Bambu Lab allows "one-way ticket" to installing third-party firmware on X1 3D printers

Bambu Lab, which is known for its accessible yet feature-rich 3D printers, is making a departure from its closed-system, proprietary approach, by opening up its X1 series printers to the third-party open-source firmware X1 Plus. Developed by a small team of users, the firmware adds several features to the X1 series, including automatic bed levelling and input shaping calibration graphs.

The Bambu Lab team, upon first learning of the X1 Plus firmware, had treated it as a security loophole. However, after meeting with the developers, they changed that outlook and decided to provide a means for users – after understanding the consequences – to make a switch to the open-source firmware.

In the next 2-3 weeks, Bambu Lab will release a new (temporary) update, nicknamed version ‘R’, through which one can install X1 Plus. However, before that, users will be required to waive official support expectations and take full responsibility for their own printer's security and safety – even upon reverting to the original firmware. Speaking of which, while Bambu Lab claims it will “try its best to allow users with third-party firmware to revert to the OEM Bambu Lab Official Firmware”, it does not guarantee it, as the third-party software is outside its control.

Bambu Lab has clarified that future official firmware updates will close the loophole allowing switching to X1 Plus. In the same blog post, the company has also revealed that it plans to launch APIs and SDKs for third-party developers, with official support for third-party apps or plugins down the road.

This is said to be the best possible compromise between giving users the choice to use the system they prefer and ensuring the security of a device that is both internet-enabled and potentially capable of being a fire-hazard. After all, Bambu Lab has already been confronted with security concerns in the past, when a cloud service bug resulted in several devices starting up and printing overnight unsupervised.

Bambu Lab's X1 printer is available to buy on its website; you can also explore more budget-oriented models such as the Creality Ender 3 v2, the ANYCUBIC Kobra 2 Neo and the Creality K1 Max on Amazon.