Make a 3D printer print paperclay
Background
Visit my September 2010 blog on 3D printing / 3D fabrication / additive manufacturing.
I wanted to use this technology with paper clay, but 3D plastic printers were very expensive:
In September 2010 I had been quoted US$ 15,000 for a commercial desktop 3D printer from Dimension 3D Printers.
While John Balistreri and researchers from Bowling Green State University, who first printed dry ceramic material in 2007 but have locked the technology up via patents and licence agreement with Z Corp.
The breakthrough was the RepRap kit set Desktop 3 Printer started by Dr Adrian Bowyer, at the University of Bath (UK).
Then claims that a machine could be built for below AUS$1,000, and simpler operating (i.e. complexity moved from Geek to handyman).
The RepRap project is a printer that since 2008 can create most of its own parts (apart from motors, nuts, both and a few easy to buy rods).
This makes it a self-replicating machine (ie print out a machine for your friends).
It has enabled others to design and upload files containing improvements to the design.
The computer files and designs are all open source, free for anyone to download from the internet and use.
I tracked down a local inventor group who had begun printing out parts for each other, but they underwent a clubhouse relocation and many of the machines I saw were incomplete, and untested.
I then saw that Unfold, in Belgium had modified a RapMan printer so that it printed clay!
A UK potter Jonathan Keep had contacted them and simplified their design.
April 2012
I was invited to be an Artist in Residence in the ceramics studio at Perth central TAFE college. A RapMan 3.2 was purchased for me to play with.
Now that I have formally started the build stage of the project, I find I am not alone in wanting to use paper clay in it: RepRat Ceramic Extrusion Wiki
With the assistance of Robert Vinkovic, a recent engineering graduate from Curtin University, we assembled the printer in July.
Elaine Bradley took a keen interest and blogged and photographed our beginning.
August 2012
We begun printing plastic Moineau pump based paste extruder parts. These would be added, to modify the printer, so it can print clay...
By the end of the year I had re-assembled the printer with a clay printing head, using bits from garden reticulation systems, a child's gumboot, parts from an electronics shop, wall plugs, tiling plastic spacers, cooking and medical supplies and plumbers and electrician tapes. (The only thing not used was some No. 8 fencing wire :))
After a few breakages, blown seals (partly solved by upgraded from gumboot rubber circles to industrial "O" rings), I had printed out some simple clay parts with very fine detail.
September 2012
Elaine Bradley documented the fine line detail I was able print in her blog and also made a video interview.
February 2013
I began to rebuild the printing head to increase the clay reserve, and increase and better control the pressure in the pre-Moineau pump section. For this I finally selected a compressed air powered caulking gun (310 Ml)(thanks Bela for the donation), and "plug and play" fluid transmission lines(max 1,000 PSI). This will enable the clay reserve to be taken off the moving printing platform completely, and remove the previous clumsy requirement to repeatedly stop the print, in order to refill the tiny 70 Ml medical syringe. By varying the combination and length of the fluid transmission lines, I hope to better control the flow rate pre and post Moineau pump.
July 2013
The above system has now been installed and eventually gave me greater control over flow rates. But before this happened I discovered one of the connections in the Moineau pumpshad failed. Prior to printing out a replacement part, I checked all parts. I was particularly interested in abrasive wear on the pump due to the movement of semi-plastic clay through it. Unfold, in Belgium, had mentioned this as a major problem when using the very small medical feed type pumps, and was one reason why I stuck with these larger thingiverse: 25195 pumps. I found 0.05mm to 0.20mm difference in size between the two central moving parts after probably 500 hours pumping clay. It's not much, but assuming this wear is on both the central part and also the casing, I decided to printout and completely replace all parts for both pumps.
While rebuilding the 3D printer, I have been looking at various CAD software, and trying to do basic designing. However, as I spend so many hours already at the computer, I have some resistance. Attempts to speed the process by attending a couple of TAFE courses on this software failed when due to a lack of enrolments, they didn't run. Fingers crossed for next term:). In the mean while I continue to focus my day-a-week time on this project on the actual machine.
August 2013
While the machine lay still in pieces in the storeroom, the 3D software course finally got enough enrolments to run 17 August to 10 September. Which was really useful.
November 2013
Since then I’ve been flat-out preparing for and demonstrating at a conference and workshop in Queensland, and getting ready to exhibit and meet with 450 other artists from 50 countries in the Florence Biennale.
However, I’ve squeezed in some reading of PhD research on artists attitude to computer art, since there has been a lot of criticism of 3D printer art. A lighthearted comment on this is at my blog, which generated a bit of interest.
3 December 2013
Met today Lorenzo Paganelli, Nicola Schiavarelli, and Federica Patuelli from the WASProject, and Mirco Denicolo at ISIA, Faenza, Italy.
They very generously gave up their time to show me one of their printers, video of the latest machine in operation and print samples. More importantly we mutually shared problems and solutions, and generally inspired me to keep working on this project.
December 2013
Once all parts were replaced and the flow checked, I begun to re-attached the original plastic heater heads. The idea is to heat the wet clay slurry coming out the printer, so that it will quickly become dry (and not collapse) soon after its extrusion. I was thinking of heating it to just below boiling point, but it may be a lot lower temperature: I did do some tests heating my clay slurry in the staff microwave oven to see what would happen to it's flow rate, but strangely it became thick at quiet low temperatures. (There's not a lot of detail information on the impact of temperature on slip casting online or in textbooks - anyone with special information, do contact me please?)
Re-attaching the heater heads required a whole lot of re-engineering the supports, and while reconnecting wiring, some minor damage was done to the heater heads, which has not yet been repaired
My original residency was for 6 weeks, but over a year later I was still there. Perhaps sensibly TAFE staff requested I stop, and make way for an incoming new ceramic studio artist in Residence, and then another…
I purchased a Deltaprintr 3D Printer from Kickstart for $US 500.
June 2014
For parts of my artworks in the Dublin Biennial, I designed sections to be eventually printed in sections in Dublin, using new Irish technology, the MCOR 3D printer, which prints in paper.
In Western Australia, Michael Dixon, from Dixon Design + Development - industrial design / product development, kindly converted my drawings into CAD and then STL file format.
Unfortunately at that time MCOR 3D printer retail services were not available in Ireland. German and Belgium companies who provided MCOR 3D printer retail services quoted 3,000 - 8,000 Euro to print the parts! This completely deflated my aspirations of using Irish technology to make the paperwork section of my sculpture for the Irish audience (and reduce shipping costs).
However, I did later visit the head office of Mcor Technologies in Ireland, to observe at first hand one of their machines in operation and talk with staff
February 2015
My Deltaprintr 3D Printer arrives and is quickly assembled. A few hiccups...
Updated: 15/2/2015
Special thanks: A huge thank you to all those who have helped me (in order of assistance):
Co-builder: Robert Vinkovic, recent CUT Engineering Graduate.
Digby DeBruin, Manager, Art Portfolio, Central Institute of Technology (TAFE), Perth, who invited me.
Bela Kotai, Head, Ceramics Studio, who indulged my questions.
Andrea Vinkovic, Ceramics Technician, Ceramics Studio, who have been so welcoming and helpful.
Thank you to Technicans Paul Hutchins, Charlies Nightingale and Matt Dickman for tools and workshop support.
Also a big thank you to Stuart Clipston, Design Technician for printing out the extruder parts.
Eric Duncan of Pirtek Fluid Transfer solutions, Welshpool branch, for brainstorming high pressure systems.
Special thanks to the very generous and talented Antonella Cimatti, who, despite jet lag and heavy work commitments, still took a day out to introduce me to research staff and students at ISIA, Faenza, Faenza, Italy.
Co-builder: Robert Vinkovic, recent CUT Engineering Graduate.
Digby DeBruin, Manager, Art Portfolio, Central Institute of Technology (TAFE), Perth, who invited me.
Bela Kotai, Head, Ceramics Studio, who indulged my questions.
Andrea Vinkovic, Ceramics Technician, Ceramics Studio, who have been so welcoming and helpful.
Thank you to Technicans Paul Hutchins, Charlies Nightingale and Matt Dickman for tools and workshop support.
Also a big thank you to Stuart Clipston, Design Technician for printing out the extruder parts.
Eric Duncan of Pirtek Fluid Transfer solutions, Welshpool branch, for brainstorming high pressure systems.
Special thanks to the very generous and talented Antonella Cimatti, who, despite jet lag and heavy work commitments, still took a day out to introduce me to research staff and students at ISIA, Faenza, Faenza, Italy.
Background Research Notes: Great links and sources of information
January 2012 symposium of leading UK experts in 3D printed ceramics at the V & A Museum in London.
Australia Roderick Bamford used a modified RapMan to also print ceramic work for the Hyperclay exhibition in 2011-12.
video of working latest clay extruder model modified by Unfold
ZCorporation (dry, multicolour objects printed in offices)
January 2012 symposium of leading UK experts in 3D printed ceramics at the V & A Museum in London.
Australia Roderick Bamford used a modified RapMan to also print ceramic work for the Hyperclay exhibition in 2011-12.
video of working latest clay extruder model modified by Unfold
ZCorporation (dry, multicolour objects printed in offices)
Above: Worlds biggest porcelain printer (80x80x80cm build envelope). By Eran Gal-Or, H.I.T Institute (Israel) (thanks Unfold for the link).
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Possiable student problem-1 new cup design day (emailed to me by Antonella Cimatti 11 Jan 2013)
Researching sharewareMac 3D Software for 3D printing:
Blender, SketchUp + CADspan free Plugin(convert to STL files), Shapeways tutorials MeshLab, Netfabb.
Get your 3D stuff printed out and mailed to you from Shapeways and Boston-ceramics (alt: ponoko).
An incomplete US centric directory for all things 3D printing. e.g. missed the Italian WASProject and 3Drag .
Researching sharewareMac 3D Software for 3D printing:
Blender, SketchUp + CADspan free Plugin(convert to STL files), Shapeways tutorials MeshLab, Netfabb.
Get your 3D stuff printed out and mailed to you from Shapeways and Boston-ceramics (alt: ponoko).
An incomplete US centric directory for all things 3D printing. e.g. missed the Italian WASProject and 3Drag .
Mcor IRIS full colour paper 3D printeD producing 3D printed, paper objects!
Bathsheba Grossman, a sculptor using 3D printers to produce bronze sculptures. Yes, I bought a couple of them-amazing!
Blast from the past 2007 open source 3D printer from Hod Lipson, Evan Malone, Dan Periard. Result of opening up academia: Ten million downloads!
Elain Bradley’s hot tip3D printing ebook: Fabricated: The New World of 3D Printing
One of the many universities developing 3D printed house. In this case Caterpillar, the world's largest manufacturer of construction equipment, has got involved.
Dutch artist Olivier van Herpt has now created a delta clay printer that uses just soft clay (no water required). For plans for build your own delta clay printer, visit UK potter Jonathan Keep's website: www.keep-art.co.uk/Self_build.html
Update 22 July 2022: 3D fibre house printing in Australia Dr Kate Dunn, UNSW IG
Some of my blog posts on 3D printing
https://graham-hay.blogspot.com/2014/06/3d-printing-not-quiet-there-in-ireland.html
https://graham-hay.blogspot.com/2012/05/printing-super-surfaced-sculpture.html
https://graham-hay.blogspot.com/2013/12/play-off-3d-printers-vs-3d-doodlers.html