Bambu Lab X1C and AMS Maintenance
Maintenance checklist for the Bambu Lab X1 Carbon printer and its two filament units, the AMS 2 Pro and the original AMS (Gen 1). It follows Bambu Lab's guides:
- Bambu Wiki: X1 Basic Maintenance
- Bambu Wiki: AMS Basic Maintenance
- Bambu Wiki: AMS 2 Pro hub
- X1 Series Regular Maintenance Manual (ManualsLib copy)
How often
| Interval | What |
|---|---|
| Every 3 to 5 days if ABS is printed often | Clean the Micro Lidar window |
| Every 2 weeks | Check AMS desiccant and humidity |
| Monthly (every 5 rolls if printing ABS/ASA) | Clean carbon rods and re-tension belts |
| Every 2 months (monthly with abrasive filaments) | Replace AMS PTFE tubes |
| Every 3 months | Grease Z lead screws; replace the activated carbon filter under heavy use |
| As needed | Nozzle wiper, nozzle, silicone sock, build plates |
Supplies
- IPA (90% or stronger) and lint-free or microfiber cloths
- Grease for the Z lead screws (Bambu suggests Super Lube 92003 or Lucas 10533, or the grease from the Bambu accessory box)
- H2.0 hex key and the X1 accessory box tools
- Compressed air, brass brush, tweezers
- Spare nozzle wiper, spare PTFE tube (4 mm OD), fresh desiccant if available
Do NOT grease the X-axis carbon rods. Grease causes abnormal resistance and makes cleaning harder; the bearings are self-lubricating. Power off and unplug the printer before any mechanical work.
X1C printer
1. Before you start
- Unload filament from the AMS units.
- Note the firmware versions (printer, AMS 2 Pro, AMS) in Bambu Studio or Bambu Handy.
2. General cleaning
- Vacuum or brush debris from the chamber floor, bed area and purge chute.
- Empty and clean the purge waste bin area.
3. Carbon rods and belt tension (do these together)
Procedure: Bambu Wiki: Carbon rods clearance and cleaning
- Loosen (do not remove) the four belt tensioner screws at the back of the printer.
- Press on the belts next to the toolhead and confirm the tensioners move.
- Wipe each X-axis carbon rod with IPA on a lint-free cloth. Repeat 2 to 3 times until the cloth comes away clean.
- Move the toolhead to the center of the build area and retighten the tensioner screws. This re-tensions the belts.
- With the printer off, move the toolhead by hand from corner to corner. Motion should be smooth with no grinding.
4. Z-axis lead screws (every 3 months)
- Wipe dust and plastic off all three Z lead screws.
- With the bed homed (at the top), apply a thin coat of grease.
- Lower the bed, apply another thin coat, and home again. Repeat a few cycles to spread it.
- Wipe off excess grease that builds up near the lead screw nuts. Too little is better than too much.
5. Nozzle wiper
- Check the wiper for filament debris and a damaged PTFE side. It must sit horizontal.
- Replace it if the plastic structure is deformed or cracked, or if it slips (Bambu nozzle wiper part).
6. Hotend and extruder
- Heat the nozzle and brush residue off the nozzle and heater block. Inspect the silicone sock and replace it if torn.
- Do a cold pull if there are any signs of partial clogging (see the X1 nozzle clog troubleshooting page on the Bambu Wiki).
- Inspect the nozzle tip for wear, especially if carbon fiber or glow-in-the-dark filaments have been run on the stock nozzle.
- Open the extruder idler and brush filament dust from the drive gears.
7. Micro Lidar
- Clean the Lidar window with IPA on a microfiber cloth.
8. Activated carbon filter and fans
- Check the carbon filter. Replace it about every 3 months under heavy use (Bambu Wiki: Replace the activated carbon air filter).
- Blow dust out of the part cooling fan, auxiliary fan and chamber fan. Hold the blades still.
9. Build plates
- Wash each plate with warm water and dish soap, and dry it fully.
- Note any worn or scratched plates.
10. Cables and PTFE path
- Check the toolhead cable and flat ribbon cable for kinks or wear.
- Inspect the PTFE tube from the AMS hub to the toolhead for wear or kinks.
AMS 2 Pro and AMS (Gen 1)
11. PTFE tubes
- Inspect all AMS PTFE tubes (slot to hub, and hub to printer) for wear grooves, kinks or loose ends.
- Replace them about every 2 months under normal use, or monthly if printing abrasive filaments (carbon fiber, glow-in-the-dark).
- Confirm every tube is fully seated in its connector.
12. Feeders and filament path
- Remove any broken filament pieces from the feeders and hub. Pushing a good, non-brittle piece of filament through the first-stage feeder pushes debris out.
- Check the feeding funnels for wear. Replace them if badly worn and causing feed or retract errors.
- AMS 2 Pro: clean the filament hub per Bambu's hub cleaning guide (AMS 2 Pro hub). If a feeder needs replacing: Replace feeder unit.
- AMS Gen 1: check that the spool rollers and support shafts spin freely, and clean dust off the rollers.
13. Desiccant and humidity
- Check the desiccant and humidity indicator in both AMS units. Dry or replace the desiccant as needed.
- Confirm the lids seal.
14. AMS test
- Load one spool in each slot of both units and run a load and unload on every slot.
- Run a short multi-material print that pulls from both AMS units.
15. Recalibrate the X1C
- Power on and run the full Calibration from the printer screen (bed leveling, vibration compensation, motor noise cancellation, Micro Lidar).
- Update firmware for the printer and both AMS units if they are behind.
- Print a small test part and inspect the first layer.
Afterwards
Record anything you found, what you did about it, and whether follow-up is needed. If the printer is not safe to use, tag it out of service: see Shop Safety: Tagging a Tool Out of Service and Reporting It.