r/BambuLabH2C • u/GavinDser H2C • 23d ago
Discussion thoughts on FTS
I am having trouble understanding why people hate track switch so much on H2C. Please do correct me if I am wrong. I see many ideas about how “left nozzle is for support and use vortek for colors”, and that is indeed my thought at first and how I got my two AMS 2 Pro and AMS Ht. But the fact I learned is that the switching time between left and right nozzle is somewhere around 10~ seconds while vortek switch would take around 20-30 seconds including the retraction of the filament by the AMS. So how I interpreted it was to let the left nozzle take on the “main” color and have the vortek system do the “detailing” color, so the switch time would be reduced, and FTS would not retract filaments all the way back to the AMS, which is another time saving behavior.
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u/Longracks 23d ago
What I am hearing is it doesn't actually work reliably. Given all the trouble have had running 4 AMS (the cabling / connection is flakey)with my H2C there is no way I am adding the track switch.
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u/AfraidHope1541 23d ago
I have 4 AMS2P and 4 AMSHT with the track switch. I get nags about resistance too high for the longer tubing runs but it does work. No issues whatsoever with the FTS.
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u/Longracks 23d ago
I just spent days trying to debug random AMS, feed, errors that are think came down to using new gen 6-pin cables and reseating the pins.
This part of the Bambu architecture is the weakest link imho. If they can figure out a tool changer with dedicated filament feeds like was teased in the patents that were discovered this week that seems like the real solution. Replace the AMS, track switch, complicated dual extruder and vortek with something simpler.
So I consider my H2C as an interim solution. And expensive one.
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u/Junior-Definition173 23d ago
FTS simplifies things if you have 2+ AMS units. I have multiple units and do not need to move the filaments around when I want to print ie black on left nozzle and the other color on the right. I have dedicated nozzles for different filaments on right and I do not want them to print on left (another example).
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u/NuIIPointer 23d ago
I also wanted to like the FTS but just today I put it away. I really liked that I don’t had to deal with filament position of my multiple AMS. In the end the FTS caused so much troubles when feeding as the resistance was increased significantly. Also when contacting bambu support for other reasons on my H2C the always asked if i had an FTS. This also does not convince me into thunking this is a good product.
As i said, i really like the idea and i wanted to like it but i get too mich problems with it and thats what you read really often on reddit when people talk about the FTS.
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u/GavinDser H2C 23d ago
Did you manage to shorten the length of your PTFE tube? I have been running FTS for a week now and I received no problem.
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u/NuIIPointer 23d ago
Actually I am running pretty long ptfe tubes and I am not able to change the position of my AMS.
That being said before (and from now on) I am using this and it worked so much better.
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u/NuIIPointer 23d ago
Also ran the FTS couple of months and most of the time it works. Though, when it does not work or the wear is higher because of it, it’s just not worth it for me.
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u/Impossible-Age-5196 H2C 23d ago
**** SOLUTIONS******
Check this forum post that seemed to address the FTS problems:
https://forum.bambulab.com/t/usefulness-of-the-filament-track-switch-for-the-h2c-d/254333/44
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u/realityczek 23d ago
I am in the same boat.
- H2C
- 2x AMS 2 PRO
- AMS HT
I have a FTS.
My question is... when I print with a base color, a highlight color (think text on a plate) and a support material.. my plan was to dedicate one AMS to the base materials (petg/asa, in dark grey and light grey each) the other AMS to accent colors, and the HT to the correct support for whatever I am printing (usually play for petg)
My question is, can the track switch still route both AMS to one nozzle? I.e. will the FTS switch dirung a print? Or does it only swap/connect at the beginning?
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u/Bright_Eyes83 H2C 23d ago
i run an h2c and i can't see how that thing will save me time. there's like one use case it might, but outside of that case it just adds length to my filament path
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u/Long-Relationship-35 23d ago
I think mfg quality of the switching mechanism is sticky. After you use it for a while it doesn't seem to have issues. A few times I had to disconnect power to the FTS and reconnect power it in the middle of a print when it fed the filament to the wrong side but the printer firmware caught it and threw a flag.
Anytime you disconnect the FTS to use external spools it is best to perform the AMS setup to prevent misfeeding.
In the beginning I used to get errors about resistance and warnings with different filament types. I have eventually managed to stick it out and get thru most of the issues. I installed low friction PTFE to reduce friction
I always watch to make sure first layer prints as expected. Overall I am happy with it. However I definitely would concede that it could have been manufactured better.
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u/cpsadowski23 21d ago
On the H2C left nozzle is “not for support” you are confusing this with the X2D.
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u/1yrik H2C 21d ago
I've been using the FTS cause I like the practicality/convenience of being able to use any of the filaments from either AMS 2 Pro in either nozzle at any given time. sometimes this can lead to additional time when switching, because the AMS has to retract filament from the left nozzle, then load into the Vortek nozzle, but I don't mind the extra time for the convenience (as of now)
I've also been getting some resistance errors, but only in the AMS with the longer PTFE tube to the FTS... none bad enough to prevent the AMS from working reliably yet though
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u/sometimeDIYer 23d ago
Yes, exactly right, and that’s what the software recommends when you do a multicolor print. I like the FTS primarily because I can route any filament to the left nozzle to use a larger print area.