A1 Bed Swap Kit Assembly & Setup

How Automatic Bed Swapping Works on the Bambu A1

Automatic bed clearing is a process that lets your printer remove the used build plate from the printer and replace it with an empty one after each print.

Once the print finishes, the print bed moves to the front of the printer where it catches the bed on a latch mechanism as the print bed pulls backwards it lifts the build plate off the printer and drags it to the front edge of the print bed.

The build plate is then dropped off the front of the printer and a new build plate is retrieved from the back of the printer and slid into place with a series of back and forth motions programmed into the g-code. Once the build plate is in place the printer is ready to start the next print and repeat the process as long as there are build plates to print on.

 

Limitations

This auto-clearing setup has a few important mechanical and practical limits.

• Due to the use of the printers range of motion to clear the bed there are bed exclusion areas built into the printer config so the bed does not accidentally begin to clear mid print

• The config does NOT have bed placement detection, be sure there are always enough beds to print or the printer will attempt to print without a bed placed

 

What You’ll Need

• Bambu A1 3D Printer

• Bed Swap Kit (3D Printed) – holds the replacement beds and facilitates the process of removing and replacing the beds.

• Bambu Studio printer preset and project file template – preconfigured for automatic clearing behavior

• 15mmx2mm Neodymium Magnets – the magnets used in our setup can be found here.

• 6 x M3x20mm Screws – 2 x M3x12mm Screws – 2(Per Bed) x M3x8mm Screws – 4 x M3 Nuts – All hardware can be found in a hardware kit here.

All STL files, printer profiles, and project templates can be downloaded for free here.

Assembling the Kit

Installing the Nozzle Wiper

Remove the two screws from the back of the build plate. 

 

Slide the nozzle wiper mount into place, use two M3x12mm to screw the nozzle wiper into the build plate.

 

Peel the rubber brush off the back of the A1 and place it onto the nozzle wiper mount.

 

Assembling the Bed Holder

Print the kit using the provided project files — download here.

 

Install the magnet in the front of the bed holder. Then stack 3 magnets together and install them in the rear of the bed holder as shown (For a more secure placement use super glue and make sure the magnets are fully pressed into place). Repeat this step for the mirrored piece. 

 

Slide the two M3 Nuts into place and use the M3x20mm screws to bolt the bed holder onto the rear mount. Repeat this step for the mirrored side. 

Lift the back of the A1 and place the corresponding rear mounts on each side of the printer then place the printer back down on top. The printer should seat fully down with no large gap showing.

 

Place the two braces into place; these are meant to keep the bed holder evenly spaced apart

Installing the Front Hook

Snap the pivot arm onto the front hook then snap the front mount onto the front hook, use two M3x20mm to screw these two parts together.

 

Lift the front of the A1 and place the corresponding front mount under the printer then place the printer back down on top. The printer should seat fully down with no large gap showing.

Installing the Bed Clips

For best performance mark out and drill holes in the front edge of the build plate where the bed clip will be located. The screws can be used as set screws and not through the build plate but in testing this often allowed the bed clip to fall off the plate leading to failures.

 

Screw the M3x8mm screws into the bed clip and through the print bed.

Configuring Bambu Studio

Loading the Auto Clear Printer Config

1. In Bambu Studio, go to File → Import → Import Configs…

 

2. Locate the downloaded printer_presets.zip file included in the project package.

3. Click on it to import.
   
   

Once imported, the new Build Plate Swapper printer configuration will appear under your User Presets list.

• Select this preset whenever slicing projects that use the bed swapper on the A1 for automatic bed clearing.

What’s Changed in the Start and End G-code

The Build Plate Swapper printer preset includes several key modifications to the standard Bambu Studio start and end G-code to make the clearing sequence possible.

Exclusion Zone

• An exclusion zone has been added to the front and back of the print area to prevent users from placing parts in a region that will cause errors during the print due to the bed swapping design.

• This ensures only printable areas that can be safely printed on are used.

Start G-code Changes

• The purge line has been relocated to the back of the build plate.

• Due to the bed clip that assists in build plate removal and placement the purge line has been relocated to the back of the build volume.

• The nozzle wipe has been moved to the back left corner of the bed.

• Since the bed catches on the hook for removal when the printer bed moves to the front the nozzle wipe can no longer be located on the back center strip of the build plate and was moved to a usable location on the bed.

• The bed detection test has been removed.

• Since the bed catches on the hook for removal when the printer bed moves to the front the build plate detection macro can no longer be used. This is IMPORTANT to note if the printer runs out of build plates it will attempt to keep printing without one.
  
  

End G-code Changes

• The end sequence now includes a an auto build plate ejection routine

• After the print finishes, the bed moves to the front and pulls the old build plate off with a sequence of forward and backwards motions. The bed then moves to the back and places the next build plate with another sequence of forward and backwards movements.
  
  

Project File Template

A preconfigured project file template is included to demonstrate how the auto-clearing process works.

It contains a sample Benchy model, included as a placeholder for testing.

To use the template:

1. Download the project file from the same link as the other resources — download here.

2. Open it in Bambu Studio.

3. Delete the Benchy and replace it with your own models.

4. Slice and print to test the complete print → bed  removal → auto replacement cycle.

Once verified, this template can serve as a starting point for any print you want to run with automatic clearing enabled.