- Bambu Lab H2C increases nozzle capacity and reduces print waste through improved cleaning management
- The Vortek system changes nozzles quickly, but only on the right side
- US buyers will have to wait due to unresolved logistical complications affecting availability
Bambu Lab has unveiled the H2C, its new 3D printer equipped with seven nozzles that rely on magnetic attachments and inductive heating elements.
The nozzles sit in a Vortek Hotend Change System installed on the right side of the chamber, where a pair of racks shift vertically to change tools at high speed.
Only four nozzles currently interface with the company’s AMS unit, while the remaining slots store alternatives for changing during printing.
Design compromises and hardware conversion requirements
Early evaluations suggest that the Vortek design replaces only the right nozzle, with a slot intentionally left empty to park tools prior to retrieval.
The unit takes up internal space, resulting in a narrower print bed measuring 340 millimeters compared to the 350 millimeters available on the H2D and H2S systems.
Users converting previous models will need a new bed, a compatible tool head and the Vortek module, which increases the cost of entry beyond the standard purchase price.
Cleaning material handling is improved by reducing filament waste, although a cleaning tower is still necessary for multi-color jobs.
To handle multi-material changes, the system still relies on AMS spooling, which introduces delays when switching between four or more colors.
Preliminary tests showed that H2C produced a five-color Maker’s Muse slot in 11 hours using a 43-gram cleaning tower.
The same print on the H2D required twice as long, generated twice the cleaning tower and also produced an additional 279 grams of filament waste in addition to the tower itself.
In comparison, Prusa’s five-tool changer XL completed the identical model in 6 hours with a 41 gram flush tower and no additional waste material.
These evaluations place the H2C twice as fast as the H2D, while still being twice as slow Prusa XL under the current test conditions.
The Bambu Lab H2C tool head is derived from previous H2 designs, retaining a fixed left-hand nozzle while enabling automated right-side changes.
Current firmware requires consistent nozzle sizes across active slots, meaning buyers need five matching parts to work without manual intervention.
The base package starts at $2,399 with an AMS 2 Pro, while configurations with additional spool handling or laser modules reach $4,199.
Review units are already in circulation, although commercial access varies by region.
The company confirms that US sales will not begin until December 2025, citing logistical constraints that appear to be tied to ongoing import complications.
Interest remains high following recent market optimism that an easing of trade restrictions would speed up access to new Chinese-made machinery.
Via Tom’s hardware
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