The H2D is here! What is this highly unusual device all about?
For quite a few months, there have been persistent rumours that Bambu Lab was about to announce a new 3D printer. Much speculation has been made regarding the nature of the device, with many hoping for a much larger build volume.
Today, Bambu Lab came through with the official announcement of the new H2D 3D printer. But wait, is it really a 3D printer? It turns out this is quite a different type of device.
It is a 3D printer, but it is also a hybrid device that can also perform laser cutting/engraving, pen plotting, and cutting.
Let’s stop right here. I know exactly what you are thinking: “there have been hybrid devices before, and they are all terrible.” That is true: we’ve tested some of these machines and found them to be generally bad. The individual functions are all present on the machines, but each function individually is very low quality. For example, one device we tested had a ridiculously low laser power of only 0.5W, barely enough to slightly tinge a piece of paper.
According to Bambu Lab, the H2D is NOT one of those devices. It’s been carefully designed to provide the highest quality results in all functions.
Also, these functions are not mutually exclusive as they are in typical hybrid devices where you have to swap the toolhead. Here, it is possible to use all the functions within a single build job!
Bambu Lab CEO Dr. Tao explained:
“The H2D represents the culmination of our vision to fundamentally transform how designers, engineers, and makers approach personal manufacturing. We’ve built the H2D with the goal to excel at every capability it offers, eliminating the traditional ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ compromise that has plagued this product category.”
This aligns with their tagline “rethink personal manufacturing”: by “manufacturing”, they mean making objects with multiple making processes.
H2D Technology
How can they achieve these high-quality results? It seems that Bambu Lab has developed a number of new technologies that are incorporated into the H2D. One of them is “live spatial alignment”, which ensures the toolheads are near-perfectly aligned when switching over. They describe a “vision-assisted encoder system” that provides 0.05mm motion accuracy, a key element of the H2D.
The laser unit is said to be 10W, which is decently powerful. It’s not as powerful as some other systems I’ve used that run 40-80W, but 10W should be more than sufficient for many applications.
However, it seems there is an optional 40W laser toolhead for the H2D, which would be incredibly powerful.
The laser system also includes a filtration unit that can remove smoke that is inevitably generated by laser engraving. There’s also an air assist pump which swiftly blows smoke away from the active area, ensuring the laser beam is not obscured.
Regarding laser safety, the H2D includes “laser-safe windows” that prevent reflections of the powerful laser beam from leaving the build chamber. There are also five flame sensors and an AI fire detection system. This is critically important for laser operations, as they are far more dangerous than any FFF 3D printing could be.
Another toolhead can perform paper/vinyl cuts and plot with a pen.
H2D 3D Printing
In spite of the laser, plotting, and cutting features, the heart of the H2D, however, is the 3D print engine. Bambu Lab has significantly beefed up the 3D print capability with a series of advanced features, in addition to the motion system.
The “DynaSense Servo PMSM Extruder” now controls extrusion and is able to precisely detect any issues, including jams, grinding, and other issues. A dual-nozzle calibration system automatically computes the offset values for each of the dual extruders — oh, did I mention that the H2D is a dual extrusion system?
A new innovation is a “nozzle camera”. This is a camera pointed at the nozzle tip, where it monitors for unusual events. This sensor can detect flow deviations, spaghetti, and clumping. I’ve never seen this feature on any other 3D printer.
Bambu Lab explained that the H2D includes an astonishing 15 sensors along the filament path to instantly detect any issues in movement.
Yes, the H2D is much larger, with a build volume of 300-350 x 320 x 325 mm. The variance depends on how many nozzles you are using in your print job. This will certainly please many who have been asking for a larger Bambu Lab 3D printer.
But there’s more: the H2D includes an actively heated build chamber, where temperatures can reach up to 65°C. The print plate can be heated up to 120°C. These two features should basically eliminate warps in many engineering materials, making the H2D quite versatile.
The H2D is a speedy 3D printer, with a maximum travel speed of 1000mm/s. Note this is NOT the maximum print speed, which would be lower. Unfortunately, Bambu Lab has not specified the maximum print speed yet.
However, the maximum volumetric flow rate is greatly increased to 40 cubic mm/s (65 with the optional high flow toolhead). This is sufficient to handle very high print speeds, perhaps exceeding 600mm/s.
These all combine to provide what should be a very reliable and fast 3D printer.
AMS Improvements
The popular AMS system has been improved with the H2D release. In fact, there are TWO new models of the AMS:
- AMS 2 Pro, a system that doubles as a dryer and long-term storage solution
- AMS HT, a system capable of drying at 85°C, suitable for many engineering materials
From the sounds of things, it appears that the AMS HT is able to handle flexible TPU, and that is quite interesting. If so, then could you print objects with flexible regions?
H2D Pricing
The H2D is provided in several configurations:
- H2D alone: US$1899 (June 2025)
- H2D with AMS 2 Pro: US$2199 (now)
- H2D with AMS 2 Pro, Cutter, and 10W Laser: US$2799 (May 2025)
- H2D with AMS 2 Pro, Cutter, and 40W Laser US$3499 (May 2025)
For those simply seeking a bigger, better Bambu Lab 3D printer, that’s available right now with the AMS 2 Pro. Bambu Lab is delaying the standalone 3D printer for a bit later, after the laser versions are released.
I’m curious about how the hybrid functions will be received. Most people simply wanted the bigger 3D printer, and the market for hybrid function devices has not historically been large. That might have been due to the poor quality of prior machines, so it may be that Bambu Lab changes the game here.
More thoughts on the H2D in coming days.
Via Bambu Lab
