New auto ejection tool for Bambu Lab print farms automatically ejects finished 3D prints from the machine — $129 kit includes auto door opener and special bed surface for frictionless part ejection
3DQue introduces a function to pop prints off the bed without human intervention.
(Image credit: 3DQue)
3DQue Systems wants to make 3D print farming easier and more hands-free. The company has developed both hardware and software, such as AutoFarm3D, to replace manual workflows. This includes auto ejection, where prints can be popped right off the bed by the printer itself, and also an automated door opening and closing mod that enables prints to be ejected from the machine before another print is started.
The concept isn’t new, and we’ve seen YouTubers in the past add a bit of g-code that makes the print head push a finished print off the bed. In 2021, 3DQue introduced Quinly3D for bedslingers, which added a toolhead shield, tilted platform and slide to the concept. The contraption allowed the print time to cool and loosen from the heated bed, then instructed the 3d printer to push the print forward. The tilted base lets gravity do the rest of the work.
However, Bambu Lab’s Core XY printers pose a unique problem: doors. You can’t just tilt a P1S – one of the most popular 3D printers used by print farms – and keep the door closed.
Enclosed printers are used to maintain a stable temperature for engineering-grade materials, so removing the door is not an option if you’re printing in something like ASA, Nylon, or a PC blend material. 3DQue created an automatic opener for these printers that attaches to the corner of the door and opens it on command.
3DQue automatic door opener, 3DQue.(Image credit: 3DQue)
The automatic door opener works with 3DQue’s AutoFarm 3D farm management software. The system detects when the print is finished, opens the door, clears the print using the toolhead, then closes the doors and resets.
You can see AutoFarm3D in action with a P1S on this YouTube short.
Auto Eject from Enclosed Bambu Lab Printers! - YouTube
The AutoFarm 3D system isn’t just a fancy bit of coding. The system also uses a specialized bed surface called VAAPR (Variable Adhesion for Automated Part Release) to provide frictionless part release once the surface has cooled. It works with PLA, PETG, ASA, ABS, Nylon, Polypropylene, Polycarbonate, HIPS, and supports.
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Not all parts of the system are high-tech. Installation instructions also advise taping the Bambu’s magnetically attached fan to the toolhead to prevent it from popping off.
3DQue has auto-eject systems for many consumer-grade printers used in print farms: Artillery, Bambu Lab, Creality, and Prusa Research. Customers have also modded the system to work with Anycubic, Elegoo, Sovol, and Voxelab machines.
Denise Bertacchi is a Contributing Writer for Tom’s Hardware US, covering 3D printing. Denise has been crafting with PCs since she discovered Print Shop had clip art on her Apple IIe. She loves reviewing 3D printers because she can mix all her passions: printing, photography, and writing.
The AutoFarm 3D door opener is available for pre-sale at 3DQue for $129, and is designed specifically for the P1S, X1C, and X1E. It requires AutoFarm 3D software to run, which starts at $9.99 a month for small print farms under 10 machines.
This is where they lost me... I could stomach the cost of the door opener if I was printing bulk and had a need for it, but I would not be down to pay a monthly subscription fee in order to use the $129 device I just bought...
