It is Wonderful When a Vision Becomes a Reality

As I wrote in my previous article, I am more than a little thankful for the start that the Cube printers provided me.  Among other things, the Cube was a significant step forward in my quest toward my ultimate goal... finding a way to help my sculptor daughter realize her dreams with the assist of 3D printing.

DREAMS TEASED

In reality, the Cube came my way out of the ashes of an earlier product in my trek on the quest that went up in smoke when the DeskTop Factory was swallowed up in 2009 by 3D Systems.

Desktop Factory 3D Printer 2007-2009

Cathy Lewis was the CEO at Desktop Factory, and a tireless advocate for consumer 3D printing, and in the acquisition became the Vice President for International Marketing of 3D Systems.  Cathy and I had become acquainted in 2007 through my interest in the Desktop Factory development and years later, in 2011, remembering my deep interest and help in testing and providing feedback on sample Desktop Factory prints, she contacted me to be on the lookout for a new consumer printer from 3D Systems... the 1st Generation Cube released in 2012, the same year, this blog began.

I knew that the Cube FDM printer was not the ceramics printer of my dreams. But, I also knew it was a first step in gaining 3D printing experience so that I would be poised to be ready when a real ceramics printer became a reality.  And, not too many years after starting this blog, it appeared that ceramics printing was right around the corner.

Those of you that have followed this blog know that 3D System's tantalizing 2014 announcements of the $10,000 Cerajet and, in particular, the $5,000 CubeJet were greeted with extreme happiness around here.  It appeared that the end of my quest was near at hand. 

DREAMS SHATTERED

But, that was not to be.  When 3D Systems closed down the Cube family production line, the CeraJet and CubeJet became collateral damage and my dreams of seeing my daughter's art rise from a bed of powder went down in flames.  It was a hard blow.... made harder by learning that the engineers on the project had probably been scattered like ashes.
 
There some are creating amazing art with 3D printers capable of extruding clay.

      https://www.emrecanceramic.com
      https://tomlauerman.com/process

That isn't the process that I prefer.

I know, from years of experience printing with YouthQuest Foundation's Z450 "sandstone" printer, just how much I enjoy working with a powder based printer.  Yet, neither the Z450 nor the newer CJP (Color Jet Printing) ProJet series printers are true ceramics printers.  The powder used in the CJP printers is NOT clay-based ceramics and the binder is, I am relatively certain, NOT something you want to put into a kiln and fire!

And, being able to apply the glaze of your choice and fire your creation is a huge deal.

CeraJet / CubeJet 3D Printed Pottery

DREAMS REKINDLED!  THE KWAMBIO CERAMO ZERO MAX

Now, out of the Ukraine, comes a 3D printer that has rekindled those long smoldering dreams.  I don't even remember how I found out about the Ceramo Zero Max.  But, however it was, or whoever it was, that pointed me in their direction I am truly grateful.  Here, finally, is a desktop, powder-based ceramics printer that creates objects meant to be fired!

Kwambio Ceramo Zero Max Desktop Ceramics Printer

I am not going to try to post an image of the ceramics output of the Ceramo Zero Max because it would be misleading.  The Ceramo Zero Max does not print in color.  But, the most beautiful examples online are in color.  And, that is because printing the part is simply one step in the process of turning a creative idea into a stunning piece of art.  And, that process is already familiar to clay artisans.  I cannot even begin to tell you just how incredibly important this fact is to an artist.  They can print out a 3D design of a cup and, if they wish, not a single one would be the same as another.  Each can be imbued with the vision of the artist in a completely unique way using varying patterns, color, firing techniques and other personal touches.

But, I WILL point you to their materials pages to see exactly what I'm talking about.  First, the ceramics powder page:

http://www.kwambio.com/#/materials/ceramics

Next, a bonus, the GS ONE page:

http://www.kwambio.com/#/materials/gsone

I am assuming that one would need two Ceramo printers to EASILY use both materials, as they seem so different.  But, the fact that both are available is very cool.  I'm guessing that the GS One would be great for creating molds for slip casting.  But, since I have no real experience with it, don't hold me to that conclusion.

KWAMBIO HAS A USA HEADQUARTERS

I mentioned that the Ceramo Zero Max was developed in the Ukraine.  Actually, this didn't surprise me as 3D-Coat, a marvelous 3D sculpting application we've written about in earlier posts, is also the product of a Ukraine company!

But, Kwambio's international headquarters is in New York City.  And, they recently opened a new lab in Harford, Connecticut where it can continue to develop consumer, industrial and, I believe, biomedical products and materials. Both Stanley and GE use their industrial ceramics products.

Here is a story from this year's CES that overs both the industrial and consumer ceramics printers.

https://3dprint.com/233630/kwambio-new-ceramic-3d-printers/

I wish I could tell you more; but, until I get a chance to actually seen one in action, I'd simply be guessing.  But, hopefully, I will get that chance in the next few weeks, either at Ceramics Expo 2019 in Cleveland at the end of this month or their offices in Connecticut sometime in May.

I can tell you this.  Whichever visit works out, I am REALLY looking forward to it.  While not a life-time, twelve years is a long time to be on a quest!  And, I am extremely optimistic that the goal is very, very near.

Just Be Patient... 3D Printing Will Eventually Make it Possible

Apparently, I'm a hoarder when it comes to email messages because I continually run up against the size limits imposed on my account.  Hitting the upper limit once again, I decided to seriously downsize and get rid of some emails.  As I poured through the emails to see which ones I was willing to send off to oblivion, I ran across this one to Evan Malone, one of the pioneers of personal desktop 3D printing and a founder of the Fab@home project.

I actually  didn't realize just how early in the game that I became interested in personal 3D printing.  As it turns out, the first beta of the Fab@home design was released in December of 2006,  the same month as my first correspondence with Evan.

2006 - First Exploration of the Potential for Ceramic 3D Printing

Here is my email to him...

From: ****@comcast.net
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2006 3:16 PM
To: ***.****@cornell.edu
Subject: Fascinated by the Fab@home project for artwork.

A friend referred me to your web site regarding the Fab@Home project.  What is really exciting about this particular project is that you actively encourage experimenting with different materials.  I'm wondering if anyone has experimented with ceramic 'slip' or if it's even possible to use. 

I'm guessing that build time would require relatively long delays between layers to let the slip dry a bit; but, since Native American Pottery uses a coiled technique, the potential might be interesting.  Here are some samples of my daughter's artwork that spurred my interest in this regard.  They are handbuilt and then carved.

http://s101.photobucket.com/albums/m47/TMeeks/Cheryl%20Meeks%20Art/

The concept of being able to more quickly build ceramic items with undercuts impossible for traditional molding techniques is very intriquing.  What do you think?

Thanks,

  Tom Meeks

 And, his reply...

From: "Evan Malone" <****@cornell.edu>
To: <***@comcast.net>
Subject: RE: Fascinated by the Fab@home project for artwork.
Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 04:46:01 +0000

Hi Tom,

Your daughter’s ceramics are beautiful – I throw a bit myself when I can find the time.  I think Fab@Home would be able to make some great artwork with ceramics – you’d probably need to work with a thick slip, but certainly there is no reason you couldn’t use the machine for that.  I doubt you’d need to wait much between layers either, assuming you had your slip consistency just right.  Achieving horizontal cutouts as in your would probably require some support material – wax or something similar which would support the overhangs until they dry enough to support themselves/be fired.

I’d be thrilled to see what could be done!

Evan

Evan Malone

Computational Synthesis Laboratory

B60 Rhodes Hall (physical)

138 Upson Hall (mail/shipping)

Cornell University

Ithaca NY 14853 USA

Early Pioneers - Unfold

It's been seven years since that first interchange.  Along the way various pioneers have designed 3D printers that could print in clay.  Unfold used a RapMan printer from Bits from Bytes (Now part of 3D Systems) to create their syringe-based deposition system clay printer.  It did a very nice job.   But, it was a hobbyist machine that required users go through what was know as "the build experience" to own one.  Unfold appears to have been primarily interested in using their printer to realize their own designs rather than creating a clay printing 3D printer for the wider artisan market.

You can follow the evolution of the Unfold attempts to create an open-source clay printing machine on the Unfold Fab Blog.

While the "build experience" is not my favorite way to enjoy the benefits of 3D printing,  I certainly have a great deal of respect for the Fab@home and Unfold pioneers for their contributions to show that ceramic printing was posssible.


Early Pioneers - Figulo

Pioneer Figulo  has had even more influence and impact on where we are today in the state of ceramic 3D printing.  Like Unfold, they sought a way to print ceramic art; but, took a completely different route to do so.  Instead of using a syringe approach, they began their development with a powder based system.  While there is not a great deal of information on the process, we can see it in some stage of its development this image.

Figulo Ceramic Printing Process

This difference in technique has enormous implications for design freedom. With a syringe system support materials are solids that must be removed, limiting design options unless one wants the deal with the supports.  The technology that Figulo chose as the basis for their ceramic printing technique lays down a material and then "prints' a binder.  The powder material that is not solidified acts as the support and is simple shaken or blown off after the print is completed.  Figulo took an existing 3D Systems technology and created the materials and binder for creating ceramics designs.

While little is known about the actual specifications of the CeraJet printer or the materials, we do know that the technology that is used in the CeraJet is called "ColorJet printing (CJP)".  While this technique can be used to create full color objects, I do not know whether that is the case for the CeraJet, which may rely on the glazing step for final coloring.

What IS important about that technology is that it allows radically new designs to be created by ceramics artists.

The Benefit of Figulo's Experience

By the time that 3D Systems acquired Figulo, the company had been delivering ceramic prints for long enough to have some serious experience in creating materials and techniques.  A year ago, they released a video showing some samples of what they printed on their pre-CeraJet printer.  Now, remember, these are NOT CeraJet samples.  They simply reflect the experience of the new 3D Systems' ceramic print team.

Seven Years Was Worth the Wait!

Who would have dreamed, just seven years ago, that one of the largest manufacturers of high end 3D printers would be today's biggest champion of consumer 3D printing?  The day that 3D Systems bought Desktop Factory, I truly thought that was the end of a dream.

I knew that there would be 3D printers in the hands of a few hobbyists; but, I thought the dream of seeing a true consumer "ready-to-print" device was a long, long way off.

The dream was revived with that first announcement by 3D Systems of the Cube 3D printer.  It was too good to be true, so I immediately set up a meeting to check it out for myself.  When they set it down in front of me, I immediately knew this was what I had waited for all that time.  While it may sound overly dramatic now, all I could do was look over every inch of the machine while repeating "This is it.  This is it.  It's exactly what I had been dreaming about."

Little did I know that day, that less than two years would pass before my REAL dream would see reality!

With this year's CES, the dream that sparked that letter to Evan Malone came to fruition.  At last, with the CeraJet, ceramic artisans have a way to create entirely new designs without having to build their own printing platform or tinker with messy syringes.

I am very, very happy with 3D Systems' decision to purchase Figulo and develop a ceramics printer that promises to do so much at such an obtainable cost. 

Sometimes, the answers to dreams, long set aside, come not only unexpectedly; but, with dazzling new dreams!

What is YOUR dream?

What is your dream?  Is it the ability to print a flying drone with both structural and electrical parts all in one printing?   Is it the ability to print objects with both soft and rigid parts all in one printing?  Whatever it is, just be patient.  3D Printing... and most likely 3D Systems... will eventually make it possible.