New 3D printer manufacturer HYREL has developed an extruder capable of 3D printing clay. In the video below you’ll see it printing a pyramid. A simple print indeed, but one that proves it’s possible.
The HYREL line of 3D printers includes an interesting feature: “multiple hot-swappable extruder head options.” If the clay extruder is offered as one of those options, this could be an easy way to enable printing of both clay and plastic.
3D printed clay on a consumer-grade 3D printer is a very important development for one reason: food safety. Plastic extrusion machines can print many kitchen items, but none are food safe. A clay print could be fired and glazed in a kiln, producing a surface that could be food safe.
Let the coffee mugs emerge!
Via HYREL
THIS! This is the kind of innovation I've been waiting for over the past 4 years attending Maker faires. 3D printing is exploding, but 20 different manufacturers are making printers that poop out essentially the SAME crappy plastic bauble. This allows prints in silicon, or hard ceramic. This process can now print things that are durable, and solid, and most importantly don't cost $40 per kilo to print.
To answer your question, yes, the HYREL Emulsifiable Extruder (EMO1) is available on our website, http://www.hyrel3d.com. Also, you can 3D print with a mix of materials, plastic, clay, plasticine, play-doh, silicone RTV and many more materials are able to be 3D printed in the same build or in parallel with each other. We will be debuting this tech very soon via our youtube channel and on our weekly live broadcasts on http://www.justin.tv/hyrel3d.