CoreXY 3D Printers

CoreXY is a motion system for 3D printers in which two stationary motors move the print head in X and Y through a pair of crossed belts. The bed moves only in Z. Because neither motor rides on the moving gantry, the moving mass is low, so CoreXY printers can accelerate harder and print faster than bed-slinger printers of the same size. In 2026 CoreXY is the standard layout for fast enclosed printers, including the Bambu Lab P and X series, the Prusa CORE One and the Voron family.

What is CoreXY?

CoreXY is a parallel two-motor Cartesian motion platform, described and named by Ilan Moyer at corexy.com. Both motors stay fixed to the frame and pull on two long belts that cross the gantry. The motors always work together: every X or Y move is a combination of both motors turning, so no single motor has to carry the other's weight.

How do CoreXY kinematics work?

CoreXY kinematics are the maths that turn two motor rotations, A and B, into X and Y motion. According to corexy.com, rotating both motors in the same direction moves the head horizontally (X), and rotating them in opposite directions moves it vertically (Y). Turning only one motor moves the head diagonally.

• X movement: ΔX = ½ (ΔA + ΔB)
• Y movement: ΔY = ½ (ΔA − ΔB)
• Diagonal movement: only one motor turns, so moving at 45° is the cheapest move for a CoreXY machine.

The firmware (Klipper, Marlin or RepRapFirmware) does this conversion automatically once the printer is set to kinematics: corexy. The two belts must be tensioned equally. Unequal tension is the most common cause of skewed parts and poor input-shaper results on CoreXY printers.

CoreXY vs bed-slinger vs CrossXY vs H-bot

The main difference between these layouts is what moves and how heavy it is. The table compares the four common layouts:

Layout	What moves in X/Y	Motors on the gantry	Typical strengths	Typical weaknesses
CoreXY	Print head only	None (both fixed)	High acceleration, compact frame, enclosure-friendly	Long belts, belt tension must match, harder to build
Bed-slinger (i3 style)	Head in X, bed in Y	X motor on the gantry	Simple, cheap, easy to repair	The heavy moving bed limits speed on tall prints; needs a deep footprint
CrossXY	Print head only	None; separate X and Y belt loops	No coupled belts, so each axis can be tuned on its own	More belts and pulleys, less common
H-bot	Print head only	None (one long belt)	Fewer parts than CoreXY	The belt applies a twisting force (racking) to the gantry

My large-format Ymir printer started as a CoreXY design and is being redesigned around CrossXY. At 650 × 650 × 700 mm, the long coupled CoreXY belts become a real stiffness problem.

Advantages of CoreXY

The main advantage of CoreXY is speed: with both motors fixed to the frame, only the light print head moves in X and Y.

• Speed: the low moving mass allows high accelerations. The Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is rated at 20,000 mm/s² by Elegoo.
• Print quality at speed: a stationary bed means tall, thin prints don't wobble when the bed changes direction.
• Compact footprint: the frame is about the size of the build volume plus the head, unlike a bed-slinger that needs room for the bed to travel.
• Enclosures: a cube-shaped frame is easy to enclose, which ABS, ASA and nylon need.

Disadvantages of CoreXY

The main disadvantage of CoreXY is belt complexity: two long, coupled belts must be routed, squared and tensioned equally.

• Belt length and tension: each belt is long, and the two must be tensioned equally.
• Build complexity: DIY CoreXY kits such as the Voron take longer to build and tune than a bed-slinger kit.
• Cost: the cheapest CoreXY printers cost more than the cheapest bed-slingers. In October 2026 that means about $319 for an Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2, against $199 for a Creality Ender-3 V3 SE.

Popular CoreXY 3D printers in 2026

The most popular CoreXY printers in 2026 range from $319 ready-to-run machines to open-source kits:

• Bambu Lab P1S, P2S and X2D are enclosed CoreXY printers with a 256 × 256 × 256 mm volume. See my Bambu Lab printer comparison.
• Prusa CORE One is Prusa's fully enclosed CoreXY printer, with a 250 × 220 × 270 mm volume and active chamber temperature control, according to Prusa's announcement.
• Elegoo Centauri Carbon 2 is an enclosed CoreXY printer, 256 × 256 × 256 mm, from $319. It is one of the picks in my best beginner 3D printers guide.
• Voron V0, Trident and 2.4 are open-source CoreXY kits. The V0 has a 120 × 120 × 120 mm volume, according to the Voron Design repository.
• Fenrir CoreXY is my own compact, mostly 3D-printed CoreXY design. It has a 120 × 120 mm bed, LDO rails and Klipper, and the files will be released on TinkerAtlas.

Is CoreXY right for you?

CoreXY is the right choice if you want fast prints, tall prints or an enclosed printer for engineering filaments. A bed-slinger is the better choice if you want the cheapest, simplest printer to learn on. The Bambu Lab A1 and A1 mini are bed-slingers and are still the easiest first printers.

Tuning a CoreXY printer

CoreXY tuning is mostly about the belts and the gantry. Work through these four steps in order:

1. Tension both belts to the same frequency. Klipper users can measure it with a phone app or a guitar tuner.
2. Square the gantry before tightening the belts. A racked gantry shows up as non-square parts.
3. Run input shaping (SHAPER_CALIBRATE in Klipper), then pressure advance.
4. Re-check belt tension after the first few weeks of printing, when new belts settle.

For general print problems, see 30 common 3D printing problems and solutions.

FAQ

Is CoreXY better than a bed-slinger?

CoreXY is better for speed, tall prints and enclosures, because only the light print head moves in X and Y. A bed-slinger is cheaper and simpler. In October 2026 a CoreXY printer costs from about $319, against $199 for an entry-level bed-slinger.

Who invented CoreXY?

The inventor of CoreXY is Ilan Moyer, who documents the mechanism and its equations at corexy.com. It is based on the crossed-cable principle of a drafting table.

Are Bambu Lab printers CoreXY?

The Bambu Lab P1S, P2S, X2D and H2 series are CoreXY printers. The A1 and A1 mini are bed-slingers, with the bed moving in Y.

What is the difference between CoreXY and CrossXY?

The difference between CoreXY and CrossXY is the belt layout. CoreXY couples both motors through two crossed belts, so every move uses both motors. CrossXY drives X and Y with separate belt loops, so each axis is independent. CrossXY uses more belts and pulleys but avoids the long coupled belts.

Why do CoreXY belts need equal tension?

Equal belt tension is essential because a CoreXY printer combines both belts for every X and Y move. If one belt is tighter, the gantry skews and parts come out non-square. Matching the belts is the first step before input shaping.