Bambu Lab has evolved its ecosystem with Bambu Farm Manager, a solution designed for the centralized management of multiple units, with a key feature often overlooked: local control.

Once you have more than one or two machines on a desk, one reality quickly becomes clear: manual management becomes complex. Starting prints one by one, monitoring each machine individually, managing queues, or restarting after an error quickly becomes time-consuming, especially in a professional context.

The natural evolution of modern print farms

Print farms, whether industrial, semi-professional, or artisanal, meet a clear need: to produce more reliably and consistently. But increasing the number of machines without suitable software often just shifts the problem rather than solving it.

The term print farm is sometimes mistakenly used to simply describe multiple machines lined up on a shelf. In practice, a true print farm relies on three fundamental pillars:

• – a well-managed machine fleet,
• – consistent production processes,
• – a centralized management system.

Without this third pillar, multiplying machines mostly multiplies problems. The difficulty does not come from manufacturing itself, but from coordination: knowing which machine is available, which file is running, what material is loaded, or if a job is blocked.

The limits of cloud solutions for machine fleet management

Majority of farm management solutions rely on the cloud. On paper, this offers great flexibility. In reality, professionals quickly see the limitations:

• – dependence on a stable internet connection,
• – latency in commands,
• – concerns about file confidentiality,
• – inability to work on an isolated network,
• – possible downtime in case of server failure.

In a workshop, fablab, or industrial environment, these constraints are far from trivial. The need for reliable local control quickly becomes an operational requirement.

Bambu Farm Manager: bringing control back locally

With Bambu Farm Manager, Bambu Lab takes a different approach. The goal is not just to provide an additional dashboard, but to offer a local management tool for production units, capable of operating directly on the user’s internal network.

This approach reduces cloud dependency and gives the operator direct control over their machine fleet, while maintaining a modern and clear interface.

Overview of Bambu Farm Manager

Bambu Farm Manager is a free software designed to manage multiple Bambu Lab 3D printers simultaneously, centralize print job launching and monitoring, operate on a local network, and provide a global and instant view of the machine fleet status.

It is mainly intended for users with multiple machines, but also for those anticipating a gradual increase in production capacity.

Installation and technical requirements

Installing Bambu Farm Manager is relatively straightforward. The software is installed on a computer in the local network, which then acts as the central control station.

All units must be connected to the same network to be automatically detected. Communication occurs directly between the software and the machines, without the need for a remote service.

Production-oriented interface and ergonomics

The interface is clearly designed for production environments. Each machine displays:

• – its real-time status,
• – the file currently in progress,
• – the estimated remaining time,
• – information about the material being used.

This overview allows quick decision-making without having to physically move to each machine.

Centralized production management

One of Bambu Farm Manager’s strengths lies in queue management. It becomes possible to prepare multiple jobs in advance, assign them to available machines, and start them remotely.

For a print farm, even a modest one, this workflow provides significant time savings and helps structure production more efficiently.

Real-time monitoring and waste reduction

Centralized monitoring is often underestimated. Yet, a defective print detected too late represents a direct loss of time and material.

Bambu Farm Manager allows you to track machine status in real time, quickly identify errors, and stop problematic production before it unnecessarily occupies a machine.

File security and confidentiality

Local operation of the software greatly limits exposure of production files. For design offices, R&D departments, or workshops producing proprietary parts, this aspect is essential.

Reducing cloud dependency also improves the overall system resilience.

Who is Bambu Farm Manager really for?

Bambu Farm Manager is particularly relevant for:

• – production workshops / artisans,
• – fablabs and training centers,
• – SMEs producing small to medium series,
• – rapid prototyping professionals.

For a user with only one machine, the benefits remain limited. However, as soon as the machine fleet grows, the organizational gain becomes evident.

Bambu Farm Manager illustrates a broader trend: additive manufacturing is gradually moving from experimental use to a true production tool.

The ability to efficiently manage a fleet of machines without heavy infrastructure paves the way for more mature applications such as on-demand manufacturing, small series, or in-house production.

Conclusion

Bambu Farm Manager is not just another software addition. It is a concrete response to the challenges faced by advanced users of additive manufacturing.

Its local operation, ease of deployment, and clear orientation toward print farm management make it a relevant tool for any organization operating multiple machines.

If you want to learn more about integrating Bambu Farm Manager into your business or optimizing the management of your print farm, do not hesitate to contact us at Polyfab3D: we will be happy to assist you.