In a blog post published today, Bambu Lab clarified their stand on third-party integration and custom firmware. They had already explained how they were made aware of the X1 Plus firmware, how they got in touch with the X1 Plus team, and how they reached an agreement that benefitted all the parties involved. Yet, this time, Bambu Lab also clarified how they feel about the broader ecosystem surrounding their printers.
Bambu Lab first explains that being made aware of the X1 Plus helped them reprioritize their “ecosystem infrastructure.” They also have been collaborating with the X1 Plus team on the “Third Party Firmware plan to give our users the freedom of choice.” Thanks to their combined effort in the last two months, “X1 owners can install the Official Rootable Firmware (also known as Firmware R) on their printers, as well as X1 Plus.”
X1 Plus is not offered by, maintained by, or supported by Bambu Lab, and if you install X1 Plus or any other custom firmware on your printer, it is very possible that you can damage your printer. If you root your printer and install custom firmware, you will forfeit your warranty support.
https://blog.bambulab.com/custom-firmware-plan-and-our-principles-on-ecosystem/
Bambu Lab adds they will attempt to support people with custom firmware who have experienced a genuine hardware failure as a best effort, but this is not guaranteed.
The rest of the article exposes Bambu Lab’s principles around 3rd party integration:
- Safety and Security is the Top Priority
- Respect Everyone’s Intellectual Property
- Communication is Key
Safety and Security
In those, Bambu Lab explains that if you build hardware or software that does not draw power or control the printer, they consider what you are doing harmless, and no further action is required from you.
If you create hotends that heat up to 300 degrees, they urge you to contact them through their contact form: https://bambulab.com/partner-with-us for testing and certification.
If you’re developing a device that controls the entire printer, including heating elements and motion systems, Bambu Lab states not to expect long-term support unless they have approved it in advance. This clearly targets XTouch and BigTreeTech’s Panda Touch without naming them.
In their next statement, Bambu Lab targets BigTreeTech even more: “This is particularly true for-profit organizations.”
We do not know what it means for XTouch or Panda Touch. Should we expect them to stop working in the near future? Will Bambu Lab provide their own screen? The blog post doesn’t answer any of those questions for now but we can hope that both XTouch and BigTreeTech will get in touch with Bambu Lab.
If you provide aftermarket parts that draw power from the printer, Bambu Lab asks that you contact them to ensure your product does not draw too much power, as this could cause the printer to become unstable.
Intellectual Property
There is only one entry under that section, and the message is clear: “Copying our design will not be viewed as a friendly gesture.”
Communication
Bambu Lab insists that constructive collaborations are built on trust and good communication. They are passionate about what they are doing and the whole ecosystem. They are eager to discover what the community will build next, and they want everyone involved to contact them or at least be open about it.