Bambu Lab Announces Recall of Popular A1 3D Printer

It was not so long ago that we were telling you about the anticipated launch of Bambu Lab’s new A1 3D printer. Designed to be the company’s first ever bed-slinger 3D printer, it prompted serious interest, along with the A1 Mini, within the larger 3D printing community thanks to the incredible success of Bambu Lab’s previous printers as well as the even cheaper price point. However, not all has gone smoothly. Following on an earlier announcement of cable problems with the A1, Bambu Lab has officially announced a full recall of all A1 printers.

What exactly is the problem? Well, following a blog post from January 28th, it seems that Bambu Lab had received feedback that some users had been experiencing unstable temperature readings and heating issues with the A1 printers. The notice further explained that this seems to come from excessive bending caused by external forces that damages the cable at the root. Though this does not necessarily cause it to fail, it does make the cable susceptible to fatigue and damage.

An example of a damaged cable given by Bambu Lab before the A1 recall

In the same blog post, Bambu Lab continues, “Although the fuse on the heat bed will prevent the bed from overheating, and the fuse on the power supply will prevent any short circuits from developing into any meltdown, this damage will affect the reading of the temperature and may cause power loss or even short circuits. We think it is a serious threat to the safety that we should address.”

It seems as well that during development, though the Bambu Lab tested the fatigue of the cable caused by movement of the bed during printing, corner cases such as fatigue after excessive bending were not investigated. This issue shows that strain relief is insufficient and thus can be damaged by rough handling during transportation, during installation if the base is vertically placed on the table as the weight of the printer will concentrate on the root of the cables, or after installation if the root is impacted by external force by accident. Already in January, Bambu Lab already urged customers to check their printers to ensure there was no damage, however due to ongoing issues their latest update has moved to a full recall of the A1.

What Can A1 Customers Expect From the Bambu Lab Recall?

Let’s start with the good news first. Though this may seem concerning, Bambu Lab states that they have found that less than 0.1% of all A1 printers sold have electrical malfunctioning problems related to heatbed cable damage.  Still, they have immediately counseled that all A1 users stop using their printers immediately. In a blog post published February 4th, Bambu Lab stated “While the number of faulty printers is very small, we take the safety of our customers very seriously, and until we learn more about what exactly causes the heatbed cable problem, we recommend everyone stop using the printer for their safety.”

Considering some of the safety issues that have come from damaged printers, including those where the issues were only found later, some with devastating results, this actually is a very positive development from Bambu Lab. It shows that users can trust their products even at this lower price point. The company goes on to explain that they prefer to take the safe route, as currently they are unable to determine with 100% confidence what exactly is causing this problem and must undergo extensive testing.

The issues center on the cable attached to the A1’s heat bed, as pictured here

Furthermore, there are some immediate solutions. Now that the recall has been extended to all A1 printers, not just those where users have found evidence of a damaged cable, all customers are now eligible for one of two refund options: a full return for refund or waiting for the availability of a new heatbed and then replacing it.

With the full refund, customers just need to repackage the printer and ship it back. This is anticipated to take up to 15 business days, depending of course on shipping conditions and other potential delays, though Bambu Lab assures their users that the company will attempt to react as quickly as possible. Additionally, Bambu Lab will offer an additional $80 discount voucher for those who wish to switch to a new printer immediately. This applies to the A1 Mini, P1 and X1 series and could also be used to buy a new A1 printer when it becomes available again, expected around May.

An additional option for those with patience or who do not want to deal with the hassle of a refund, is that customers can keep the printer and just replace the heatbed with the upgraded unit for the A1 printer when it comes available. This is expected to happen around the end of March. Even better? Bambu Lab will provide a $120 discount voucher valid for any product in the online store as compensation for the extended with, provided when the printer is available. You can find out more in Bambu Lab’s post about the A1 recall HERE or share a decision directly HERE.

What do you think of this recall of the Bambu Lab A1 3D printer? Were you or someone you know affected? Let us know in a comment below or on our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter pages! Don’t forget to sign up for our free weekly Newsletter here, the latest 3D printing news straight to your inbox! You can also find all our videos on our YouTube channel. 

*All Photo Credits: Bambu Lab