A Complete Guide to Installing Bambu Studio on Chromebook for 3D Printing Enthusiasts

If you’re the proud owner of a Bambu Labs 3D printer and looking to slice models directly from your Chromebook, installing the official Bambu Studio Slicer is a must. This article will guide you through the process of setting up Bambu Studio on your Chrome OS device, ensuring you’re ready for your next 3D printing project.

Enabling Linux Support on Your Chromebook

To take advantage of Bambu Studio on your Chromebook, you need to activate Linux support. Begin by clicking on the clock icon on your Chrome OS taskbar. This action opens up the settings menu.

1. Access Settings: After selecting the clock, click the gear icon to launch the settings.
2. Advanced Settings: Within the settings menu, look for the "Advanced" section and click on it.
3. Enable Linux: Under "Developers," find the option for "Linux developer environment." Click it, and then hit the "Turn on" button.
4. Setup Process: A pop-up window will appear guiding you through configuring your Linux environment, including disk size and username. Follow these instructions to complete the setup.
5. Download the Linux Container: Chrome OS will then download a Debian Linux container along with a terminal application, which you’ll use to interact with Linux.

Updating Your Linux Environment

Once the terminal app is ready, you’ll see "Penguin" appear. Click on it to gain access to your Debian Linux container.

Open the terminal and run the following command to update the software sources:

sudo apt update

Following this, upgrade the software packages using:

sudo apt upgrade -y

After this upgrade, your Chromebook will be prepared for software installations like Bambu Studio.

Installing Bambu Studio via Flatpak

The recommended method for installing Bambu Studio on your Chromebook is through Flatpak, which simplifies the process significantly.

1. Open the Terminal: Launch the Linux terminal on your Chromebook.
2. Install Flatpak: Enter the command below to install the Flatpak package:

sudo apt install flatpak

1. Configure Flathub: Next, you need to add Flathub as a source for Flatpak. Execute the following command:

flatpak --user remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://dl.flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

1. Install Bambu Studio: With Flathub enabled, you can now install Bambu Studio. Use this command:

flatpak install flathub com.bambulab.BambuStudio

1. Launching Bambu Studio: After installation, you can find the application in the "Linux apps" folder in your Chrome OS menu, or launch it using this command:

flatpak run com.bambulab.BambuStudio

Alternative Method: Installing Bambu Studio with AppImage

Though Flatpak is preferred, you can also install Bambu Studio using an AppImage file, which works similarly to a Windows executable.

1. Create a Directory: Open the terminal and create a new directory for your AppImage files:

mkdir -p ~/AppImages/
cd ~/AppImages/

1. Download the AppImage: Use the following command to download the Bambu Studio AppImage file, specifically the Ubuntu version, as your Chromebook runs a Debian-based Linux system:

wget -O bambu-studio.AppImage https://github.com/bambulab/BambuStudio/releases/download/v01.08.03.89/BambuStudio_linux_ubuntu_v01.08.03.89-20240109.AppImage

1. Check File Integrity: Verify the downloaded file is present:

ls

1. Make it Executable: Change the file permissions to make it executable:

chmod +x bambu-studio.AppImage

1. Run Bambu Studio: To execute the application, enter:

cd ~/AppImages/
./bambu-studio.AppImage

Conclusion

By following these steps, you can seamlessly set up Bambu Studio on your Chromebook and start slicing models for 3D printing. Whether you choose to install it via Flatpak or AppImage, you’ll be fully equipped for your 3D printing adventures. Happy printing!