Intro to 3D Printing with Bambu Printers

Day 5: Print Day — Run the Lab

Day 5: Print Day — Run the Lab

🎯 Goal

This is what you've been building toward all week. Today you run the print lab, submit your keychain, and walk out with something you actually made.

  • Run the print lab like you own it
  • Submit your keychain and watch it go
  • Know your printer well enough to troubleshoot it

⏱️ Time Guide

StepActivityTime
1Print Lab Roles5 min
2Run the Print Lab10 min
3Know Your Printer10 min
4Quick Troubleshooting5 min
5Before You Print5 min
6Work Time45 min
7Reflection10 min
8Submit5 min
📋 Quick Review — Workflow & File Types
1

Design

2

Generate

3

Export

4

Slice

5

Print

🖼️

Image

Your logo
📐

STL

3D model
🖨️

3MF

Print-ready file

📖 How to Use This Page

  • Work through one step at a time — top to bottom
  • Complete every activity before clicking Mark Complete
  • Pause when the teacher asks — some steps need the whole class in sync
  • Your progress saves automatically on this device

✅ Success Criteria

  • I know my role and I'm showing up for my team
  • I can name the key parts of the printer and what they do
  • My keychain print is submitted or in progress
  • I can describe at least one thing I'd fix if a print goes wrong
Step 1 of 8 Active 🧑‍🔧 Print Lab Roles
📌 Before the lab starts, know what you're responsible for. Your role matters — everyone depends on each other today.
🖨️ Print Technician
  • Load and start prints
  • Watch the first layer — if it looks wrong, say something
📦 Materials Manager
  • Check filament levels before prints start
  • Help load filament when needed
🔍 Quality Control
  • Inspect each finished print before it leaves the printer
  • Flag anything that doesn't look right
🎧 Helpdesk / Support
  • Be the first stop when something goes wrong
  • Help classmates troubleshoot — don't touch their printer without asking
💡 Roles may rotate during class — be ready to adapt.
Step 2 of 8 Locked 🖨️ Run the Print Lab
📌 Goal: Get the lab running and your print into the queue. Follow the order below — skipping steps causes problems.
  1. Clean the build plate (spray bottle with dish soap and water works great)
  2. Check the filament — is there enough for your print?
  3. Load your 3MF file onto the printer
  4. Start the print and confirm it accepts
  5. Watch the first layer closely — this is the most important layer
  6. If something looks off, pause and ask — don't let a bad print run for 20 minutes
Step 3 of 8 Locked 🔩 Know Your Printer
📌 Goal: Know what each part does and how to take basic care of it — so when something goes wrong, you know where to look and what to do.
  • Nozzle — melts and deposits the filament; the most common source of print problems. Keep it clear — never poke it with anything that could scratch it.
  • Extruder — pushes filament to the nozzle. If it clicks or skips, the filament may be jammed or the nozzle may be clogged.
  • Build plate — where the print sticks. Spray with dish soap and water and wipe clean before every print for consistent adhesion. Handle it by the edges only — fingerprints reduce adhesion.
  • Filament spool — holds the material. Make sure it feeds freely and isn't tangled. Store filament in a sealed bag or dry box when not in use.
  • X, Y, Z axes — control movement in three directions. Keep the rods clean and unobstructed.
  • Bambu AMS — automatic material system (if equipped). Manages filament loading and can hold multiple spools.
🔎 Walk up to a printer and find each part. You can't really understand this from a list alone.

🧹 Basic Maintenance Checklist

These are the care steps you're responsible for every time you use the lab:

Step 4 of 8 Locked 🔧 Quick Troubleshooting
📌 Goal: Something will go wrong today. These are the three most common issues — know them before you need them.
  • Print won't stick to the bed → spray the build plate with dish soap and water, wipe clean, and try again
  • Stringy, messy lines (stringing) → check retraction settings or filament moisture
  • Print feels fragile or breaks easily → increase wall thickness or infill percentage in Bambu Studio
💡 Never cancel a print without asking Helpdesk first — sometimes what looks wrong is actually fine.
Step 5 of 8 Locked ✅ Before You Print
🖨️ What to Expect in the Print Queue
  • We have 11 printers — you'll probably need to wait for one to open up
  • Be patient. Use the wait time to double-check your design
  • Never touch another student's print — even to 'help'
  • Go through Helpdesk to submit your file
  • Follow all lab procedures — every time

Checklist — Before You Print

Step 6 of 8 Locked ⏱️ Work Time
📌 Goal: Make the most of your time. If you're waiting for a printer, improve your design. If you're done, help someone else.
  • Get your keychain printed
  • Rotate roles with your group as needed
  • If you're waiting, help a classmate
  • Use wait time to revisit your design — could anything be better?
Step 7 of 8 Locked 💡 Reflection
📌 Goal: Take a few minutes to reflect honestly. This isn't busy work — this is how you get better.
Step 8 of 8 Locked 📤 Submit Your Work
📌 Instructions: You ran the lab today — that's a big deal. Click Generate My Responses to collect your reflections and paste them into your Digital Notebook in Google Classroom.