profile. Third-party spools such as BIQU PLA GO work reliably in the AMS too; you simply pick the material type and colour in Bambu Studio or on the touchscreen, and a generic PLA profile at 190–220 °C with a 50–60 °C bed is a safe starting point.
Three loading rules save a lot of grief:
- Cardboard spools need a reusable spool or adapters in the enclosed AMS. Bare cardboard edges shed fibres onto the rollers and can slip. The Bambu Lab Reusable Spool takes refill coils, and the High Temperature Reusable Spool is the one to use inside the AMS HT or AMS 2 Pro when drying at higher temperatures.
- Only TPU for AMS goes through a standard AMS. TPU for AMS is Shore 68D — a semi-rigid hard-shell feel — and it is the only TPU Bambu Lab rates for the AMS, AMS Lite and AMS 2 Pro. Softer TPU buckles in the long feed path. Softer grades have their own route: TPU 95A HF can feed through the dedicated TPU outlet on the AMS HT, and 85A–95A grades print far more reliably with the TPU Feed Assist Module (P1, X1, P2S, X2D and H2 series), which noticeably improves success rate and surface quality.
- Soluble and breakaway supports have a home in the AMS. PVA and Support for PLA load like any rigid filament; just keep PVA in a drying AMS or a dry box, because it absorbs moisture faster than anything else on the shelf.
Step 3: Bambu Studio settings for multi-colour prints
In Bambu Studio each AMS slot appears as a numbered filament in the top bar. The workflow for a multi-colour print:
- Import the model and paint colours with the colour painting tool, or open a pre-coloured 3MF.
- Map each painted colour to an AMS slot in the filament bar.
- Leave the prime tower enabled. It stabilises pressure after each change and visibly improves colour purity.
- Check flush volumes. Defaults are conservative. Between similar colours you can cut them and save filament; going from black to white or into a translucent material, increase them.
Use the profile that matches the material. PLA prints at 190–220 °C on a 50–60 °C bed; PETG at 230–250 °C on a 70–80 °C bed. Avoid mixing materials with very different temperatures in one object unless you know why you're doing it — PLA Basic and PETG Basic in the same part also bond poorly to each other.
If you are new to multi-colour work on the A1 series, our A1 vs P1S comparison covers where the AMS Lite's open design limits you and where it doesn't. For surface-quality filaments that hide colour-change seams well, see our PLA Matte review.
Step 4: Keep the AMS fed with dry filament
An AMS does not make wet filament print well — and the AMS Lite, being open, offers no protection at all. In Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and anywhere coastal, ambient humidity sits at 60–80% for much of the year, and PLA left out for a few weeks strings, pops and loses surface quality. Keep desiccant in the enclosed AMS, replace it when the indicator changes, and dry spools that have been sitting. The AMS 2 Pro and AMS HT can dry in place; for everything else our guide on storing filament in Australia covers dry boxes, drying temperatures and how long each material lasts once opened.
If you see wispy strings on colour changes, work through our four-step stringing fix — it is almost always moisture or retraction, and direct-drive retraction of 0.8–1.2 mm is the right range for Bambu Lab machines. If the first colour won't stick to the plate, that's a plate or Z-offset problem rather than an AMS problem; our first layer adhesion guide walks through it.
Common AMS errors and quick fixes
- "Failed to pull back filament" — a worn or angled PTFE tube end, or a swollen filament tip. Re-cut the tube square and trim the filament tip.
- Filament grinding in a slot — check the spool spins freely and isn't tangled; cardboard spools without a reusable spool are the usual culprit.
- Slot not detecting filament — clean the feed rollers with isopropyl alcohol. Dust from matte and wood-filled PLA builds up over time.
- Frequent jams on one slot only — swap spools between slots. If the jam follows the spool, it's the filament; if it stays with the slot, the feeder or the tube behind it needs attention.
If an AMS develops a persistent hardware fault, we can help: as Australia's authorised Bambu Lab service centre, we handle repairs locally in Sydney rather than shipping units overseas.
FAQ
Can I use the AMS 2 Pro on an A1 or A1 Mini?
The AMS Lite is the A1 series' native multi-colour system. Bambu Lab has extended AMS 2 Pro and AMS HT support to the A1 series via a firmware update — check the official Bambu Lab wiki for the current requirements for your printer before buying, or ask us and we'll confirm for your exact setup. For our full comparison of the two newer units, see AMS 2 Pro vs AMS HT.
Which TPU can go through the Bambu Lab AMS?
Only TPU for AMS, which is Shore 68D. TPU 95A, 90A and 85A must be printed from the external spool holder, through the AMS HT's TPU outlet (95A), or with the TPU Feed Assist Module.
Does the AMS work with 3 kg spools or refill coils?
Standard 1 kg spools up to about 200 mm diameter fit. Larger spools sit on the external holder. Refill coils need the Bambu Lab Reusable Spool.
Why does the AMS keep unloading and reloading during a single-colour print?
That's the "backup" feature: if two slots hold the same material and colour, the printer switches automatically when one runs out. Disable it in the AMS settings if you'd rather it pause.
Where to from here
Browse every AMS model and printer bundle in our Bambu Lab collection, stock up on AMS-ready spools in our filament collection, and see current pricing and value bundles on each product page. Not sure which AMS suits your setup? Contact the 3D BRO team — we print every day and we're happy to talk you through it. Authorised Bambu Lab reseller, Australia's authorised Bambu Lab service centre, Sydney stock in Regents Park, fast Australia-wide shipping.
