About
Created by Wouter Sipers, additive manufacturing engineer from the Netherlands.
Multi-material printing, reinvented — no electronics, no nonsense. MechAMS is an engineering-first approach: fully mechanical, reliable, and cost-effective.
- No electronics. No obsolescence. No locked ecosystem.
- Open-design and modifiable (parametric CAD).
- Repair-friendly: reprint, replace, iterate.
- Reliability through tangible mechanics over cloud systems.
MechAMS is a fully 3D-printed, electronics-free automatic material system for the Bambu Lab A1. It supports up to eight filament slots today; 10-slot and 20-slot variants are in development. All components are printed and connected with PTFE tubes, with no additional electronics required.
A mechanical dog clutch on the toolhead engages with the corresponding clutch in each slot. The A1’s extruder motor supplies torque to drive switching and feeding via HTD belts, bevel gears, and transfer gears. Only the clutches and linked drive gears rotate; the main structures remain static. Tool changes are controlled by custom G-code macros that position, engage, and switch filament.
- Semi-idler drive per slot for controlled friction and reliable torque.
- Standard clearance of 0.2 mm for smooth engagement.
- Materials: PLA-CF for rigidity; TPU where compliance or low friction is needed.
Designed for full serviceability: reprint and replace individual sections without full disassembly. Routine care includes verifying clutch alignment and keeping PTFE paths clean for low-friction feeding.
Built specifically for the Bambu Lab A1 and integrates with its motion system via included G-code toolchange scripts. No firmware changes required; only precise toolhead positioning and the provided macros.
An affordable path to multi-color printing on the A1 — entirely mechanical, 3D-printable, and repairable.
- Extremely low cost compared to official AMS systems.
- Fully serviceable and modifiable by the user.
- No electronic components: pure mechanical reliability.
- Modular and easy to expand.
- Slower tool changes than AMS.
- Manual setup and calibration required.
- Regular maintenance recommended for best performance.
Available via the SIPERS Mechatronics website with purchase fulfilled through Gumroad. Includes STL files, preconfigured G-code scripts, and setup instructions.
- Price: €50
- License: Proprietary — resale, redistribution, or file-sharing prohibited.
Planned 10-slot configuration next, followed by a 20-slot variant. Ongoing focus on efficiency, durability, and user customization.
MechAMS shows that high-end multi-color printing does not require proprietary hardware. With smart mechanical design and accessible 3D printing, it offers makers a practical, affordable path to multi-material prints.