Conveyor Belt 3D Printers: Full Easy Build Tutorial

This video is the complete guide on building a conveyor belt 3D printer. I ended up taking the 3D printer made in this video around the world at the end 🌍
Conveyor belt I use: powerbelt3d.com/product/formu... (10% discount), select Formula32 Custom-Size Conveyor Belt - Width 220mm - Length 42in
Printer I use: artillery3d.com/products/arti...
Conveyor Belt Video: • What belt to use for y...
Instagram: / callmeswal
Documentation: hackaday.io/project/183821-pr...
Instructable: www.instructables.com/Simple-...
CAD Repo: workbench.grabcad.com/workben...
Github Repo: github.com/CallMeSwal/OpenBel...
More ‪@Artillery3D‬ links:
- Aliexpress store links - www.aliexpress.com/store/4697033
- Artillery 3d official website - www.artillery3d.com/
Future Skills Center (FSC) Support
This project was generously supported by the Future Skills Center (FSC) federal program, via McMaster University. In exchange for academic support, an OpenBelt 3D printer is currently active at McMaster University's Learning Factory Industry 4.0 Lab. Students are welcome to use the 3D printer for any academic/hobby purposes.
​FSC is a pan-Canadian organization passionate about creating a future in which everyone has life-long access to high-quality career advice and learning opportunities. You can learn more about FSC at the program website: fsc-ccf.ca/who-we-are/​.
‪@3DPrintingNerd‬ please don't sue for libel at 4:32

[@BradCozine]

I would like to see a long, drawn-out assembly video.

[@spinafire]

Incredibly cool - yet another 3D printer mod that is fascinating with a ton of applications. I'm very excited to see future applications that cosplayers, engineers, and general hobbyists come up with!

[@fonwoolridge]

Fantastic! About a year ago, I thought of a design something like this... But i figured it would be extremely difficult to make into a reality... and the thought of the software changes required freaked me out... But honestly... you made it all look easy! Bravo!!!!

[@CallMeSwal]

You gotta start editing firmware amigo 😤

[@roanmccluskey7180]

@@CallMeSwal just wondering what 8mm axle should I use as I can't fine one even on amazon in UK btw

[@lilypower]

This is wonderful! Thank you!

[@powersave2]

Been waiting for this for ages! Great video!

[@hassiaschbi]

I will check that out, thanks!

[@jamesstoffel6835]

Great job - Build! Thank you for posting this how-to!

[@CallMeSwal]

Thanks buddy!

[@TechAmbr]

This is awesome!

[@maderightamerica3216]

Thanks very much. We're going to put this to good use in our classrooms.

[@crisarriaga5448]

Thank you man 🙏🏽 big help

[@spencer.h561]

GIANT BUTTERFLY KNIFE!

[@fire17102]

Dude this. Is. Amazing.

[@arliyahtatoy8236]

Loove this! I would die happy if you posted a more detailed vid about your Mk VI, which you posted 3 years ago. The normal layer printing, the fact that you could rotate the extruder, plus the conveyor belt blew my mind!! Pleaaase make a more detailed video

[@Skott62]

Very cool!

[@powerbelt3d]

Love it! 😄

[@jeffjordahl6301]

What size belt would someone need to order if they wanted to build this, asking for a friend...

[@powerbelt3d]

@@jeffjordahl6301 Swaleh is using the 220mmx42" belt 😊

[@tysk5729]

this is amazing i am probertly going to make this

[@3DPrintingFreak]

very ingenious

[@kierancarter3693]

your awesome bruv

[@BadwickHoneycutt]

Long Drawn-Out Assembly Video when? The people demand a Long Drawn-Out Assembly Video!

[@BadwickHoneycutt]

Also how many of each part do I need to print? I don't see it anywhere and I don't want to have to count instances on the design lol.

[@CallMeSwal]

@@BadwickHoneycutt This is listed in the hackaday documentation! hackaday.io/project/183821-print-huge-parts-with-conveyor-belt-3d-printing

[@1234fishnet]

Awesome

[@jdcamc]

On your Instructables page, it says: "This is an unpublished draft. Note: all links are disabled in drafts." so we're not able to download the instruction until you publish the page. Having the instruction in a pdf format would definitely come in handy!! Thanks!

[@CallMeSwal]

Ahhhhh my bad, I posted the wrong link. It's updated now 🙂

[@jdcamc]

@@CallMeSwal Thanks!!

[@MrFranklitalien]

just purchased all the bits to put together your brainchild :) i got four belts from your supplier, will be automating the ejection of several different machines in addition to the infinite z one i got into this whole adventure about twelve years ago with the makerbot cupcake automated build platform, i am glad to see the software is picking up the possibilities of the belt keep em coming

[@DiegoOrtiz-xq7xw]

Were you able to do it, does it work? I have a problem with the limit switches and the finware does not copy. sin zmin

[@MrFranklitalien]

@@DiegoOrtiz-xq7xw i was going to start printing the parts for it next week, im more of a hardware than a code guy so you might want to ask swal directly hahaha

[@macbone11]

This looks great, and thanks for putting this together! What do you think about the single cable that combines the bowden tube and the electronic cables? Have you had any problems trying to clear out any clogs or replacing the nozzle? It seems like it would be tricky since you need the electronics cable plugged in, which would block off the top.

[@happninmojo]

This is so great. I want to do this on a larger build printer like a CR10.

[@anthonypalermo3060]

I’m looking to do this with a ender 3

[@dennissladek8103]

The CAD Repo is missing several STL's.

[@carson-qn3pl]

Hey swal, the grabcad link isn't working. Could you provide another way to get the STL files (possibly through github)? Thank you in advance

[@CallMeSwal]

Sorry for the late reply bro, I was mourning the death of GrabCAD 😔😔. The laptop I used to do this project also died. I have scrounged around to find the files for this project and whatever I had I posted to github: github.com/CallMeSwal/OpenBelt3DPrinter. Sorry for the inconvenience!

[@carson-qn3pl]

@@CallMeSwal No problem, I am still working on the project, I had to reprint the parts and the software is really messing with my head. Thanks for getting back with me

[@PirateOnYoutube]

Decent !

[@radicalrick9587]

*_Before I was going to sell The three 3D printers I have because I bought the huge ELEGOO Saturn Resin 3D Printer. Not no more. Thanks to you._* 😁

[@georgewhite1685]

Awesome idea! Great job, do you think I'd be able to do this to an anet et4 pro? I remember reading before about the firmware not being open sourced.

[@DboyinDtown]

Hey thank you for the vid, and your humanitarian service. How can I help people around the world with 3D printing? And progress the future like you have done.

[@Sheanekeith]

that will be for my second printer

[@samuelwalker8665]

Hey any ideas for adding multiple material to a program lile black belt cura ?

[@BryanHubble-rx5hz]

Yeah looking for files as well. Anyway to still get them?

[@dennissladek8103]

Is there and update document newer than the Instructable, if not could you please explain the hardware of the tensioner mentioned on Page 17. Thank you again for all your help and patience.

[@stevelacroix2917]

I have an older Folger Tech plexi frame printer. Could I used these parts to create a conveyor belt printer?

[@WaynesStrangeBrain]

Hey swal, awesome build and I'm taking your recommendation for the belt! how reliable is one of these printers, once it's dialed in? I'm just wondering about true serial production, like 100 to a thousand of a small part with optimized gcode.

[@Therealmr.onesie]

Would all of this work just as well with a creality printer or would I need to make adjustments since I'm using a different brand?

[@migueldevela2917]

Swal I really want this thing to workout for my small business start up. If ever your help will be well appreciated.

[@dennissladek8103]

Hi Swal, on the top right hand corner, above the 3D printed brace, you have an additional white colored part that keeps the cable from getting caught on the motor. Could you please post that part to the Partner Space. Thank you in advance.

[@jihunkim1864]

AWESOMEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! man!!! does it work for my ender 3??

[@KanielD]

Awesome. I’m getting ready to start building an Enderbender today using that same belt.

[@powerbelt3d]

Nice! 😄

[@KanielD]

@@powerbelt3d I’m still wishing for a tinybelt too. Thanks for the work you’ve put in.

[@powerbelt3d]

@@KanielD Thanks for following along! 😄

[@x_jaydn]

Are you gonna use Swal's size-specified Formula32 belt or the EnderBender size-specified Formula32 belt from the same retailer? Also, I can't seem to find/access the EnderBender project/group/repo. Do you have any leads? I'm looking to modify my second Ender 3v2~

[@KanielD]

@@x_jaydn It is a FB group

[@shanold7681]

wonder how well this transfers to a ender 3 The basic frame of the printer looks pretty similar .

[@alleycatgaming4937]

Would this work on an Ender 3 setting up at a 90 degree instead of 45?

[@ThinkAboutMyComment]

Please cover the software. Can I print large object directly from solid works? How? Show us please.

[@robertbrown6343]

Tht awesome I'm thinking about converting mine into conveyor belt but have couple question like does it work with direct drive extruder is there stl file for ender 2v3? couldn't find it anywhere thanks

[@NolanCreate]

Some great work, recent searches I found your older work and then you dropped this! Machines on the way pretty sure I can put this to use. Can you share your Profile for the BB Cura? Imagine its not far off from BB with the exception of build volumes? BTW awesome on the Rwanda makerspace work as well!

[@NolanCreate]

Wanted to add to this as its a nice project but the bom is incomplete and the instructions are severely lacking. Fortunately some other builders have added comments to the instructable but still only fills in a few of the numerous gaps.

[@migueldevela2917]

the files you had posted to be printed are in a Cad? file. And can not be opened in cura. Would there be a way to view the parts STL wise, or even maybe, just maybe in Thigiverse?

[@javierfuentes4558]

Hello, could the rollers have an external diameter of 2 cm? I had some tubes of that diameter left over, and it was to take advantage of them.

[@Rsm583]

Suggestion plz create a tutorial on how to do this process on the ender 3.

[@KanielD]

Look at the enderbender.

[@TechAmbr]

Hello! My Hornet has arrived, and I've ordered the belt from PowerBelt3D. I've printed out a few parts from the CAD repo at 10x scale and they now appear correct scale-wise, but they're very low-poly, making them not only not appear smooth, but also become quite dimensionally inaccurate in places with complex geometry (like the 608ZZ bearing housings). I noticed that the prints in your video are nice and smooth, where the available STLs are not. Do you have any higher-quality STLs for the project than what are in the 3D Prints folder on the CAD repo? Or is STL smoothing another setting in Prusaslicer?

[@CallMeSwal]

Hey buddy, all the stls seem fine when I open them in prusaslicer. Can you email me the specific stl you're trying to open and I'll take a look on my machine?

[@TechAmbr]

@@CallMeSwal Emailed.

[@JonH_51]

Got a link for the rod? I’m having trouble finding anything for the axles

[@GabrielGutierrezRamirez]

I just found this and it looks like an amazing project, Does it fit for an ender 3?

[@francisgilbert3941]

you should give a try to ideamaker or kirimoto that are the 2 best slicer for belt printer

[@migueldevela2917]

Could you compile a list of how many each part 'to be printed' there are? I m looking at the pictures and at least two of the parts listed are not in the pic. Thanks.

[@user-vm1xj2bb8p]

I was shocked at 2:23 I have an ender 3 ,do you any idea to convert it ,with the infinite axis system

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

I cried out, just what mechanical people do in a tragedy 🙂

[@KanielD]

@@BrilliantDesignOnline look at the Ender Bender for the Ender 3

[@jiperey]

Looking at the last 4-5 seconds we see the 3d piece wobbling left and right along with the belt. Is it worth trying to pull the belt down by a vacuum system during print?

[@BrilliantDesignOnline]

An interesting idea and solution.

[@CallMeSwal]

The key thing is keeping the belt taut, that's why I added two belt tensioners. Unlike me, you should be checking the belt tension between prints 🙂

[@CVeggies117]

Whats the new X and Y size after modding?

[@formistudio_Aidan]

Can we see more close up to the print quality? I'm sort of curious on what it looks like

[@draketdraco]

Dose it reduce print hight

[@ziv3566]

Hi, you are the best, did you changed the motor cable y to z and the z axis to y? X axis stay the same. Because you said every layer the conveyer belt move one step... Am I wrong?

[@CallMeSwal]

Yes conveyor belt is z axis!

[@tomgross9163]

In the video you mention the y axis becomes the belt drive. But in the Marlin mod you change z movement to accommodate the belt. Is the belt y or z?

[@CallMeSwal]

Z axis is the conveyor belt. I just switched the connectors.

[@airgunoutdoor5967]

Do you have to change the firmware

[@clairettedelportr1476]

hi, I'm trying to make the same belt transformation. Actually, 3 pièces at least aren't impossible to print without the belt system because too big ! and text tells about 20 pièces but 23 in the depository ....

[@AdnanASyukri]

nice tutorial... Question: how is the endstop of the Y axis (the conveyor axis). Is the endstop still there? and why you disable the Z endstop and not the Y endstop?

[@_.touch._.me._]

The Belt is the Z axis.

[@mechanical_bob6591]

i have a (clogged) hornet sitting in the corner. hmmmmm

[@khalilabdullah8594]

❤ I love you..pause

[@tiborfulop3984]

GarbCad shut down for life. Can You add the STL files again? Lots of hornets waiting for second chance as a conveyour printer.

[@CallMeSwal]

The laptop I used to do this project died like grabcad.......I scrounged around to find the files I had for this project and whatever I had I posted to github: github.com/CallMeSwal/OpenBelt3DPrinter

[@tiborfulop3984]

@@CallMeSwal thank you Swal

[@TechAmbr]

The STLs in the CAD repo appear to be approximately 1/5th the size they're supposed to be. I'm printing a scaling test right now and I'll check it with some calipers, but I thought you should know.

[@CallMeSwal]

Whaaaaaaat??? I tried opening the files in prusaslicer and they look like they're the right size. Maybe your slicer has default units set to inches? If you want, you can email the specific files to [e-mail] and I'll take a look.

[@TechAmbr]

@@CallMeSwal Looks like it's 10x, actually. I'm testing fitment on the rear bearing block -- if it's meant to fit 40x40 extrusion then it's 1/10th the size it should be. I'm using a default install of Cura and I think it defaults to millimeters and your STLs might be centimeters? Anyway, my Hornet arrives today, so I'll be building this over the next week or so. 🤞

[@matthiasbarthel4064]

@@CallMeSwal i have the same Issue with Repetier Host, very small Parts and some strange appearance after the Slicing-Process :(

[@CallMeSwal]

@@matthiasbarthel4064 weird, email me the file and I'll try it on my laptop. I'll give you an update tomorrow 👌 [e-mail]

[@charitybusiness814]

Impressive achievement pity that the STL files are no longer accessible. If anyone knows how to get them I'm interested.

[@sztywny4651]

Were i can buy CAD and files?

[@Quepiid]

Why KZbin waited until I got a cr-30 belt printer to show me this video.

[@FUKTxProductions]

better option is superslicer using klipper in my opinion

[@dennissladek8103]

Instructables step #9 calls for Angle_Brace, which I do not see in the repository, still no Belt_Flatteners. Once the Extruder_Brace is installed, how do you adjust the Eccentric Nut on the Extruder mount. Thank you

[@CallMeSwal]

Hmmmmm, I can see belt_flattener.stl in the partner space. Maybe try refreshing your cache? Ahhhh yes, I had angle_brace.stl initially named as brace.stl. I have updated the filename accordingly. Thanks!

[@dennissladek8103]

@@CallMeSwal Once the Extruder_Brace is installed, how do you adjust the Eccentric Nut on the hot end carriage? Thank you very much, I now have all the STL parts.

[@CallMeSwal]

@@dennissladek8103 You rotate the eccentric nut to increase the tension on the slide. I would adjust the eccentric nut before mounting the Extruder_Brace component

[@pmally2006]

What’s the deal with the screws over the belt?

[@jubirikudousennin]

Hi I have Issues compiling Marling I just have this error Enable USE_ZMIN_PLUG when homing Z to MIN

[@totclueless]

Hey there did you ever get it to build having the same issue here

[@x_jaydn]

Hey Dude, I'm living in the GTA too, but I was wondering how you managed to circumvent the exorbitant flat shipping fees of $37 Any tips would help a lot!~

[@vainasimpresas4910]

se puede hacer con una genius Pro

[@whywouldyoucareaboutmyname6610]

Where are the files

[@Empireprod23]

The news of the callmeswal artist, my name is Iraguha Jean, I am in Rwanda, I follow your 3d printer videos, I am very interested, how can I write to you personally?

[@lolmandood]

I think the steps to building this printer would be. 1. Assemble printer 2. Once it's working print out all the pieces needed. 3. Now take it apart and install all the new 3d printed pieces on.

[@sovan7050]

cr-30 but budget version :)

[@CallMeSwal]

But I was first 😷

[@dylanbryan8112]

All of your links went bad. Do you have a ZIP File with all of the need to know and material? Please and Thank you.

[@CallMeSwal]

Which links aren't working? I just tried all of the ones in the KZbin description.

[@suportaries8669]

MARLIN?

[@dennissladek8103]

Still no Belt_Flatteners, Corner_Brace_Long

[@CallMeSwal]

My bad, I added them to the repo! You shouldn't need both corner_brace and corner_brace_long, these parts are alternatives for each other.

[@gerardjacobs8900]

Good job 👌. Boost your stats - P R O M O S M !

[@DiegoOrtiz-xq7xw]

Hii, buy everything to convert it XD change the firmware, motor of Z makes a lot of noise because of the cylinder, I removed the limit switch of Y it doesn't work, it detects failure, I put it on, and it prints wrong from front to back, change the final pins of race of Y by that of Z and it does not work, help someone else did it work?

[@CallMeSwal]

Hey Diego, if you contact me on Instagram we can try video chatting and I can try helping in resolving any issues. Let me know if that sounds good!

[@DiegoOrtiz-xq7xw]

This is perfect if it's okay, how do I find you in IG?

[@totclueless]

do you happen to have a profile for blackbelt cura i built the printer mod and work fine with the PRINT_INFINITELY.gcode but when i use bb cura to slice dosnt print ok plus when i compile firmware with the z stop disabled it give me a fail error any help would be greatfull awesome project

[@minchesbernhard]

That looks great! Is it possible to print TPU with it ? Each peace will not be longer than 320mm but I’ll like to print many in row.