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Virtual Printers

Virtual printers let you test your Printago workflow without needing physical hardware. They simulate real Bambu Lab printers, complete with temperature changes, print progress, and error states.

What You'll Learn​

  • What virtual printers are and why they're useful
  • How to create and configure virtual printers
  • Running test prints and simulating errors

What Are Virtual Printers?​

Virtual printers are software-simulated printers that behave like real Bambu Lab printers. They're useful for:

  • Learning Printago - Explore features without risking real prints
  • Testing workflows - Verify your queue and automation settings work correctly
  • Development - Test integrations and customizations
  • Testing gcode output - Inspect generated gcode without needing to spin up real printers
No Hardware Required

Virtual printers run entirely in software. You don't need any physical printers connected to use them.

Creating a Virtual Printer​

  1. Go to the Printers page in the Fuse client UI
  2. Click Add Printer
  3. In the Add a printer dialog, choose the Virtual Printer tile ("For testing and fun"), shown alongside the printer brands
Add a printer dialog with brand tiles and the Virtual Printer tile
  1. Fill in the Add Virtual Printer form:
    • Printer Name - Give it a descriptive name
    • Quantity - Create several identical virtual printers at once
    • Printer Model - Select from A1, A1 mini, P1P, P1S, P2S, X1 Carbon, X1, X1E, H2C, H2D, H2D Pro, or H2S
    • Nozzle Diameter - Choose 0.2mm, 0.4mm, 0.6mm, or 0.8mm
    • Filament Slots - Set the number of spool slots (0 to 6) and optionally click Add AMS to add AMS units
Add Virtual Printer form with name, quantity, model, nozzle diameter, and filament slots
  1. Click Add Printer

Syncing to Printago​

Newly created virtual printers show SYNC NEEDED on their card until they're registered with Printago. Open the Cloud Connections dialog and click Connect Selected to register them with your Printago account.

Once synced, the virtual printers appear in Printago like any other printer. They start out as Needs Configuration until you assign machine and process profiles in their slicer configuration.

Understanding the Virtual Printer​

Once created, your virtual printer appears in the Fuse printers list just like a physical printer:

Fuse Printers page showing virtual printer cards with status, temperatures, and filament slots
  • Shows real-time status, temperatures, and AMS/spool slots
  • The Virtual badge distinguishes it from physical printers
  • Receives print jobs from your queue like any other printer

Virtual Printer Controls​

Open Virtual Printer Controls from the printer card to access simulation controls:

Virtual Printer Controls dialog with Connection Status, HMS Error Simulation, and Test Print sections

Connection Status​

Toggle the printer online or offline. When offline, the printer reports as disconnected - useful for testing how your workflow handles printer disconnections.

HMS Error Simulation​

Trigger printer errors to test error handling:

  1. Select an error type (nozzle temperature, filament runout, AMS connection, etc.)
  2. Optionally add a custom error message
  3. Click Trigger Error
  4. Click Clear All Errors when done testing

Test Print​

Start a simulated print job to watch the full print lifecycle without needing to queue a real file. The printer downloads a small test file (about 10MB); download progress is shown on the Files page.

Reset Printer​

Return the printer to its initial idle state, clearing any active print or error conditions.

Running a Test Print​

  1. Open Virtual Printer Controls
  2. Click Start Test Print
  3. Watch the print lifecycle progress:
    • Downloading - Simulates file transfer
    • Heating bed - Bed temperature rises to target
    • Heating nozzle - Nozzle temperature rises to target
    • Printing - Progress percentage and layer count update
    • Cooling - Temperatures return to ambient after completion
Realistic Timing

Virtual printers simulate realistic heating rates and print progress. Test prints complete in a few minutes rather than hours.

Simulating Errors​

Test how your workflow handles printer errors:

  1. Open Virtual Printer Controls
  2. Select an error from the Error Code dropdown:
    • Nozzle Temperature Error
    • Bed Temperature Error
    • Heatbreak Fan Error
    • Filament Runout
    • AMS Connection Lost
    • Nozzle Clog Detected
    • First Layer Inspection Failed
    • Filament Tangle Detected
  3. Optionally enter a custom error message
  4. Click Trigger Error

The printer will enter an error state, allowing you to verify your alerts and recovery procedures work correctly. Click Clear All Errors to return to normal operation.