Bambu Lab Loses Big In $27M 3D Printer Lawsuit

Bambu Lab is likely one of the best-known of the major 3D printer brands on the market, with a wide range of printers, materials, and accessories that make it a tempting choice for those looking to explore 3D printing. The company has made headlines recently, but for the wrong reasons. A Texas jury has found Bambu Lab liable for patent infringement, with the plaintiff, Stratasys, Inc., awarded a staggering $27.6 million in damages.

The controversy centers specifically on Bambu Lab's X1, P1, and A1 3D printer lines. Stratasys claimed Bambu Lab illegally infringed 10 of its patents in two 2024 lawsuits, including the single-nozzle filament purging tower covered by patent US9421713B2 and the strain-gauge and force-sensor detection systems within patent US9168698B2. The court ruled that Bambu Lab's first-gen machines infringed on both patents. The company managed to defend its use of two of Stratasys' other patents, but Texas courts have yet to rule on four more disputed patents. These involve elements like RFID tags, remote networking, and automatic printer detection.

This isn't the only legal challenge Bambu Lab has faced in 2026. The company has also been taken to court in China over copyrighted models on its MakerWorld platform. As far as this particular U.S. case goes, though, Bambu Lab is not taking the verdict lying down. The company has released a statement and outlined its next steps.

In a statement to Tom's Hardware, Bambu Lab representatives explained that the company disagrees with the verdict and intends to appeal. "The law provides Bambu with the right to seek post-trial review and to appeal, and Bambu intends to avail itself of these legal processes," the company shared. Meanwhile, per TCT Magazine, Stratasys has reiterated its desire to protect its intellectual property and continue innovating for the benefit of its customers.

This comes after Bambu Lab's legal victory outside the United States over the use of similar technology. Stratasys previously alleged that Bambu Lab illegally used the technology outlined in European patent EP2964450, which is similar to US9421713B2. However, the European Unified Patent Court dismissed Stratasys' preliminary injunction in April 2026, with the company electing not to appeal the decision. This complicates the Bambu Lab-Stratasys situation, given the differing outcomes regarding similar patents.

Bambu Lab discontinued the X1 at the start of 2026, but the other affected printers are still available. Bambu Lab still sells the P1S, though its effective successor, the P2S, debuted in October 2025. The A1 and A1 Mini remain for sale. Time will tell what becomes of these models, and whether rumors of revised models free of patent-infringing elements will come to fruition. Should Bambu discontinue these models, there are, thankfully, other budget-friendly 3D printers worth considering instead.