Key takeaways
- The R1 is a 55 W CO2 laser and prints nothing. Bambu Lab calls it the first device in its history that isn't a 3D printer.
- A CO2 laser can cut clear acrylic and engrave glass — two things a diode laser can't, because the diode beam passes straight through.
- Working area is 600 × 300 mm; with the Conveyor, sheets up to 3,000 mm long.
- Class 1 means the beam is fully enclosed in normal operation. It doesn't mean cutting fumes are harmless — you still have to extract them.
- For a 3D printing workshop, the R1 is a way to make flat panels (acrylic, wood, leather) to go with printed parts — not a way to replace them.
Bambu Lab launched the R1 on 22/09/2026. Because Bambu Lab is nearly synonymous with 3D printers, many people saw the name in a list of new machines and assumed it was a printer. It isn't. The R1 is a CO2 laser cutter and engraver, and Bambu Lab itself calls it the company's first device that isn't a 3D printer.
What Bambu Lab publishes
| Bambu Lab R1 | |
|---|---|
| Laser source | 55 W CO₂, 9–11 μm wavelength |
| Working area | 600 × 300 mm · up to 3,000 mm long with the Conveyor |
| Speed · acceleration | up to 1,000 mm/s · 20,000 mm/s² |
| Single-pass cut (published) | 18 mm black walnut plywood · 20 mm acrylic |
| Cut and engrave | Wood, acrylic, leather, paper, fabric |
| Engrave only | Glass, stone, coated metal |
| Accuracy | Follows a pre-printed outline within 0.2 mm · absolute motion within 0.1 mm |
| Safety | Class 1 (IEC 60825-1), laser stops when the lid opens, flame sensor, emergency stop |
| Published price | $2,499 (US, before tax) · €2,499 (EU, including tax) |
| Sale | Pre-order from 22/09/2026, shipping from October |
How CO2 differs from a diode laser
The diode lasers common on cheap engravers have a short wavelength, close to visible light. That beam passes through clear acrylic and glass, so it can't cut or engrave them. A CO₂ beam at 9–11 μm is absorbed by these materials, so the R1 can cut clear acrylic and engrave glass. According to Bambu Lab, a CO₂ laser also cuts thicker wood faster and with less charring than a diode.
The price: a CO₂ laser carries its beam through a chain of mirrors, and a single misaligned mirror sharply cuts the power reaching the material. Manual mirror alignment is a chore every CO₂ machine has. The point Bambu Lab stresses most on the R1 is automatic optical alignment using a sensor on the laser head and motorised mirrors — taking about a minute, according to the maker.
What the R1 adds to a 3D printing workshop
- Large flat panels. Box faces, lids and dividers at 600 × 300 mm are slow and warp-prone in FDM, while a laser cuts them in minutes. An enclosure built as "3D printed frame + laser-cut acrylic panels" is faster and nicer than printing the whole thing.
- Materials a printer can't use. Clear acrylic, real wood, leather, fabric.
- Personalisation. Engraving names or logos on glass, stone, coated metal — and, the maker says, cutting along the outline of a pre-printed image within 0.2 mm.
- It doesn't replace the printer. A laser only cuts and engraves sheets; every three-dimensional shape is still the printer's job. See FDM vs resin vs SLS.
Class 1 doesn't mean the fumes are harmless
Class 1 under IEC 60825-1 means that in normal operation the beam stays entirely inside the enclosure, with no need for safety glasses or a separate room. That's safety from the beam. Cutting fumes are another matter: cutting wood, acrylic or leather all produce smoke and fine particles. The R1 uses airflow across the chamber and an exhaust port; Bambu Lab sells a separate E1 Pro filter that connects directly to the exhaust, with multiple filter stages including activated carbon.
The new printers of the same period — multi-toolhead printers, the Creality K3 and SPARKX i8, and the X2D Pro and H3C that so far exist only in FCC filings — are covered in multi-toolhead 3D printers, Creality K3 and SPARKX i8 and Bambu Lab X2D Pro and H3C.
Frequently asked
Is the Bambu Lab R1 a 3D printer?
No. The R1 is a 55 W CO₂ laser cutter and engraver. Bambu Lab calls it the first device in its history that isn't a 3D printer.
How much does the Bambu Lab R1 cost?
Bambu Lab publishes $2,499 in the US (before tax, including shipping) and €2,499 in the EU (including tax, excluding shipping). Pre-orders opened on 22/09/2026, shipping from October. The maker hasn't published a Vietnamese price.
What can the R1 cut?
According to Bambu Lab: it cuts and engraves wood, acrylic, leather, paper and fabric; it only engraves glass, stone and coated metal. The maker publishes single-pass cuts of 18 mm black walnut plywood and 20 mm acrylic.
Is the R1 safe to use indoors?
For the beam, the R1 is rated Class 1 under IEC 60825-1: the beam is enclosed in normal operation, and opening the lid stops the laser. For fumes, you still have to extract outside or through a filter — Class 1 says nothing about cutting fumes. Never cut PVC.
Can the R1 cut metal?
No. According to Bambu Lab, the R1 can only engrave coated metal (such as anodised aluminium), not cut metal.