Your first print on a Bambu Lab

Bambu Lab machines are the closest 3D printing has come to "press the button and it works" — they level the bed, tune the flow, and check for problems on their own. But a handful of things still trip up new owners on day one. Here's the clean path from box to a first print you're proud of.

The short answer

Run the built-in calibration, wash the plate, and print the sample model first. Almost every first-print problem is a greasy plate or a skipped calibration — not the machine.

Assemble it and let it calibrate

Follow the setup card, connect the printer through the Bambu Handy app or Bambu Studio, and run the automatic calibration when prompted. The printer levels the bed, measures flow, and (on the higher-end models) runs a camera check of the first layer. It takes a few minutes — let it finish rather than skipping ahead. This is the step that replaces all the fiddly manual tuning older printers need.

Wash the build plate

Even a brand-new plate carries factory oils, and your fingers add more every time you touch it. Plastic won't stick to grease. Wash the textured plate with warm water and a drop of dish soap, dry it with a clean towel, and handle it by the edges from then on. See the first-layer guide for the full adhesion checklist.

Print the sample first

Don't make your first job a six-hour model. Print the small sample that's already loaded on the printer, or a one-click model from MakerWorld — those come pre-sliced and pre-tuned, so they confirm your machine is set up correctly before you risk a long print. Watch that first layer go down.

What a good first layer looks like

Your Bambu sets the nozzle height automatically, but it helps to know what "right" looks like — and you can nudge the Z-offset from the screen or the Handy app if a plate ever needs it. Compare your first layer to these:

Nozzle too high

Round, separate strands with gaps. Won't grip — lower the Z offset.

Just right

Flattened, touching, smooth on top. This is the target — leave it alone.

Nozzle too low

Thin, translucent, ridged. Scrapes the plate — raise the Z offset a touch.

The build plate: textured vs smooth

Bambu ships a textured PEI plate, and for beginners it's the one to use. PLA and PETG grip it beautifully with no glue, and the texture leaves a nice matte finish on the bottom of prints. The smooth and high-temp plates (sold separately) give a glassy bottom but usually want a thin layer of glue stick for adhesion.

Watch out

PETG bonds hard — even to textured PEI it can grip strongly enough to chip the coating when you remove a print. Wipe a thin layer of glue stick down first; on PETG it works as a release layer that protects the plate. (More inPLA vs PETG.)

One-click models vs Bambu Studio

There are two ways to print. MakerWorld one-click sends a ready-tuned model straight to your printer — perfect while you're learning, and where most Bambu owners get their models. Bambu Studio is the slicer for when you want control: your own models, custom supports, and settings. Start with one-click, graduate to the slicer when you hit something it can't do.

When something does go wrong

Bambu or not, the fixes are the same across every FDM printer. Whatever the symptom, we've got the plain-language fix:

First layer won't stick — start here; it's the most common.
Stringy prints — usually wet filament, then temperature.
Corners lifting (warping) — grip and even cooling.
Supports — when you need them and how to remove them cleanly.

First-print checklist

Run the automatic calibration and let it finish.
Wash the textured plate with dish soap — then edges only.
Print the loaded sample or a MakerWorld one-click model first.
Watch the first layer: flat, touching lines, no gaps.
Stay on the textured plate with PLA — no glue needed.

Common questions

Do I need to level the bed on a Bambu Lab?

No — every Bambu printer (A1, A1 mini, P1P, P1S, X1) levels the bed automatically before each print and sets the nozzle height for you. There's no manual paper-and-knobs levelling like on older machines. Just let the calibration run and keep the plate clean; that's your whole job.

What should I print first on a Bambu Lab?

The little sample model that's already sliced on the printer, or a simple one-click model from MakerWorld. Print something small and quick first to confirm the machine is happy before you commit to a six-hour print. Bambu's one-click prints come pre-tuned, so they're the safest possible first job.

Why won't my Bambu's first layer stick if it auto-levels?

Auto-levelling maps the shape of the bed, but it can't fix a greasy plate — and plastic won't stick to the invisible oil your fingers leave behind. Wash the textured plate with warm water and dish soap, dry it, and handle it by the edges. This fixes the large majority of 'my new Bambu won't stick' cases.

Do I need glue stick on a Bambu Lab?

Not on the textured PEI plate for everyday PLA and PETG — it grips them without help. Glue stick is for the smooth/high-temp plate (where it adds tack), and as a release layer under PETG so the print doesn't bond too hard and damage the coating. If you're on the textured plate printing PLA, skip the glue.