Belt

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Make sure to get a Contitech Synchroflex tooth profile, or equivalent, which allows enough room for chunky teeth. For example, HTD (round profile) does not allow enough room for the teeth to function properly in a tight diameter.

RepRap attempts to print its own parts wherever possible, including toothed drive pulleys. 5 mm pitch (or imperial equivalent XL pitch, 0.2") belts have been investigated because at the time of the research a 5 mm pitch was the most achievable to print. See the Mendel assembly data sheet for the belt specifications.

Belt arrangements

People have come up with a variety of mechanical arrangements of belts in RepRaps / RepStraps. The 2 major approaches are:

  • the belt is a loop, as in the CoreXY and H-bot
  • the belt is cut to length and fixed on both ends, as in the Everman Belt Drive System (Mike Everman apparently calls this the ServoBelt arrangement )
  • ...?

Some people avoid using any belts in their RepRap ( "Belt-Less RepRap and Printer Designs" ).

Splitting wide belts

Wide belts need to be split to a width of 5 mm, which can be achieved using the belt splitter jig (two reprapped parts).

If you don't have a belt splitter jig you can split the belt pretty easily as follows:

  • Put the blade from a Stanley knife in a vice (just the metal blade). Make sure it is steady.
  • Take the belt, and pull it slowly over the knife. Have a second person pull back on the belt so it doesn't go too fast. Don't do this in your own.

Belt sizes

Belts people use with appropriate pulleys:

See also

External links