- Bambu Lab H2C increases nozzle capacity while reducing print waste through better purge management
- Vortek system changes nozzles quickly, although only on the right side
- US buyers will have to wait due to unresolved logistical complications affecting availability.
Bambu Lab has presented the H2C, its new 3D printer equipped with seven nozzles that are based on magnetic accessories and inductive heating elements.
The nozzles are housed within a Vortek Hotend changing system installed on the right side of the chamber, where a pair of racks move vertically to exchange tools at high speed.
Currently, only four nozzles interface with the company’s AMS unit, while the remaining slots store alternatives to change during prints.
Design compromises and hardware conversion requirements
Early evaluations indicate that Vortek’s design only swaps out the right nozzle, deliberately leaving an empty space to park tools before retrieving them.
The assembly takes up internal space, resulting in a narrower print bed of 340 millimeters, compared to the 350 millimeters available in the H2D and H2S systems.
Users converting older models will need a new base, compatible tool head, and the Vortek module, raising entry costs beyond the standard purchase price.
Purge material handling improves by reducing filament waste, although a purge tower is still necessary for multi-color jobs.
To manage multiple material changes, the system still relies on AMS spooling, which introduces delays when switching between four or more colors.
Preliminary tests showed that the H2C produced a five-color Maker’s Muse castle in 11 hours, using a 43-gram purge tower.
The same print on the H2D took twice as long, generated twice as much purge tower, and also produced an additional 279 grams of filament waste beyond the tower itself.
By comparison, Prusa’s five-tool XL changer completed the identical model in 6 hours with a 41-gram purge tower and no additional waste material.
These evaluations place H2C twice as fast as H2D, although it is still twice as slow as H2D. Prusa XL under current test conditions.
The Bambu Lab H2C tool head is derived from previous H2 designs and maintains a fixed left nozzle while allowing automated changes to the right side.
Current firmware requires uniform nozzle sizes across all active slots, meaning buyers need five matching pieces to operate without manual intervention.
The basic package starts at $2,399 with an AMS 2 Pro, while configurations with additional reel handling or laser modules top out at $4,199.
Review units are already in circulation, although commercial access varies by region.
The company confirms that sales in the United States will not begin until December 2025, citing logistical limitations that appear to be related to continued import complications.
Interest remains high after recent market optimism that easing trade restrictions would accelerate access to new Chinese-made machines.
Via Tom Hardware
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