Bambu Lab Smooth and Textured PEI Build Plate for A1 & P1S

Running an A1, P1S or X1C fleet means every printer eventually needs a spare plate, and buying the wrong one wastes a build slot until the correct sheet arrives. The Bambu Lab Smooth and Textured PEI Build Plate solves the more common problem too: needing a matte, glue-free surface for one job and a flat, glossy underside for the next, without swapping between two separate plates.

One 256 x 256mm sheet, magnetic spring steel underneath, PEI coating on both faces, and it drops straight onto the bed of any A1, P1P, P1S, X1C, X1E or X1 without adjustment.

Dual-sided PEI surface | Textured and smooth finish on one plate | 0.4mm magnetic spring steel base | Glue-free adhesion on the textured side | Fits A1, P1P, P1S, X1C, X1E and X1 | Handles PLA, PETG, ABS and TPU | Nationwide delivery across South Africa

Who the Smooth and Textured PEI Build Plate is built for

Prototyping engineer

You move between filaments and finish requirements more than most, functional PLA-CF brackets one day, a glossy PETG enclosure the next. The textured side handles structural parts without glue, while flipping to the smooth side gives you a flat, dimensionally consistent face for parts that need to mate against another surface. Running one dual-sided plate instead of two single-sided sheets also means one less variable to track across print jobs.

Small print farm operator

Keeping A1, P1S and X1C units running side by side means plate compatibility across the fleet matters as much as plate quality. This sheet fits every one of those printers, so your spares stock does not need to be split by model. Standardising on one plate type also shortens the changeover between jobs, since operators are not hunting for the correct sheet for whichever printer just finished.

Cosplay and large-format creator

The full 256 x 256mm bed gives you the room a mini printer cannot, useful for helmet sections, armour plates and props printed in fewer pieces. The textured side keeps large PLA and PETG prints anchored through long, tall prints without adhesive, and the smooth side is the better choice when a piece needs a clean, glossy face for painting or vacuum forming afterwards.

What sets the Smooth and Textured PEI Build Plate apart

One plate, two finishes, six compatible printers

This is the same 256 x 256mm footprint used across the A1, P1P, P1S, X1C, X1E and X1, so one spare plate covers a mixed fleet instead of forcing you to stock a different sheet per model. Flip it over and you switch from a textured PEI surface to a smooth PEI surface, which covers the two finishes most users need without buying two separate plates.

Textured side that skips the glue stick

The textured face carries a 0.075mm PEI coating engineered for adhesion without adhesive on PLA, PETG, TPU and most ABS prints. That is the side to leave fitted for day-to-day printing, since it copes with the widest range of filaments straight off the reel and leaves a lightly textured, matte finish on the underside of every part.

Smooth side for flat faces and tighter fits

The reverse carries a 0.125mm smooth PEI sheet that produces a glossy, level bottom layer and better first-layer flatness than the textured side. This is the face to use for parts that mate against another component, display pieces that need a clean finish, or anything where Z-axis accuracy on the first few layers matters. PLA releases cleanly with no glue; PETG, ABS and TPU need a thin film of Bambu Lab glue stick or liquid glue on this side to stop the coating tearing on removal.

0.4mm magnetic spring steel base

Both PEI surfaces sit on a single 0.4mm magnetic spring steel sheet that seats directly onto the printer's magnetic bed, no clips or screws involved. That steel base is what keeps the plate flat through repeated heat cycles, which matters more on this larger 256mm format than it does on a smaller plate, since a warped corner affects a bigger print area.

Match the temperature ceiling to your printer

The A1, P1P and P1S run a 100°C maximum bed temperature, while the X1C and X1E extend to 120°C thanks to their enclosed chambers. This plate is rated across that full range, but the bed temperature you actually get on a given print depends on which printer it is fitted to, so engineering filaments that need a hotter bed will behave differently on an X1C than on an A1.

Full specifications

How the Smooth and Textured PEI Build Plate compares to the rest of the Bambu Lab plate range

Materials and software

Filaments this plate handles

PLA prints cleanly on either side with no glue, typically at 190–220°C. PETG grips the textured side without adhesive, usually around 230–250°C, while the smooth side needs a light film of glue stick to stop the coating tearing on removal. TPU works well on the textured side at reduced speed, generally 220–235°C. ABS benefits from the higher bed ceiling on an X1C or X1E, since 100°C on an A1 or P1S is workable but leaves less margin against edge lifting than the 120°C an enclosed X1-series machine can hold. Reinforced filaments such as PLA-CF or PETG-CF also do well on the textured side, which grips the added fibre content more consistently than a bare smooth surface.

Slicers and software

Bambu Studio is the native slicer for every compatible printer and includes preset plate profiles for both the textured and smooth PEI surfaces, so selecting the correct one before slicing keeps first-layer settings matched to the side you have fitted. OrcaSlicer, an open-source fork built on the same engine, carries equivalent plate presets with more manual control over adhesion and flow. Cura and PrusaSlicer can drive these printers through community profiles, though bed temperature and start G-code generally need setting by hand to suit whichever plate side is loaded.

What's in the box

• 1 x Bambu Lab Smooth and Textured PEI Build Plate (FAP011)
• Textured PEI surface on one side
• Smooth PEI surface on the reverse side
• 0.4mm magnetic spring steel base

Ordering, shipping and support

3D Printing Store ships this build plate nationwide across South Africa from stock held at our Centurion and Boksburg branches, with local courier delivery to most metro areas within a few working days. Manufacturing defect claims are handled directly through our South African support team rather than an overseas returns process. If you need PEI plates, nozzles or filament for your fleet, our Bambu Lab range and filament selection are stocked locally too.

Frequently asked questions

Is this plate better than the single-sided Textured Magnetic Build Plate for X1 and P1P?

It depends on how much you use the smooth finish. The single-sided textured plate covers everyday PLA and PETG printing on its own and costs less. This dual-sided version is worth the extra spend if you regularly need a flat, glossy bottom surface too, since you get both finishes on one sheet instead of stocking two separate plates.

Can this plate handle carbon-fibre or glass-fibre reinforced filaments?

Yes, on the textured side. Reinforced filaments such as PLA-CF and PETG-CF grip the textured PEI coating well. The smooth side works too but is more prone to fine scratching from abrasive fibres over time, so the textured face is the better long-term choice for reinforced materials.

How long does it take to swap plates between printers in a fleet?

A minute or so per printer. Lift the fitted plate off the magnetic bed, set this one down in its place, and confirm the correct plate type is selected in Bambu Studio before slicing. No tools or clips are involved, and the printer's own automatic bed levelling handles the rest.

How often does a PEI build plate like this need replacing?

Treat it as a consumable. Adhesion on the textured side gradually weakens with heavy use, particularly if prints are pried off with a metal scraper, and neither side should be cleaned with acetone. Most users get many months of regular printing before adhesion drops enough to justify a replacement, longer if isopropyl alcohol is used for routine cleaning.

Is there local warranty support in South Africa, and does the plate ship with a South African plug or fittings?

This is a build plate rather than an electrical item, so no plug is involved, it simply seats on the printer's existing magnetic bed. It is sold with full local warranty handling through 3D Printing Store, so any manufacturing defect claim is processed here in South Africa rather than through an overseas channel.