Creality CR-30 3D Printer - 3DPrintMill

With this exciting new 3D Printer from Creality, it’s time to take everything you know about 3D Printing and turn it on its head, or more accurately, rotate it 45 degrees and add a belt. The Creality CR-30 also called the 3D Print Mill, is a belt 3D Printer created by Naomi Wu and Creality with input from key figures in the belt 3D Printing industry, Bill Steele and Karl Brown. Like the CR-6 SE, the CR-30 started life on Kickstarter and Creality took feedback from the backers to heart and refined the CR-30 multiple times before final production. This helps to highlight the time and passion that has been put into the development of the CR-30. 

When you first set eyes on the CR-30 it is hard not to notice the unusual CoreXY design which is part of what makes it so interesting. With the CR-30 the X and Y-Axis are rotated 45 degrees resulting in the bed becoming the Z-Axis. As the bed is a moving belt the Z-Axis is therefore theoretically infinite with limiting factors being things like room space, file size, and amount of filament. To give you an idea of just how infinite the Z-Axis can be, Karl Brown of NAK 3D was able to print a continuous 6-meter-long rail on his CR-30. With an infinite axis comes even more exciting functionality, not just for hobbyists but for industrial projects. Being able to print a full-size Master Sword from Legend of Zelda is impressive but being able to print prototype parts continuously, with consistent quality, and that automatically detach from the bed is just as impressive. To complement the infinite Z-Axis the CR-30 also benefits from a filament runout sensor and print resume function, silent motherboard, and an incredibly sturdy structure.

Exciting Features of the Creality CR-30 3D Printer - 3DPrintMill:

• Belt and Infinite Z-Axis – Being a key part of the CR-30 the belt has been through multiple revisions during development. As the belt needs to be continuous the first belt featured an interlocking join that some Makers had trouble with during longer prints. It also featured a slightly different textured design which worked well but there were many reports of pieces of the belt sticking to the bottom of prints. Thankfully Creality has fixed both issues with the production belt having a much smaller join and a slightly different nylon composition which really helps keep those longer prints secure. The belt is one of the key features that allow the Z-Axis to be infinite. To better understand the way a CR-30 functions you need to visualise a traditional 3D Printer, such as an Ender 3, but with an ever-increasing Z-Axis. The X and Y-Axis are still limiting factors the Z-Axis now has no limit. By rotating the X and Y-Axis the Z-Axis becomes horizontal and, as the build surface is a belt, the Z-Axis is infinite.
   
• Sturdy CoreXY Inspired Structure – Despite its unusual design, the CR-30 makes use of a CoreXY structure. This provides a few benefits over the common Cartesian motion system. Where a Cartesian system has separate stepper motors for each axis, a CoreXY system features X and Y motors that work together or opposite of each other to move the carriage. The advantage of this system is higher printing speed, and increased repeatability, this makes it ideal for the CR-30 as being able to consistently produce high-quality prints is one of its main benefits.
   
• Quality of Life Features – Similar to other Creality 3D Printers the CR-30 includes a variety of features aimed at improving the user experience. These features, while increasingly common on modern 3D Printers, are even more useful on the CR-30. Due to the infinite Z-Axis, the inclusion of a filament runout sensor and print resume function prevents the disappointment of a failed print due to no filament or power failure. While extremely long prints are exciting noise can also become an issue and therefore Creality has equipped the CR-30 with one of their Silent Motherboards. To complete the list of features the CR-30 includes convenient cable mounting points and a CR-10S Pro style dual-gear extruder.

Note: Most Creality 3D Printers are often designed with ease of use in mind and the CR-30 is no different. However, due to the steep learning curve and developing slicers we recommend the CR-30 for advanced Makers.

Typical Applications for Creality CR-30 3D Printer - 3DPrintMill:    

With a bit of practice and learning the CR-30 can produce the same high-quality prints that you have come to expect from a Creality 3D Printer. Where the CR-30 really stands out is the bulk printing of parts, components, and prototypes objects. It is also an ideal 3D Printer for Makers who are into cosplay with the ability to print outfit accessories and parts that would otherwise require printing in separate pieces. The CR-30 is not designed to be your only 3D Printer but is an ideal addition to any Maker’s workshop.

Additional Resources:

As the CR-30 comes with a steeper learning curve when compared to other 3D Printers we have tried to gather as much useful information as possible. This will hopefully make your experience with the CR-30 as smooth as possible.

• Watch this Slicing Video by CHEP for more information on using the CrealityBelt Slicer.
• There is a dedicated r/CR30 subreddit.

Finally, if you are looking for a second opinion on the CR-30 Belt 3D Printer then be sure to check out this video from Makers Muse.

Although Creality 3D have been working within the industry since 2014, their addition of the Creality CR-10 series is what really catapulted them to the front line of competition, as it offered substantially better quality compared to other 3D printers – while simultaneously reducing the cost and complexities of the machines.

The quality of Creality’s 3D Printers and accessories shows through in their market history, with the brand selling around 3000 printers in their first year on the market, followed by about 10,000 sales over the next year. Now, Creality easily sells around 30,000 or more 3D printers each year, with sales continuously rising as they bring out more models. These are impressive numbers when considering the fact that they entered the industry as unknown competitors, quickly rising through the ranks and now even competing with Wanhao and similar top brands.

If you are looking for excellent 3D Printers that offer affordability without compromising on quality, Creality 3D is certainly a brand that you should take note of. From the basic Creality Ender 2 all the way up to the large build volume Creality CR-10 S5, there are few other brands who are capable of offering such a refined package while still maintaining some of the most enticing prices in the industry.