【3D Printing】A Conversation with Bambu Lab CEO Dr. Ye Tao - Why the H2C is the Ultimate Machine for "Lazy Makers"

 
But Tao doesn't seem to mind these external voices. "We are a vision-driven company... we believe that 3D printing or personalized manufacturing can have a huge impact on the world, and we want to have millions of customers – the general public. Instead of focusing on providing solutions for specific vertical industries, we want to create greater added value here."

The H2C's main trick, of course, is its ability to swap one of two nozzles for any of five spare nozzles as needed, allowing for nearly zero-waste printing with up to seven materials. "The smoothness of the entire nozzle change action is beyond my imagination. Even I sometimes can't help but stare at it for a long time."

The H2C is the culmination of three years of research, design, and engineering, aimed at solving a problem Bambu Lab had long foreseen – "You immediately realize the limitations of single-nozzle solutions, especially when it comes to multi-color printing – everyone feels pained and guilty about wasting so much plastic. Even before we finished the X1C project, we started brainstorming how to solve this problem."

"For the H2C, despite allocating more engineers to R&D, it still took 36 months to finally complete." Two years into the three-year development, hundreds of the company's machines were already operational and printing, but even then, it took some time before Vortek was seen. Quality standards and process optimization were cited as reasons for the delay, which Tao jokingly referred to as "a euphemism for 'delay'."

The H2C was unveiled at Formnext, an exhibition that showcased three compelling and competing multi-material printing solutions: the H2C, featuring the Vortek nozzle-changing mechanism where nozzles share a filament path fed by AMS units; Prusa's upcoming INDX upgrade for its Core One machine, which uses similar induction-heated nozzles but with independent INDX paths and a combined tool-changing unit; and the U1, which employs a more "traditional" near-complete toolhead changing method.

Together, they represent an exciting era in consumer-grade desktop 3D printing. "They are everywhere. That's what makes this industry – the competition – interesting and inspiring. We were never convinced [Vortek] was the best – I don't think anyone can draw a definitive conclusion at this point, and the industry is constantly changing. You can always find new pros and cons for each solution, and ultimately, only customers and time will prove which one is best."
 
Given early reports that nozzle changing speeds were not as quick as expected, Tao's response did not inspire much confidence in significant improvements coming soon. "There is always room for improvement, but that doesn't mean the room for improvement is infinite. You can only push it to a certain limit." With this in mind, and the "delay" in optimization, I can't help but wonder if what we are currently seeing with Vortek is already the final version. Judging by its R&D timeline, Bambu Lab seems to have already been fully engaged in developing an alternative to Vortek. To its credit, I have used this system in the All3DP lab, and considering the hard limit of all Vortek nozzles sharing a single filament path, its speed seems quite good to me.

While there's talk about multi-color printing saving material, the frequent in-print nozzle changes might overshadow the H2C's true purpose as a 3D printer for lazy people. "I think I'm a typical Bambu Lab user," Tao explains, "I basically throw everything from my computer or phone onto this printer – sometimes simple tasks, sometimes I want to print a Hueforge model with a 0.2mm nozzle.

Regardless of the specific hardware, Bambu Lab's influence is ubiquitous. Informal conversations with key figures in larger, more industrially focused companies inevitably turn to Bambu Lab and its achievements.

Meanwhile, as is often the case with emerging tech companies from China, concerns have been raised. Some see it as the elephant in the room: security issues. But for Bambu Lab, this is an artificial narrative. "Of course, some vertical industries find our printers useful, and we're happy that they can adapt and use them," but ultimately, the company positions itself as a consumer brand, committed to creating the highest quality products for the masses.

Bambu Lab's explanation for the security of its machines is simple. "I think if you really look at the facts – not speculation, predictions, or assumptions – we have a very good track record. Yes, firmware issues did cause a lot of controversy, but that was all based on assumptions. You know, 'Bambu might do something in the future'."

"I don't like the argument that 'Bambu Lab is evil because it might do something bad in the future' – any electronics manufacturer could face this risk; Apple could do bad things to you. Google could do that too." The company's main point – which received a warm response from the three people present – was: "Considering we have sold millions of printers, if there really was a problem, why hasn't anyone exposed it yet?"

Expanding the discussion beyond just 3D printing to the government-level resistance faced by Chinese electronics and infrastructure-related companies – especially pertinent given Mr. Tao's key role in DJI's rise in the drone sector – the company's strategy is clear: focus on making quality products and let consumers vouch for their quality. "I think third-party certification is more convincing. They have more professional skills to judge and review everything. I think that's the way we should go."

Finally, he concluded, "It's not up to us, right? We can only do our best to be trustworthy, and everything else is beyond our control."

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