Learn How to Add a Conveyor Belt to Your 3D Printer

Conveyor belts are still a new feature in the hobbyist 3D printing world, but they're catching on quickly because they let you print parts of an infinite length. Instead of being restricted to the length of each axis, a conveyor belt lets you continue printing in one axis as long as you'd like. There are a couple of conveyor belt-equipped models on the market, such as the Creality CR-30 3DPrintMill. But if you already have a 3D printer, Swal has a guide to walk you through how to add a conveyor belt.

In his video, Swal uses an Artillery Hornet, which is an entry level 3D printer for hobbyists. Swal designed all of his CAD files to fit this specific 3D printer, but you can adapt the concept to work with a wide range of Prusa i3-style models. Best of all, you don't have to buy any special parts to complete this project — aside from the conveyor belt itself, of course. It utilizes the existing heated bed and almost all of the custom parts are 3D-printable. Even the conveyor belt motor is a repurposed Y axis motor. Both the firmware and slicing software are open source, keeping your budget low.

If you aren't familiar with conveyor belt 3D printers like this, they work by tilting the Z axis at a 45 degree angle relative to the bed. The conveyor belt replaces the Y axis. After each layer (which prints at 45 degrees) finishes, the conveyor belt advances by the layer thickness, similar to how the Z axis would normally move. Once the part reaches the end of the conveyor belt, it peels off and keeps moving out into space. The adhesion between the part and the conveyor belt keeps the part stable — though you will need to support the free end of the part if it is especially long. This setup also lets you print an infinite number of parts, one after the other, because each finished part can drop right off the belt into a bucket.