3D printing has transformed manufacturing by allowing users to carefully create complex objects. However, a common problem has reduced its efficiency: removing finished prints from the print bed. Most printers require manual scraping, which slows down production and makes batch printing difficult.
This problem can be solved if the process is automated. If you add a conveyor system to your 3D printer, you can make it print non-stop. This guide will show you how to change your 3D printer so that it can clear print jobs on its own to make 3D printing better.
Step 1: Understanding the Conveyor System
To clear print jobs automatically, you need a conveyor mechanism. Instead of a fixed print bed, the printer places prints on a conveyor belt that moves forward after each job. As the conveyor moves, it pushes the completed print off the print bed, and the printer is ready for the next job.
Why Use a Conveyor Belt?
- No need for manual removal – the printer pushes out finished prints on its own.
- Enables batch production – multiple print jobs can be set up to run one after the other.
- Saves time and labor – you don’t have to watch every print or manually clean the print bed.
Because of the large conveyor belt, you should use a Delta 3D printer. Unlike regular Cartesian printers, the print bed on Delta models does not move, making it easier to set up the conveyor system.
Step 2: Gather Parts and Tools
To build this system, you’ll need some 3D printed parts, aluminum parts, and basic electronic parts.