2024
How we created a high-volume automated 3D print farm by combining custom robotics and automated print farm software that unlocks continuous 3D printing production.
3D Printing
Automation
Overview
Our custom robot, paired with our automated print farm software and Bambu Lab printers, allows us to run continuous 3D printing production completely lights-out.
At DHR Engineering, industrial 3D printing has always played a key role in our work. We use it daily to create custom jigs, alignment tools, brackets, and fixtures that support our automation systems. These parts help us reduce lead times and speed up R&D for our clients in the CNC machining and addtive manufacturing automation space.
However, as our business grew, so did our printing needs. We shifted to high-volume 3D printing, churning out hundreds of functional parts each week on tight deadlines. Our old manual system couldn't keep up with the 3D printing manufacturing output we required.
We realized we needed to apply the same automation mindset we bring to our client projects to our own shop. This is how our 3D print farm automation project began. What started as a 20-printer setup has now evolved into a fully automated 3D print farm with 44 machines. It features centralized scheduling, robotic handling, and automated batch printing capabilities that require zero human intervention.
This article walks through the entire process, from the initial problem to the results we achieved, and outlines what we are building next.
Our custom-built robot handles bed loading and unloading across the entire print farm. Designed in-house, it’s the core of our fully automated 3D printing system.
Problem
Manual Processes vs. High-Volume 3D Printing
Before shifting to 3D print farm automation, our workflow was inefficient. Like many engineering teams, we relied on a cluster of desktop printers operated entirely by hand. Without any centralized automated print farm software, we had to physically queue jobs, monitor progress, and intervene whenever a print finished or failed.
This manual approach created several bottlenecks:
Downtime: Printers would sit idle for hours after finishing a job because we lacked automated batch printing capabilities.
No "Lights-Out" Capability: We couldn't achieve continuous 3D printing production. Print beds had to be cleared by hand, meaning production stopped at night and on weekends.
Wasted Talent: Our engineers lost valuable time managing basic hardware instead of focusing on industrial 3D printing design and strategy.
Scaling Issues: Increasing our output would have meant hiring more operators, which wasn't sustainable for high-volume 3D printing.
These problems directly affected our ability to deliver on time. Many of the prints we produced were used in mission-critical systems for CNC tending, robotic arms, and tool changers. Delays in printing meant delays in the entire automation workflow. In some cases, waiting for a single jig or bracket delayed client projects worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.
We knew that the only way to solve this problem was to design a fully automated print system - a farm that runs 24/7 with minimal oversight.
An earlier stage of the farm, running 20 printers. This was our first fully functional setup with automated bed handling and centralized control.
The Build
Designing a Scalable, Automated 3D Printing Farm
We started by defining exactly what we wanted the system to achieve. It had to be fast, scalable, and capable of industrial 3D printing workloads. We also needed to support a wide variety of materials, including TPU, which is critical for the flexible grippers and mounts we use in automation.
Printer Selection: Why We Chose Bambu Lab
We chose Bambu Lab printers for their speed and consistency. In a high-volume 3D printing environment, reliability is everything. The Bambu Lab X1 and P1 series provided the perfect foundation for our farm, offering the print quality required for 3D printing manufacturing while maintaining high speeds.
Robotic Bed Handling
The first step in achieving true 3D print farm automation was eliminating the most repetitive task: bed swapping. Our custom robot, developed entirely in-house, manages this continuous 3D printing production cycle:
The robot identifies completed prints, picks up the build plate, and places it on custom racking.
It immediately loads a clean bed into the Bambu Lab printer and signals the system to begin the next job.
All movements are calibrated for each machine position to ensure precision.
This robot now handles dozens of prints per day across 44 machines, enabling automated batch printing without human intervention.
Automated Print Farm Software
Hardware is only half the battle. To manage the workflow, we developed proprietary automated print farm software. This centralized control system serves as the brain of the operation:
Intelligent Scheduling: It assigns print jobs to available machines based on material requirements and availability.
Error Detection: It monitors status in real-time to detect failures, automatically rescheduling jobs if an issue occurs.
Batch Management: It handles complex automated batch printing queues, seamlessly transitioning between different filaments and job types.
The software is tightly integrated with our robotic system. Once a job is finished, the robot clears the bed, and the software queues the next file, allowing for 24/7 automated 3D printing.
Scalability by Design
We designed this facility for growth. The infrastructure is modular, meaning we can add new printer units without overhauling the robot layout or the automated print farm software. This architecture allowed us to expand from an initial 20 printers to 44, and our goal is to scale the automated 3D print farm to 200 units.
Next-Gen Features: Automated Filament Management
Recently, we pushed the boundaries of automated 3D printing further by introducing an automated filament swap system. We successfully demonstrated a proof-of-concept where the system automatically changes spools between prints.
This technology has now evolved into our full Automated Filament Management system. This custom storage solution tracks inventory and delivers the right materials to each printer automatically, solving the final bottleneck in high-volume 3D printing logistics. This was a proof-of-concept for a much larger system that will soon be integrated into the entire farm.
With more machines, shelving, and storage racks added, this setup paved the way for scaling beyond 40 printers.
Results
Better Performance, Faster Prototypes, and Lower Costs
Since launching our automated 3D print farm, we have seen significant improvements across all areas of our business. Transitioning from manual operation to a fully integrated system has yielded immediate results:
Continuous Production: Printer uptime has increased dramatically, with machines running more than 95% of the time. This allows for true continuous 3D printing production.
Reduced Labor: One operator can now manage the entire facility with just a few hours of maintenance per week, proving the value of 3D print farm automation.
Industrial Reliability: Parts come out more consistently with fewer failures. We are now running complex multi-material and TPU jobs via automated batch printing without needing a human standing by.
The system has removed one of the biggest bottlenecks in our workflow. 3D printing is no longer something we need to manage, but it is something that actively supports our growth. We can now deliver faster, experiment more often, and build better systems for our clients.
Most importantly, the print farm is no longer a fixed capacity. It is a dynamic, scalable manufacturing platform that we fully control and continue to improve.
What Comes Next
We are currently expanding the farm toward 200+ machines and preparing for a full-scale rollout of our custom material handling system. Every new feature is developed with one goal in mind: full autonomy.
Our long-term vision is to treat automated 3D printing the same way we treat CNC machining or industrial tooling: predictable, efficient, and reliable. We believe this is the future of additive manufacturing, and we are building it ourselves, one layer at a time.
If you're facing throughput challenges or planning your next production ramp — let’s talk. We work with hardware teams who build things that matter, and need their automation to move fast and perform flawlessly.