## Bambu Lab A1 I purchased GNK to increase my capacity to print functional parts. On February 17, 2025, I added the AMS Lite. While it has the capability for multi-material printing, I use it primarily for continuous printing. Being able to load multiple spools of the same material means GNK can run for longer stretches without requiring me to swap filament. This feature aligns well with how I use it—as a steady background worker in the shop.   ## Current Mods The only notable modification is the installation of the AMS Lite in February. For most of its life, GNK ran a 0.6 mm nozzle, which was well-suited to the functional parts I needed. I've upgraded the original stainless steel nozzle to a hardened steel variant. On May 31, 2025, I switched to a 0.4 mm nozzle, and that remains its current configuration.   In late July, after quality issues appeared, I replaced the extruder gears on July 29, 2025. That change didn't fix the underlying problem. Eventually, after a second catastrophic failure in August, I performed a full hotend service—installing a new heater block and nozzle on August 25, 2025. The repair fixed the quality issues it was experiencing. ## History - 2025-01-28: I purchased without AMS Lite and switched from the factory nozzle to a 0.6mm. - 2025-02-17: I installed AMS Lite - 2025-04: Frequent extruder jams. I traced the problem to the inexpensive Jayo PETG filament I was using. I found foreign particles in the extruder on many occasions. - 2025-05-31: I switched back to the original stainless 0.4mm nozzle - 2025-06-16: The original stainless steel nozzle finally wore out after 2016 hours of use. - 2025-07: Blob of Death. I cleaned it as thoroughly as possible, but the quality was not as good as before.   - 2025-07-29: I replaced extruder gears, hoping to address the quality issue. No improvement. - 2025-08-21: Second Blob of Death. This time I couldn't clean it thoroughly. The machine was out of order until I could obtain a new heater block. - 2025-08-25: I replaced the heater block and nozzle. The print quality returned to factory levels. Apparently, my repair of the first Blob of Death was incomplete. Sometimes cleaning is not enough—the only way forward is complete replacement.   ## Planned Upgrades I do not plan any more upgrades to GNK. I always intended for GNK to be a capacity-expander, not a long-term cornerstone. Once I have most of my Voron printers built and running, I will sell GNK.   ## Current State After the August repairs, GNK is back to producing clean, reliable prints. It is currently set up with a 0.4 mm nozzle and runs primarily PETG and PLA for functional parts. While it remains a dependable machine, it will not be part of the long-term fleet. For now, GNK serves as a workhorse—an extra set of hands in the shop, keeping projects moving while the larger build plans come together.   > [!note]- Colophon   > ![[Printer Naming#GNK]] ![[Discussions]]