Another Successful Kickstarter Campaign: The Swapmod Kit for Bambu Lab’s A1 Mini 3D Printer

The Kickstarter campaign for Swapmod, an automation kit for the Bambu Lab A1 Mini 3D printer, has come to a successful close, raising $51,785 from 661 backers, well above its initial $5,391 goal. The aim of this ambitious project is to transform the A1 Mini printer into a machine capable of automatically changing build plate, thus opening the door to mass production at lower cost and without constant supervision.

Swapmod is an easy-to-install add-on that enables the printer to automatically load, print and replace build plates. Whether printing a large project spread over several trays, or repeating a model several times, Swapmod eliminates the need to manually monitor and restart the printer after each print. This solution is designed to optimize the efficiency of 3D printing, while boosting productivity without increasing the cost of acquiring new machines.

Swapmod system enables automatic serial printing on Bambu Lab’s A1 Mini

The Advantage of the Swapmod Multi-Plate System

Swapmod stands out for its build plate management system, which offers several advantages:

• Optimized efficiency: Swapmod allows you to run a series of prints without the need for a user to manually change the tray or remove prints, enabling 24/7 production.
• Print security: if a tray fails, only the parts on that tray are affected, and the printer can continue to print the other trays without affecting the whole project.
• Remote control: it is possible to control the tray change remotely via Bambu Handy, the mobile application developed by Bambu Lab, thanks to an automated script.

The Swapmod ejects plates using 3D-printed parts and a few additional components supplied in the kit.

One of Swapmod’s key selling points is its ability to scale production with minimal investment. Small companies or makers can automate part of the printing process without having to invest in new machines, thus reducing labor costs and printer downtime.

Compatible With BambuStudio and OrcaSlicer

Swapmod integrates seamlessly with the popular BambuStudio and OrcaSlicer slicers. Although these software packages do not yet natively support multi-platform printing, a third-party application called “Swaplist” has been developed to handle this functionality. Swaplist is a lightweight application that runs directly in a web browser, with no installation or subscription required. It lets you create a queue of trays to be printed, define the order of prints, and even combine several files in a single print sequence.

To use Swapmod, simply slice your prints on Bambu Studio or OrcaSlicer, then create a serial print file with automated tray changes on the dedicated web interface.

The workflow remains very similar to what BambuStudio and OrcaSlicer users are already familiar with: after generating the gcode or 3mf file, simply drag and drop it into Swaplist before starting printing. Once this has been done, Swapmod automatically takes care of loading and replacing the trays.

Limits and Warnings

Although the Swapmod project looks very promising, it still has a few limitations to consider. At present, Swapmod cannot be shipped to the USA for legal reasons. The project’s creator estimates that he will be able to commercialize a version dedicated to the US market by the first or second quarter of 2025. Certain other regions of the world are also temporarily excluded for logistical reasons.

It’s also important to point out that installing the Swapmod kit will probably void the warranty of the A1 Mini 3D printer used, as Bambu Lab has specified space instructions around the printer that Swapmod contravenes. Finally, although Swapmod has been extensively tested, there is always a potential risk of failure when loading or unloading the trays.

Swapmod can store up to 10 build plates in its storage bay

The Highly Anticipated Launch of Swapmod

With several positive reviews already available and demonstration videos online, Swapmod is attracting a lot of attention in the community of makers and 3D printing enthusiasts. Designed as a do-it-yourself kit for assembly, it promises quick and easy assembly, while offering performance comparable to expensive industrial solutions.

This kit could well mark the start of a new trend for semi-automated home 3D printing, making mass production more accessible than ever. To learn more about the Swapmod kit, visit their Kickstarter page HERE.

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