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Installation

BridgeBox is installed with the AFC-Klipper-Add-On installer, the same way as any other AFC unit. The installer writes a single [AFC_BridgeBox] section, and that section builds every unit, lane, hub and sensor for the AMS units on the bus.

Note

All examples in this section assume that you are running the commands on the SBC that runs Klipper and the AFC-Klipper-Add-On.

Testing branch

Until BridgeBox is part of an AFC release, it lives on the BridgeBox branch of J0eB0l/AFC-Klipper-Add-On. Use that branch for the steps below.

Prerequisites

  • Everything on the AFC installation prerequisites list: Klipper, Moonraker, Mainsail or Fluidd, and Python 3.8 or newer.
  • A BridgeBox wired to your AMS units and powered (see Hardware and Wiring).
  • An [AFC_extruder] section for the extruder the AMS will feed, with a toolhead sensor.

Step 1: Get the AFC-Klipper-Add-On

cd ~
git clone -b BridgeBox https://github.com/J0eB0l/AFC-Klipper-Add-On.git
cd AFC-Klipper-Add-On

This clones the AFC-Klipper-Add-On with BridgeBox support into your home directory and changes into it. If you already have AFC installed from another copy, see Updating an existing install.

Step 2: Run the installer

From within the AFC-Klipper-Add-On directory, start the installer on the BridgeBox branch:

./install-afc.sh -b BridgeBox

Keep -b BridgeBox

Without it, the installer switches the copy to main, which has no BridgeBox support. Use it every time you run the installer or ./update-afc.sh.

From the main menu choose Install, then pick BridgeBox as the installation type with T.

If AFC is already installed with another unit, such as a BoxTurtle, choose the additional unit menu with A and pick BridgeBox. The installer asks for a chain name; it offers the first free one (chain1, chain2 and so on).

Step 3: BridgeBox options

The installer shows the BridgeBox options below. Each one can be changed later in AFC/AFC_BridgeBox.cfg.

P. Units on this chain

How many AMS or AMS 2 Pro units (0 to 4) and how many AMS HT units (0 to 8) this BridgeBox will run. Count the most units you will ever run on it: raising the AMS count later moves every HT lane up. The defaults, 4 and 8, are the most a Bambu bus takes.

Sets pool_ams and pool_ht. See Bays, Lanes and Hot-Swap.

W. Connection

How Klipper reaches the BridgeBox:

  1. USB.
  2. USB, then WiFi: once the BridgeBox joins your WiFi from its bb-bridge hotspot, Klipper moves over by itself.
  3. WiFi only: join the bb-bridge hotspot from a phone, choose your network and enter the address the page shows.

Sets connection and serial_port. See USB and WiFi.

S. USB serial port

A for auto, which lets AFC find the BridgeBox on USB by itself. You can also pick one of the listed ports by number or type a /dev/serial/by-id/ path. Auto is recommended.

Sets serial_port. A WiFi only BridgeBox has no USB serial port.

X. Extruder

The [AFC_extruder] this BridgeBox feeds, for example extruder or extruder1. One BridgeBox feeds one extruder.

Sets extruder. The installer reminds you to check that your AFC config has that section.

Buffer

The installer does not ask about a buffer for a BridgeBox. Every AMS has its own buffer, and the BridgeBox chain reads it for you.

Step 4: Restart and check

Restart Klipper, then run:

AFC_BAMBU_UIDS

This lists every unit on the bus and the BridgeBox firmware version. Each unit claims a bay once AFC's PREP has run, and its lanes appear in Mainsail or Fluidd. AFC_BRIDGEBOX_BAYS shows which bay each unit took.

Tip

The first load on each unit measures its own filament path. There is no bowden length to set for a BridgeBox.

Updating an existing install

If you already run AFC from the official repository and want to add BridgeBox, switch that copy to the BridgeBox branch and run the installer again:

cd ~/AFC-Klipper-Add-On
git remote add bridgebox https://github.com/J0eB0l/AFC-Klipper-Add-On.git
git fetch bridgebox BridgeBox
git checkout -b BridgeBox bridgebox/BridgeBox
./install-afc.sh -b BridgeBox

Your existing units and their config files are kept. Use the additional unit menu (A) to add the BridgeBox.

Manual installation

If you would rather not use the installer, copy templates/AFC_BridgeBox.cfg from the AFC-Klipper-Add-On folder to AFC/AFC_BridgeBox.cfg in your Klipper config folder, where AFC's [include AFC/*.cfg] loads it. Set extruder, then restart. The template is commented throughout; Configuration covers every option.

Warning

Do not write [AFC_BambuAMS], [AFC_lane], [AFC_hub] or [AFC_buffer] sections for Bambu units yourself. The [AFC_BridgeBox] section builds them, and a hand-written section on the same lane numbers or names can stop Klipper from starting.

Next step: USB and WiFi