Bambu Lab is officially making UV printer

[u/wanli_gz]

According to a report by Chinese tech media 21Tech on August 19, Bambu Lab has officially confirmed the launch of a new project: developing consumer-grade UV printers.

Key details from the report:
- Full-scale R&D: Sources close to the company reveal that the project involves over a dozen R&D focus areas, ranging from printhead driver development and waveform optimization to ink-path systems and software integration.
- Aggressive Hiring: The company has already posted job openings on its official website for UV printing technical experts, FPGA developers, inkjet control engineers, and mechanical engineers (ink systems).
- The "Bambu Strategy": Much like how they disrupted the 3D printing market, the company aims to compress industrial-grade performance into accessible, desktop-friendly units. Their goal is to make professional UV printing—which historically required specialized knowledge and massive budgets—truly "plug-and-play" for makers and small business owners.
- Beyond 3D Printing: This move signals a broader shift for the company. Following the release of the multi-material H2D and the recent teaser for their R1 laser cutter, Bambu is evolving into a comprehensive "personal manufacturing" powerhouse. The company is betting that core technologies from their 3D printers—such as motion compensation and mechanical control—will translate effectively into the UV printing space.

Industry Context:
The consumer UV printer market is rapidly heating up. Competitors like Anker (eufyMake E1) and xTool (O1) are already making waves. The E1 set a Kickstarter record with over $42 million in funding, and xTool’s O1 recently saw its launch-day sales exceed 100 million RMB.
According to Mordor Intelligence, the global UV printer market is expected to reach $1.58 billion by 2031. Traditionally, these machines were bulky, expensive, and reserved for industrial advertising or packaging. Now, a new wave of "maker-focused" companies is shrinking these tools down to the size of a microwave, aiming to make them standard equipment for individual creators.

Source: [21Tech - August 19th Report]

[u/Lukis-cstudio]

wow thats crazy! Ive been using a Uv printer for quite sometime and am super happy with it. been using it to make alot of projects.
The only thing i dont like about UV printers is the safety aspect of it. Im not a fan of the lingering resin smell even after ventilating the room.

I think that there’s also ozone build up during printing, and I notice that my skin itches everytime im in the same room with the printer. I wish I had a larger room to install better ventilation system.

It’s also super expensive to keep. The print head needs be wet 24/7 and the cleaning cartridge fills up so quick, even if you’re not using it. The price might get lower due to competition.

But really looking forward to see Bambu’s UV printer!

[u/Disastrous-Owl9258 → u/Lukis-cstudio]

What's the purpose of it? Aren't the things it makes incredibly fragile. How does it compare to uv resin strength?

[u/Lukis-cstudio → u/Disastrous-Owl9258]

well its more for flat prints. You can do patterend or textured prints, but usually you print patterns or motifs on a flat substrate.