Bambu Lab P1S Setup and First Prints: Zero Settings Changed

The Bambu Lab P1S Combo went from sealed box to successful day-one prints without me changing a single slicer setting. The physical setup required the normal shipping-material removal, AMS connections, screen installation, app binding, calibration, and firmware updates, but the stock workflow produced both a four-color octopus and a practical filament chute on the first day.

That result is a strong setup baseline, not a complete review. This article documents the exact unboxing and first-print sequence shown in my video, what ‘zero settings changed’ actually means, the unusually high purge cost of the small multicolor test, and which material and reliability questions still needed longer-term testing.

Quick verdict after setup and the first prints

The P1S delivered the kind of first session people expect from the Bambu ecosystem: the printer guided the electronic setup, completed its calibration routine, recognized Bambu filament in the AMS, and ran the supplied and sliced jobs without a Z-offset adjustment or profile-tuning detour. For someone who values a short path from box to usable parts, that is the most important day-one result.

The tradeoff appeared immediately in the multicolor workflow. The articulated octopus weighed 9 grams, while the purge material weighed 55.3 grams. That single tiny model used more than six times the finished-part mass in purge material. It proves that the AMS can coordinate four colors, but it also shows why multicolor efficiency depends heavily on model size, the number of color swaps, how many copies share the plate, and purge-volume planning.

Bambu Lab P1S setup at a glance

Verified P1S specifications relevant to first setup

The specifications below come from Bambu Lab’s current P1S documentation. They are manufacturer-listed limits and capabilities, not measurements from my day-one test.

Confirm current limits, supported materials, and package contents in the official Bambu Lab P1S documentation. Bambu lists PLA, PETG, TPU, ABS, ASA, PVA, and PET as ideal materials for the printer itself, while AMS compatibility is a separate question for flexible, brittle, or abrasive filaments.

Unboxing the P1S Combo without missing transport restraints

The first job was not assembly in the traditional kit-printer sense; it was carefully removing everything that protected the machine during shipping. I opened the P1S Combo, removed the visible foam, and then worked through the less obvious restraints inside the enclosure. The video specifically shows shipping screws and cardboard around the hotend area that must be cleared before the machine moves.

Do not treat the first large piece of foam as the end of unpacking. Check the chamber, toolhead area, build plate, and the packaging called out in the current quick-start guide. Transport hardware is designed to stop motion during shipping, so leaving even one restraint installed can turn an otherwise automated calibration into a preventable mechanical problem.

Connecting the AMS: two cables and the PTFE path

The P1S Combo adds the Automatic Material System to the setup. In my unit, the connection sequence involved the 4-pin cable, the 6-pin cable, and the PTFE tube that carries filament from the AMS toward the printer. These connectors are shaped and positioned differently, so the goal is positive alignment—not extra force.

I routed the PTFE path without a tight bend and checked that the electrical plugs were fully seated. This is worth doing before the printer is moved into its final location because the rear connections become harder to inspect once the enclosure sits close to a wall.

Removing the build-plate screws and installing the screen

The build platform was still secured for transport, so I removed the indicated screws before asking the printer to home or calibrate. I then installed the small front control screen and connected it as directed. Neither step was difficult, but both are prerequisites for the guided startup sequence.

After the screen was attached, I performed another chamber check. This is a useful pause point: the printer should be free of loose packaging, the plate should no longer be restrained, and the AMS wiring should be complete before power is applied.

First boot, region selection, and app binding

At first power-on, the P1S prompted me to select the region and continue through the guided setup. I used the displayed QR code with the Bambu mobile app to bind the printer to my account. Having the app installed and the account ready before starting can keep this step from interrupting the workflow.

Account binding is part of the connected workflow shown in this test; it should not be confused with print calibration. The machine still needed to establish its motion and bed baseline after the network and account steps were complete.

Calibration took roughly 30 minutes

The automated calibration was the longest single setup stage. My run took about 30 minutes. I did not manually tune Z offset, flow, vibration compensation, or a slicer profile before the first prints; I allowed the printer’s normal first-use routine to establish its baseline.

Automatic does not mean the printer should be ignored during a first startup. Give it a stable surface, keep the chamber clear, and stay close enough to catch an unusual sound or an overlooked restraint. Once that initial cycle succeeds, it becomes the reference point for later troubleshooting.

Updating both printer and AMS firmware

After calibration, the machine offered firmware updates for the printer and AMS. I installed them before treating any connection or material-detection behavior as a fault. Keeping the two devices on compatible firmware is a sensible baseline when they must coordinate loading, unloading, and slot changes.

Firmware can change after this article is published, so I am intentionally not recording a version number as a permanent recommendation. Use the current release offered to your machine and review its notes before updating a printer that is already part of a critical production workflow.

Loading Bambu filament and checking RFID detection

I loaded Bambu filament into the AMS and let the system identify the spools through RFID. The on-screen slot information matched the loaded colors without manual material entry. That removed another setup task, but it is a convenience tied to recognized Bambu spools; third-party filament may require manual type and color selection.

Before starting a multicolor file, verify more than the presence of four spools. The slicer’s material mapping must correspond to the physical AMS slots. A correct-looking color preview can still produce the wrong object if the slot assignment is different from the sliced project.

First print: the four-color AMS octopus

The first multicolor result was a small articulated octopus. It completed successfully using the stock workflow, which confirmed that the printer could load material from the AMS, perform repeated color changes, and finish a moving-part model without me altering the profile.

The finished part weighed 9 grams. The purge material weighed 55.3 grams. For this particular file, the waste was about 6.1 times the mass of the model. That is not a universal P1S or AMS ratio; it is the measured outcome of one small part with many color transitions.

How to make multicolor printing more efficient

The measurement points to practical ways to use an AMS more efficiently. Printing several copies on one plate can spread a similar sequence of color swaps across more finished parts. Larger models also reduce the purge-to-part ratio, and reducing unnecessary color transitions in the design can matter more than shaving a small amount from individual flush volumes.

Before committing to a long color job, use the multicolor print planner to map the colors and workflow, then inspect Bambu Studio’s sliced totals rather than judging efficiency from model weight alone.

Second print: a practical filament catch chute

The second result shifted from a demonstration model to a useful shop part. I sent a filament catch chute through Bambu Studio and printed it without changing the supplied settings. The chute completed cleanly enough to serve its intended purpose, giving the first session a functional result as well as a multicolor test.

This is an important distinction. A built-in model tests the manufacturer’s prepared workflow, while a separately sliced part tests the handoff from Bambu Studio to the printer. Both succeeded in this session, although one functional print is still only a baseline for dimensional accuracy and long-term repeatability.

What ‘I didn’t touch a single setting’ really proves

It proves that this P1S Combo, after correct unpacking, connection, calibration, and firmware updates, could produce successful stock-material prints through the default ecosystem workflow. I did not need to hunt for Z offset, rewrite start G-code, build a custom profile, or manually compensate for a failed first layer before getting a usable result.

It does not prove that default settings are ideal for every spool or part. Surface finish, strength, dimensional accuracy, bridging, support removal, speed, and purge volume can all justify controlled changes later. The useful lesson is to preserve a successful default result as the baseline and change one variable only when a specific outcome needs improvement.

What remains unproven after day one

This was an unboxing and first-print test, not a long-term P1S review. At the end of the video, the next testing stage still included TPU, nylon, ABS, PETG, multi-material supports, and broader reliability work. Those tests matter because the enclosed printer and the AMS do not share identical material compatibility, especially for flexible or abrasive filament.

Longer ownership also reveals maintenance frequency, repeated AMS load reliability, nozzle wear, enclosure heat behavior, camera usefulness, noise over long jobs, and whether the default profiles remain dependable across different brands of filament. None of those questions should be answered from two successful first-day parts.

Who the P1S first-use workflow is likely to suit

• A new owner who values a guided setup and wants a successful default baseline before learning detailed tuning.
• A maker who wants an enclosed CoreXY printer and expects to use PLA, PETG, ABS, ASA, or other manufacturer-supported materials.
• Someone who wants four-slot AMS convenience and accepts that multicolor printing can generate substantial purge waste.
• A user already comfortable with an app-connected printer and the Bambu Studio workflow.

Who should pause before choosing it

• A maker whose priority is flexible or abrasive filament through the AMS without changing the material path.
• Someone who wants a completely offline, account-free first-use experience.
• A buyer focused on the newest platform rather than an established enclosed alternative.
• A high-volume multicolor user who has not calculated purge material, time, and disposal for the actual models being produced.

Use the P1S printer profile for current specifications and purchase destinations, or compare it with newer and established options in the 3D printer catalog.

P1S first-print checklist

1. Remove every foam block, shipping screw, cardboard insert, and build-plate restraint identified by the current guide.
2. Connect the AMS 4-pin cable, 6-pin cable, and PTFE tube without sharp bends or partially seated plugs.
3. Install and connect the control screen before beginning guided setup.
4. Choose the correct region and have the Bambu app and account ready for QR-code binding.
5. Give the printer a stable surface and roughly 30 uninterrupted minutes for first-use calibration.
6. Install compatible printer and AMS firmware before diagnosing connection or detection problems.
7. Confirm every AMS slot’s material and color mapping before running a multicolor file.
8. Run a known stock job first and save that successful result as the troubleshooting baseline.
9. Check sliced filament totals, purge volume, and estimated time before starting a larger multicolor job.

Focused troubleshooting after setup

Calibration will not complete

Stop and recheck the transport restraints before changing software settings. Confirm the three heatbed screws and all internal packaging were removed, the plate is seated correctly, and the printer is on a stable surface. If the machine reports a specific fault, follow that code rather than repeating calibration blindly.

The AMS does not appear or detect filament

Power down safely, then inspect the 4-pin and 6-pin connections and the PTFE path. After reconnecting, confirm that both printer and AMS firmware are compatible. For third-party spools, manual material entry may be expected because automatic RFID identification is not universal.

The first layer fails despite automatic calibration

Return to fundamentals: clean the build surface with the method recommended for that plate, confirm the correct plate and filament are selected, and make sure the sliced profile matches the P1S and installed nozzle. Automatic calibration cannot compensate for every contaminated surface or mismatched profile.

If you move beyond the successful stock baseline, use the calibration and slicer settings hub to make one controlled adjustment at a time.

Frequently asked questions

How long did the Bambu Lab P1S setup take?

The guided calibration took roughly 30 minutes in my first session. Unpacking, AMS wiring, screen installation, app binding, firmware updates, filament loading, and the prints themselves add time around that automated routine.

What nozzle ships with the Bambu Lab P1S?

Bambu Lab’s current documentation lists a 0.4 mm stainless-steel nozzle as standard. Optional listed diameters are 0.2, 0.6, and 0.8 mm. Verify the installed hardware and select the matching nozzle profile before slicing.

Did you really change no settings?

Yes for the two day-one results shown in this video. I completed the guided setup and used the normal stock workflow without manually tuning the slicer profile or Z offset. That claim applies only to this initial session and these materials and models.

How much purge waste did the octopus create?

The finished octopus weighed 9 grams and the purge material weighed 55.3 grams. The purge was therefore about 6.1 times the part mass for this specific small, frequently changing multicolor file—not a fixed AMS waste ratio.

Do I need the AMS to use a P1S?

No. The P1S can print from an external spool, while the Combo adds the AMS for automated loading and multicolor workflows. Material that is unsuitable for the AMS may still require the external spool path even when an AMS is installed.

Is this a full P1S review?

No. This is a setup and first-prints report. The day-one experience was unusually smooth, but long-term reliability, broader material testing, support combinations, maintenance, and a direct P1S-versus-P2S decision require follow-up testing.

What to do next

Keep the successful stock result as your reference, then check the filament and materials hub before moving into PETG, ABS, ASA, nylon, TPU, or support-interface experiments. If you are still deciding whether the P1S is the right established option, review the current context in Best 3D Printers in 2026.

My fair day-one conclusion is narrow but positive: the P1S Combo was straightforward to unpack and connect, calibration completed, the AMS recognized the loaded Bambu filament, and both a four-color demonstration part and a separately sliced functional chute printed without manual setting changes. The next stage is to find out how well that convenience holds up when the materials and jobs become harder.