ONE BELT to RULE THEM ALL? Sainsmart INFI-20 Review! 

Oh hey! Something that I actually know about! Also, Sainsmart doesn't actually make the printer (it's white-labeled for them). I did a segment in a video on my channel about it with another printer from the same white-label manufacturer (different end branding on that printer, though). - The INIF-20 (belt printers in general) is awesome for all that it does do, but what it doesn't do isn't awesome at all. - I've had an INFI-20 since last year and have made quite a few projects with it. For what it's worth to anyone who may be reading this, tamping expectations and finding it's niche in your own print space is really important. - Ideamaker has been so much better for this printer than the Blackbelt Cura rebrand that Sainsmart includes. - Print orientation is important to get the results that you'd typically expect; it's definitely not for standard models that most people are used to working with in 3D printing (ie accidentally printing mid-air because overhangs are in the wrong spot). - I found the sweet spot use case on mine to be genuinely rapid prototyping models/objects with 90 degree overhangs. I even made a nearly 3' tall and 2' wide standing armrest with it, along with printing out life-sized dimensional lumber and beams for assembling other life-size prototypes. I also changed out for a 0.8mm nozzle, which really worked out great for the "genuinely rapid" part and have cut, quite literally, multiple days from print times of the bigger stuff. - Layer shifting on a long print from the belt ejection mid print is a real pain, but if you think of your model kind of like an "I" beam on the belt, and try to orient it so that the "I" of the beam (as in your model) would be upright instead of laying on it's side like an "H", you can reduce the problem. I've got some videos if anyone is interested. - Also, Sainsmart has been selling the INFI-20 for $600 on Amazon (sold by Sainsmart) for a little while now. Not a bad price compared to what I paid last year, but I still think this should be sub-$400 range; it's kinda basic in operation and doesn't really offer premium features for it's price point, you know? I mean, materials sheet wise (aside from the belt and belt rollers) it's really not much different than entry-level cartesian style models. - Oh, and although I did buy the rollers, I'm not 100% convinced on the necessity (and cost) of them; you can print off your own end belt supports for mounting to the printer.

I’m seeing a trend where Joel’s prints are losing limbs 😂😂😂

Really thorough video and insightful info about this belt 3D printer, thank you!

I've had my INFI 20 for over a year now and have run into a lot of the same problems! My bearings were squeaking after a few multi day prints and the multiple copies function in the slicer software really isn't the best. Other than that, having pieces of the nylon belt on my prints wasn't ideal and I had no idea how to dial that in until now, so thanks Joel! Hope SainSmart can keep improving cause besides these issues, I've been able to be good prints despite being a complete novice and this being my first 3D printer!

Been waiting for this one

I really love your videos and the effort you put in to entertain us and teach us more about 3D Printers. You inspired me to buy my own 3D Printer!

Best part was the random donation at the end! LOL. Good video overall! :)

I'm so happy my Fred is still alive lol, awesome video!

Great Video 👍

High Five back at you Joel.

Glad to see Pooch get this printer. I agree with Joel that there are a couple of weak points and I hope Pooch will come up with some solutions. I have one and happy with it except for the pulleys and I will be having Adam from Powerbelt make a replacement belt for me out of his belt material as I have not been happy with the original belt. Print quality has been excellent.

I kinda wish , you showed off more on how the prints look, as in, comparing it to a more traditional printer prints. To see if the printer can give worse, same or better looking prints. Amazing video though, will defo be getting a belt fed in the future.

I'm 48 years old and that unicorn fart reminds me of something... farts will always be funny. 😁🤣

I don't have a belt printer, but I would like to suggest a fix for that layer shift. When the print reaches a certain length, say 200mm, the belt will run forward 100mm and then back (100-x)mm; where x is the layer height. On the forward run, the part will peel off of the bed. The back run will bring it into position to continue printing. That way, the tool isn't printing when the part tries to pull up.

Nice, I'm still waiting for my ifactory to be shipped, almost 2 years waiting for it since the kickstarter

I'd like to see a belt made like a tank track with glass or pei sheet strip attached to belts on the edge.

"THANKS" made me literally LOL

I found the issue that causes that massive layer shift. It's a combination between the small y axis belt and pulley under the machine. From the company they come over tightened, or the pulley is loose from the shaft. I've been in a Facebook group and it seems like a very common issue. I adjusted the tension after replacing the belt and it's been much better.

do you print everyting on what is effectively a raft? i cannot get my CR30 to grip no matter what hair spray or glue or .06mm nozzle gap doesnt matter something is always lifting my print...but i dont use rafts or supports really in the things i print....is that how you are getting this to work for FULL surface area?

This printer? "it's not so bad." A glowing review

got one on their thanksgiving sale and shamefully have only used it for one sword print (3 foot long, though) Check your bed temp with an IR thermometer mine said 70 on screen but was 50 at the bed. Had to crank it up to 100 to get things sticking. That was some time ago so hopefully that's been fixed in firmware (I did report it.) My plan was to try some white rain hair spray on the belt once it wears out. Ended up using a first gen ender 3 and thomas's trick to get an old android running octoprint with a plugin with an "loop" option to print the product I had in mind for the belt printer.

POOCH CAMEO!!!!! Good overall look. I would agree, that does not look like textured nylon. Is there an existing chain to get more belts?

I've been looking into this belt printer for some time now but the money just ain't there. It's good to have this review and if SainSmart look into your suggestions to make improvements it might be worth waiting for. Thanks, Joel!

one thought about the tensioners screw is if your belt has stretched that much maybe it's time for a new belt ..

you could stop the bending layer shift with a plate at the end of the belt at the same level/height as the belt top surface.

Pooch: "Yoink!"

I wonder if that layer shift on the belt style printers could be avoided by making the belt move a few extra mm around the time where the print would be at the end of the belt. Kinda like z hop for that area when switching layers.

8:51 queue Dr Emmett Brown from Back to the Future shouting ONE POINT ONE GIGABYTES!!!

I wonder if a metal braided mesh belt would work better and last longer than the textured nylon. The metal would transfer heat better and it would already be textured due to the braided mesh. Just a thought.

Great video, thanks for the info! One of these days I will figure out a good reason to get a belt printer.. :) Looks like this could be a good way to go!

Interesting but I'll wait for the next gen belt printers.

Flip the screw around so the head is towards the belt in the belt tensioner if at all possible

Seems like a horizontal metal plate right at the end the belt (level with the belt) where it starts to curve might help to support long prints as they detach from the belt and prevent them from sticking too long.

I wonder if Willow Glass would be usable for a belt in the future

why not have something at the end of the belt that is like a spatula, or has a knife edge that gets under the part as it gets off the belt?

Which version of cura did you use? They just updated to 4.8 I believe. I've had horrible issues that i've worked with them and they helped me for 8 months to resolve (time dedicated to dealing with broken stuff delayed a lot). I had lots of tension issues from factory, two bad fans, etc. They've been great sending parts, updates, analyzing code, and I bought a spare bed belt which seems improved from the stock from Dec/Jan. I feel like they could have waited 6 months and released a great printer vs a beta printer. Initial firmwares would freeze, 300c runaway and create coal in the hot end requiring a new hot end. I would be ok recommending someone as a 3rd printer+ now as someone experienced. The noise on the tensioner is the bearings going bad from an early model or missing a washer/tension. Please reach out to their support because it is nice dealing with them vs creality who never responds due to warped parts overtensioned.

I've had his printer for a while and have only had trouble with it. Not that many hours on it and that idler you said that's not very durable has already broken. Replacement parts for it are non-existent that I can find. I'm having to design a replacement. By the way, this printer is discontinued now.

I have a question about the mini-sword. "WILL IT KEEEEL?

I've been noticing that there has been an increase in Unicorn Farts. I hope there aren't any side effects from being around them. I know that dog farts can be DEADLY!

Curious what Pooch thinks of this, as he has been a big user of the CR-30. They are very close in price.

So how does it compare to Naomi's?

A chain-belt could work. with intermittent raft, designed to lock into grooves, which can make things self-cleaning if angled right, like how hairs work like valves to move fibres and dirt. across your body (e.g. bellybutton fluff)

X belt tensioning is an easy fix, turn the screw around, head on the inside and a wingnut on the outside.

I've had nothing but issues with this printer missing steps I believe it's doing. The nozzle keeps end up running into the bed after 20-30 layers and then scratches the bed up. Infi has not been very helpful with troubleshooting. They asked for my files after suggesting to tighten my belt. I sent them the files a week and half ago and they haven't gotten back to me with any information since. I reached out again a few days ago and no response. I'm running a .8 nozzle with a visible distance between the nozzle and the bed. Anyone with some advice before I return this printer would be great

Going to ask you something no-one seems to have checked, or isn't willing to share their results if they have: how do these things handle warp-prone materials like ABS or ASA? Obviously with a belt made of Nylon it perhaps isn't going to end well trying to put Nylon on top of it, but surely the temptation has been there for ABS or ASA. A passive "enclosure" similar to a phone booth or perhaps just a floor-length curtain feels viable with the printer wall mounted, but if the belt isn't suitable then that's really not going to help.

Awesome. 🤔…… One day.

What a nice printer! Tho the fake-y CoreXY claim and the many longterm issues people are experiencing are concerning - let's hope they fix it! It also kinda Reminds me of that one other Belt printer - i think it was called the ideaformer ID-40, very chinese haha

I still never understood my not have a slot for a regular SD card, or usb stick/slock on 99% of the 3d printers. have lost a few mini sd cards as they shoot out, and easier to get stuck if put in slanted. I have an idea former. I have not used it much. I thought I would use it more. But I mostly use my regular 3d printers. I just need to make something long.

A repeat and counter manipulation function isn't present in most slicer g-code interpreters, but it really should be. You could literally just have the same model loop with the addition of only a few bytes of data at the end, or run forever if you init the counter at -1.

YOINK!

I've had mine 4-5 months and haven't gotten anything consistent to come off of it

I love sainsmart I have a warehouse close by I get all my pri ters from for crazy cheap as open box returns. They have these for 325$ most the time it's just bad firmware or something easy.

Belt printer comparison?

"Yes, that IS an R on my chest. And that R can mean only one thing!" YOU'RE PART OF TEAM ROCKET!?

🔥💕👌👍

Powerbelt 3D

"a mini sword" ... dude. its called a "dagger" :-P

It is just an Creality CR 30

‘up top’ control boxes make it more difficult or impossible for wheelchair users to operate.

No more hugs, eh? ☹️

4:30 "Not so bad" - I would say you used totally wrong adverb m8....

🖐️

So I don't like the fact that it has type c and microSD but no type A. We unfortunately still live in a world where type A is the more common interface for flash drives.

BELTS! lol

4:35 how can you hold that in to a camera and call it "not too bad". Thats i among the worst prints you could do.

first

this didn't age well

Joel, check out powerbelt3d. It's an interesting take on the belt material, might be an option for some who are having issues with their belts.