ceramic

3D Systems Acquires Figulo

3D Systems has made another key acquisition, this time of a small but very interesting provider: Figulo. If you haven’t heard of them, they are perhaps the leading provider of glazed-ceramic 3D prints. We understand their services are used by some of the major 3D print services for outsourced ceramic work.    Why is this… Continue reading 3D Systems Acquires Figulo

Shapeways Reduces Ceramics Cost

3D print service Shapeways has reduced the cost of ceramic materials to “be more consistent with how we price the rest of our materials – by volume of material used instead of surface area.”   It’s a methodology switch, really. Instead of charging by surface area (which we suspect they began with as the ceramic… Continue reading Shapeways Reduces Ceramics Cost

Figulo Prints Ceramics

There is no shortage of 3D print services these days. Some are large, some are small, but virtually all of them have a strategy of expanding their scope as wide as possible.    Consider Shapeways, who have the peculiar habit of adding new materials almost weekly, or Kraftwurx, who offer over 100 different materials.  … Continue reading Figulo Prints Ceramics

HYREL is 3D Printing Clay

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… Continue reading HYREL is 3D Printing Clay

Rapid Ceramic Engineering

Ben Becker of HotEnd Works described to us the process his company uses to produce industrial-grade ceramic prototypes. Ceramic prototypes have been around for a very long time, but there’s only so much you can do using conventional prototyping tools. Some geometries simply cannot be produced.    However, 3D printed ceramics can replicate any geometry.… Continue reading Rapid Ceramic Engineering

The CeraFab 7500 3D Printer

We spoke with Dr. Martin Schwentenwein, who’s associated with Lithoz, a new Austrian company based in Vienna that has just developed a brand new ceramic 3D printer, the CeraFab 7500.     This fridge-sized device is specifically designed to 3D print ceramic materials. Lithoz’s LCM technology prints Objects by repeatedly photo-curing whole layers within a… Continue reading The CeraFab 7500 3D Printer

i.Materialise Reduces Ceramics Price

If you’ve got a model requiring a cubic centimeter of ceramic to print, i.Materialise can print it for you at a lowered price of USD$0.18.    Their ceramic material is particularly useful due to its smooth appearance, wide variety of kitchy colors, heat resistance and the fact that it’s food safe. You can produce functional… Continue reading i.Materialise Reduces Ceramics Price

Printing Bricks

Fabbaloo readers are most familiar with the idea of 3D printing plastic, metal or sometimes food, but how about bricks? The method of making common ceramic brick for centuries is giving way for an experiment in 3D printing building bricks.    The experiment is being conducted by Building Bytes, who have already designed three styles… Continue reading Printing Bricks

An Interview with the Ceramics Master

We managed to obtain an exclusive interview with one of the world’s leading print researchers, Professor Stephen Hoskins. Professor Hoskins’ group has recently been investigating the potential of 3D printing.    Fabbaloo: You’re the Hewlett Packard Professor of Fine Print and Director of the Centre for Fine Print Research at the University of the West of… Continue reading An Interview with the Ceramics Master

Ponoko’s Badass Black

Ceramic 3D printing services are not exactly new, but there are limits to the colors offered by popular 3D printing services. Ponoko has announced the availability of black ceramic material.    Previously Ponoko offered a variety of pastel-ish colors, including Green, Pale Blue, Peach, Periwinkle, Teal, White and Yellow. The new colors include a choice… Continue reading Ponoko’s Badass Black

i.Materialise Introduces Ceramics

  3D print service i.Materialise has announced the availability of ceramics as a print material. They aren’t the first to introduce commercial ceramics print capability, but it’s an excellent capability improvement for them.    Ceramics offers a few key advantages over other materials:    Heat resistant up to 600C (1112F) Ultra-smooth finish with no visible… Continue reading i.Materialise Introduces Ceramics

Ponoko’s Color Ceramics

Ponoko has announced the availability of seven different colors for their glazed ceramic 3D printing material.    They previously offered four colors, but now add Yellow, Green and Pale Blue. Even better, they’re offering a discount of 10% off any orders using glazed ceramic until July 29th.    Now you can make that coffee cup… Continue reading Ponoko’s Color Ceramics

Sculpteo Introduces Color Ceramics

Growing 3D print service Sculpteo has introduced a little bit of color to their ceramic material options. Today you can choose from these tasty glazing options: White Glossy, Oyster Blue, Tangerine Orange, Turquoise, Aquarius Blue, Satin Black, Anis Green and Lemon Yellow.   Not only will you receive colored objects, but they’ll be perfectly smooth… Continue reading Sculpteo Introduces Color Ceramics

Pottery Via 3D Printing

We never realized it, but extrusion-based 3D printing is quite similar to traditional methods of making ceramic pots. In the ancient method, a roll of clay is set in a circle, then another is affixed on top, gradually building up the object into a full pot. Sound familiar?    Artist and potter Jonathan Keep realized… Continue reading Pottery Via 3D Printing

3D Printed Ceramic Design

Artist Jonathan Keep provided an update on his experiments using ceramic 3D printing to create very unusual works. Using a modified RapMan personal 3D printer that has its usual plastic extruders replaced with syringes, Keep can successfully 3D print ceramic models. The syringes contain a fixed-capacity cartridge full of ceramic material, meaning Keep’s prints have… Continue reading 3D Printed Ceramic Design

Shapeways Smooths Out The Ceramics

3D print service Shapeways has re-announced their ceramic service. They’ve long been known for experimenting with different materials in their 3D printers and now offer what is probably the widest array of materials to choose from when using a 3D print service.    As is their habit, they typically offer a new material experimentally so… Continue reading Shapeways Smooths Out The Ceramics

The Vitraglyphic Process: Revealed

A wonderful video from Doctoral Student Meghan Trainor and Professor Mark Ganter of the University of Washington shows the entire process of producing 3D printed ceramics. The initial fragile print made from a glass powder formula is placed into a furnace for firing and solidification.    An ongoing issue with the process, which is still… Continue reading The Vitraglyphic Process: Revealed

Ceramic 3D Printer?

Unfold is experimenting with printing ceramics. They’ve acquired a RapMan 3D printer kit and “Currently we are working on a toolhead that can extrude clay.” This is not something the RapMan was originally designed to do, but what are kits for if not to modify?    The test vase, shown above appears impressive, but it may… Continue reading Ceramic 3D Printer?