Meet the Powerbelt3D Zero! It’s our first product, and we’ve been developing it for quite some time. We want to make conveyor belt 3D printing available to makers and tinkerers everywhere. Let us walk you through some of the key features that we are proud of.
Core-XY Motion System
3D printers use a few different motion systems to allow them to move precisely in three directions (X, Y, and Z). As long as the design of the system allows that motion to happen, it can function as a 3D printer, but some designs have advantages over others. The Core-XY motion system uses both the X and Y motors at the same time to move the extruder in either direction. The result is faster, more precise motion.
You can read more about core-xy motion on this web page on the topic.
Easily Tighten Conveyor Belt
Keeping the conveyor belt tight is very important for getting quality parts off of a conveyor belt 3D printer. We wanted to make it easy to tighten the conveyor belt, and replace it when it wears out. To tighten the conveyor belt, all that you need to do is loosen a few bolts, and pull the front roller of the 3D printer forward.
Direct Drive Extruder
In general, FDM/FFF 3D printers use two different types of extruders: direct, and bowden. Direct drive extruders place the motor that pushes the filament into the hotend as close to the hotend as possible. Bowden tube extruders place the extruder motor away from the hotend, and use a PTFE tube to guide the filament to the hotend. Both setups have their advantages and disadvantages.
More often than not, a direct drive extruder is more reliable, and will allow different types of filaments to be printed with minimal hassle.
Other Features
- Build volume (mm): 200 x 170 x infinity
- Control Board: MKS Base V1.4
- Motor Drivers: DRV8825
- All-metal hotend
- Steel-reinforced GT2 Belts
We have spent over a year designing, testing, and improving the Powerbelt3D Zero. The result is a conveyor belt 3D printer kit that is fun to build, hack-able, and upgrade-able. We hope we can inspire tinkerers and 3D printing lovers everywhere with the unique capabilities that a conveyor belt 3D printer can offer.