With a simple cartesian printer, the carriage mechanism moves directly along rails in each of the x, y and z directions.  If you want to move a print head from the origin to, say, (10,10,20) you simply direct the motors to move it 10mm along the x axis rail, 10 along the y axis rail and 20 along the z. With a delta printer, it’s not so simple.  Moving any one of the carriages which run up and down the three vertical towers will cause movement of the printer nozzle in x,y and z simultaneously.  Inverse kinematic calculations are required to work out how to move all three carriages to move the print head to the given (x,y,z) coordinates.

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