The British company Noztek is working on a large-format, belt-controlled build plate for 3D printing on a production scale. The so-called “Next Generation Roller Conveyor” is designed to make additive manufacturing with robotic systems more efficient.
Conveyor belt 3D printers were an emerging trend a few years ago, but have recently fallen somewhat out of focus. However, the concept seems promising: instead of a static printing surface, a slow conveyor belt moves on which printing can take place continuously. Finished objects simply roll off the end into a collecting container. Theoretically, it is also possible to print extremely long parts that are larger than the printer itself.
Although the company is not a traditional 3D printer manufacturer, it does operate several systems itself for production tests, including robot automation. The company recognized the potential for more throughput using a conveyor belt. The newly designed “Roller Conveyor” rotates half a turn at a time to remove the printed objects and provide a new, blank surface for printing.
The first pictures show a fairly generous printing area of approximately 1000 x 2000 mm. However, many details about the exact construction or handling are not yet known. A crucial question will be how robust and durable the conveyor belt itself is. The heat of the 3D printing nozzles can quickly overstress and deform conventional belts.
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