Seam position
In Bambu Studio, the profile 0.20mm Standard @BBL A1 sets it toAligned
Where each wall loop starts and ends. That spot leaves a mark; this setting chooses whether you line the marks up, scatter them or send them to the back.
How it works
Each layer of the outer wall is a closed loop, and the point where the nozzle starts and finishes leaves a small bump or gap: the seam. You can't get rid of it, only decide where it goes.
“Aligned” puts every seam on the same vertical line: you get a single line you can hide in a corner. “Random” scatters them all over the part: no line, but the surface ends up lightly speckled. “Back” always sends them to the rear of the part, the side facing the back of the bed. “Nearest” picks the quickest point to reach, which is usually a corner.
Both “Aligned” and “Nearest” look for corners first (pointing in or out) that don't stick out over open air, because that's where the seam hides. The difference is that “Aligned” picks, among those, the one closest to the previous layer's seam, while “Nearest” picks the one that needs the least travel.
When to change it
- A box, a bracket or any part with corners: “Aligned”. The slicer finds a corner and the seam almost disappears.
- A cup, a vase or any round, smooth part: “Random”, because a vertical line really stands out.
- A figure that will sit on a shelf always facing forward: “Back”.
- You want to decide exactly where it goes: paint the seam with Bambu Studio's tool and leave it on “Aligned”.
Typical values
| Value | What for |
|---|---|
| Aligned | Parts with corners; one clean linedefault |
| Random | Cylinders and smooth surfaces |
| Back | Parts whose front must look flawless |
| Nearest | Speed; looks don't matter |
Watch out for
- “Random” causes more retractions (when the printer pulls the filament back so it doesn't drip) and more empty travel moves: a bit more time and, with TPU, a higher risk of strings.
- An ugly seam is usually a sign that retraction or pressure still needs calibrating, not of a bad position.
- To make the seam less visible on smooth surfaces there's “Scarf seam type”; for the little bump where the loop closes, there's “Seam gap”.
- With “Aligned” or “Back”, if the chosen corner falls on an overhang (a part that sticks out with nothing underneath), “Seam placement away from overhangs (experimental)” moves it away.
Goes well with
What Bambu Studio says
The start position to print each part of outer wall
Bambu Studio tooltip for this setting · AGPL-3.0