All Glossary

3D-Printing

Standard 3D printing technology (not printing with clay itself) is very useful to potters and ceramic industry in making objects that assist and enable production.

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It is becoming more practical for potters and ceramic artists or entrepreneurs to take on projects never before possible because of the increasing accessibility of 3D printing. 3D printing makes you more independent. Ordinary consumer printers are useful for making mock-ups, master and block molds, forms, templates, mold pour-spouts, supports, holders, cutters, tools, stamps, embossers, rollers and more. It puts forming techniques you would not otherwise use (e.g. jiggering, casting, pressing, extruding, stamping) into easier reach.

The most difficult obstacle to adopting 3D printing is learning 3D design software. Don’t bother buying a printer till you do that (or you will have a printer with nothing to print). The software is intimidating. However the existence of standards is a big help in navigating all the options - terminology and methodology are very similar across all products. A major enabler is that, as of 2022 anyway, AutoDesk Fusion 360 is still free for use by education and businesses earning less than $100K per year (otherwise entry level is around $500/yr). OnShape is also free if you don't mind drawing being public. It is the standard for consumer part design and has exceptional online resources and training and almost every other product compares itself to Fusion 360. However, they are a commercial company, and don’t kid yourself, they are going to try to turn you into a customer and make you dependent on them. That being said, their product is still the best educational route to learning 3D. The experience, enthusiasm and confidence gained is applicable to moving to a free product (like FreeCAD) or a less expensive tablet-based one like Shapr.

Online service providers offer a wide range of printing technologies and materials, so you can email or upload 3D files. An exciting technology is laser fusing of powder, even metal powder (in this way metals and ceramic can be precisely printed). That being said, it may still be best to have your own printer. This is because the process of learning and perfectly designing involves cycles of tweaking designs and reprinting them. The freedom to do this is a big part of the utility of 3D printing, at least for hobbyists, potters and small manufacturers. Once you have a proven design, then consider sending it (for higher quality or saving time). Craftcloud3d.com might be a good start.

Owning your own printer is was first possible because of the RepRap international movement to develop open-source hardware and software platforms for 3D printing. Reprap printers used standard buy-at-a-hardware-store parts or ones that a printer itself can make. This means that anyone can buy and assemble an inexpensive printer to learn many details of their mechanics and operation. Of course today people buy commercial units that grew out of that movement. But DIY is still firmly embedded in the hardware and software.

Making practical use of the technologies and not getting caught up in the hype of things can be challenging. One way to do this gradual evolution, is just learn what you need to make the item required today. Contrary to the previous statement, it may be good to buy a printer before learning the design software, watching it sit idle will motivate you to learn Fusion 360 (or similar). By the same token, paying a consultant on Upwork to help you learn will motivate progress, just to avoid wasting that money and paying more consultants! The real “lights-on” moments will happen when you develop ways to draw things that are better than the teachers.

Filament: Each filament has advantages and disadvantages (e.g. cost, toxicity, temperature required, wear and tear on your machine, surface quality, durability, print speed possible). Use PLA at the start, it is important to have the fewest problems, this whole business is difficult enough, avoid any possible discouragements. We have had bad experience with TPU flexible filament but enough others promote it that it might be a good second one to try. Here is some advice from a follower (who uses a Prusa printer): "According to Google, “Thermoplastic Polyurethane (TPU) filament is generally considered non-toxic and odorless, but it can release harmful fumes when exposed to fire or chemicals during the 3D printing process. To prevent long-term health issues, ensure your workspace has good ventilation and an air filtration system.” The secret to printing with TPU is constant speed while printing. Under print settings, go to speed. Set them all to 20 mm/s. Ironing will be greyed out unless you have it on. Then in the next section, Dynamic overhang speed, set everything to 20 mm/s. Under Modifiers set First layer speed to 20 mm/s. Then under Auto Speed (Advanced), set Max print speed to 20 mm/s. This will prevent almost all webbing and other print issues. Some people also suggest reducing the z-axis nozzle retraction, but I have not found a need to do that."

Related Information

Fusion 360, my choice for 3D mechanical design in ceramics

Intimidation by the complexity of this type of software is the biggest obstacle you will face to learning 3D design (for 3D-printing). Fusion 360 is the new mission of AutoDesk, the leader in CAD software for 30 years, bringing much of the power of their industrial strength Inventor product into the hands of everyone! Fusion 360 has a lot of advantages. It is a standard. There is a simple learning curve via their Tinkercad.com, videos on Youtube, easy online help and many freelancers to hire (at Upwork.com). It is free to qualifying users (teachers, students or people who earn less that $100k/yr), the fact that software of this kind of power and utility is actually available to anyone who wants to try it is amazing. Fusion 360 (and other 3D design products) cannot run 3D printers (3D slicers do that). Fusion 360 is very demanding on the processor and graphics hardware of your computer, typical laptops are not powerful enough.

Fusion 360 can also be used for modelling, but other products are better.

Fusion 360 on YouTube

Popular gurus get millions of views on their videos. Lars Christensen, Kevin Kennedy and Tyler Beck are popular contributors. Each of them has plenty of videos to teach you everything you need to know to get started designing for your ceramic production. If you get stuck, there are hundreds of places on line to go to find help. It is helpful if you know how to do a screen recording (e.g. using Screencast-o-Matic) to be able to demonstrate your problem. Getting specific answers to specific problems is a surefire way to progress in your knowledge. The first item to learn is sketching, if you can master that much of what you did will be modifying sketches (e.g. extruding, revolving, sweeping and lofting them).

The Prusa Slicer generates G-Code for 3D-printing

This slicer ships with, and is recommended for, the Prusa line of 3D printers (when you click to print something in your 3D design software (e.g. Fusion 360) it sends the 3D geometry to your chosen slicer software, that software drives the actual printer). Simplicity and the exact visual reproduction of the printed bed make this a good choice for slicing (slicing is the mathematical process of cutting a 3D object into layers that can be printed successively). Another advantage is that online help for this printer will generally assume the use of this slicer. There are a myriad of settlings and parameters that printing software must respect to adapt to each type of 3D printer and the pairing of the Prusa printers with this slicer will be the best.

It is 2018. This Prusa MK3 3D printer is worth the extra cost.

Czech inventor, Josef Prusa, takes great pains to preface the name of each model with the word "Original" (e.g. this is an "Original i3 MK3S"). Dozens of Chinese companies have copied his i3 machines and sell them for 1/3 to 1/2 the price. But buyers often deal with poor or no support, disconnects between absurdly poor instruction manuals and parts, poor quality parts, parts that do not fit or work, no wonder that a large percentage are never able to complete the assembly. This printer, by contrast, has a LEGO-quality instruction manual and lots of online support. It also has auto bed levelling (this is a huge factor), much better cable routing, automatic filament insert, removable flexible bed, has its own slicing software, it prints faster, is quieter, does not break down all the time and print quality is much better (note the closeup: less than 1mm thickness, yet highly precise). You can even pull the plug out of the wall during a print and it will continue after reconnect! And its updates its drivers through the slicer software.

Things too big to 3D print can be done in pieces

This jigger case mold has a step that provides the ideal place to split it into two pieces for printing. It is not necessary to complicate the drawing by doing it in the 3D design app because the 3D slicer software can do it. In Simplify3D I just pushed the object downward on the platform (anything below does not print). Prusa Slicer (and Slic3r) has a cutter tool to split an object in two. Either piece can then be flipped over (if that will result in faster printing e.g. less support). Had this been printed as one piece support would have been necessary under the step, that would have slowed the process and affected the quality. After printing, I just super glued the two pieces together.

3D printing case vs block molds for ceramics

Left are case molds, they are made by 3D printing the positive profile on a backplate (with holes for natches). These are secured into slotted rails. Right is a block mold, it is made by 3D printing the profile of a working mold with integrated rails. This one is printed vertically in four pieces. It is held together and straight with printed brackets. We pour rubber into these to make case molds. Each method has advantages and issues.
-Case: Faster to print. Easier to draw. Joins cast as easily removed bumps on the working molds. This is only suitable for prototyping, making one working mold.
-Block: Much more attention is needed in printing, there are more issues with orientation of print, infill, support, multi-piecing, fit and seam-filling. 3D drawing of these is more difficult. And block molds are bigger because they are molds of molds. They also need to be more precise to merit the cost of the rubber.

Printing a prototype propeller for my Lightnin lab mixer

An example of how handy the ability to print in 3D can be. The worn-out stainless propeller costs $300 to replace. But the size and pitch of the blades is not right anyway. So I draw them using Fusion 360 and print them in PLA plastic, enabling experimenting with different sizes and pitches. While I could have one printed in stainless at shapeways.com I do not need to because these plastic ones are surprisingly durable. How about getting a tight fit on the shaft? No problem. I measured this shaft with callipers and printed that size. It was a little tight so I printed it slightly larger and it fits very tightly. One issue: If you mix slurries with hot water the blades will bend and the collar will loosen. If you would like this STL format file (for 3D printing in your slicer software), it is available in the Files manager in your Insight-live.com account.

Making complex ceramic tile shapes by 3D printing your own cookie cutters

This was done on an affordable RepRap printer. The red plastic templates were drawn in Fusion 360 and sliced and printed using Simplify3D. A wooden block was used to press these cookie cutters into the clay. The plastic wrap made sticking a non-issue (and rounded the corners nicely). Commercial bottled glazes were applied to this low fire talc body by brushing (in three coats) after bisque - the rounded corners make brushing easier. The tiles were fired at cone 03. This is an old classic design that I discovered when researching Damascus tile. The toughest obstacle was learning how to use Fusion 360. It turns out that cookie cutters are a starter project for many 3D software packages, there are lots of videos on making them.

Hand-tooling a mug model vs. 3D-printing a mold to cast it

I am creating molds for a 2019 casting-jiggering project to reproduce heavy stoneware mugs manufactured here 50 years ago (I am not a mold maker, just a potter). I have a profile drawing I want to match (upper left). The solid plaster model on the left was my first attempt at manual tooling. The metal template was time-consuming to hand-make, its contour was difficult to match to the drawing and the plaster surface turned out rough and difficult-to-smooth. To make the plaster model on the right I 3D printed a shell, poured the plaster in, extracted it after set and then smoothed it on the wheel using a metal rib and trimming tool. It matches the drawing perfectly and the round is very true. 3D-printing is revolutionary for this type of thing! The drawings: I hired someone on Upwork.com to make them for me (using Fusion 360). The shell-mold (to cast the model) on the upper right: I printed that too, in two pieces.

Large cookie-cutter 3D-printed in four pieces

These four sections were glued together to make a larger one. Now it is possible to quickly precision-cut the shape for making my pie-crust mugs. Later I re-printed these templates on a better 3D printer so the inner vertex holes cut out much better.

A 3D-printed spout enables a flared rim on cast ware

It was glued down using the casting slip itself (it stuck in seconds). About ten minutes after draining a fettling knife was run around the inside, then it detached easily. The overhung lip produced imparts structural strength that resists warping, for drying and firing, to the thin walled piece. This spout has advantages over the traditional "spare" built in to the upper part of a mold. It enables a one-piece mold. The lip can be more overhung. Draining is cleaner and easier. Molds are lighter. Extraction can be done sooner and it is easier. The spout does not absorb so there is less scrap. The degree of overhang is adjustable by simply printing new spouts.

Final cast-jiggered cone 6 mug beside original 3D-printed mock-up

This is a product of a casting-jiggering project I did in 2019 to recreate a 1960s Medalta Potteries mug. The first step was drawing a profile in 2D (using Adobe Illustrator) and then working with a Fusion 360 freelancer at Upwork.com to create a quality 3D drawing. 3D printing this mock-up was possible after that, using my favorite 3D slicer, Simplify 3D. The mug was drawn "parametrically", that is, measurements and geometric relationships were built-in such that changing contours and the size preserved the original design. The first production mug, made about a year later, is on the right. Molds were scaled up 10% from this mockup size so that final pieces would be this size, however the firing shrinkage of the clay turned out to be about 12%.

Here is what happens when you put a 3D-printed PLA part in hot water

These are pouring spouts, they are glued (using the clay slurry) to the tops of molds to enable over-filling with clay slip (since the slip level drops during the time it is left in the mold). The "pouring spout" function permits much easier cleanup. Before each use I immerse these in water for a minute to remove the dried-on clay from the previous cast. But, obviously, that needs to be cold water.

Polish the plaster surface, not the 3D-printed shell-mold

This plaster model was just removed from the 3D-printed shell behind. It dropped out easily (after tapping it at-an-angle on the corners), this worked well despite the resolution lines on the surface. While I could have spent time sanding and smoothing the inside of the shell-mold, it is actually far easier to smooth the surface of the plaster form after extraction. Seconds with a metal rib completely smooths any of the surfaces. And remember, it is easier to remove plaster items cast inside of 3D-printed molds rather than cast around the outside of them. I named this size as 95-5-113, referring to the TopWith-Angle-Height. I set these as parameters in Fusion 360 and can print adjustments to this size (labelling them appropriately).

3D-Printed rail to cast working plaster jigger molds

The multi-use grey outer rail on the left was printed in two parts and glued together (at the shoulder). Its vertical split enables me to open it a little. The center model of the outside contour of the mug (on a two-step base) was made by casting the plaster inside another two-piece 3D-printed form I had made (we had to use a heat-gun to get the PLA printed form off of that plaster). I smoothed the surface on the wheel using a metal rib and trimming tool. Then I stretched a rubber band around the first step at the bottom (because the rail was a little lose-fitting), it fit perfectly and clamped tightly in place. To cast a plaster jigger mold it is just a matter of soaping the plaster model and the inside of the rail. One improvement this needs: I 3D printed ring that drops down to the shoulder to force it perfectly round.

3D Printed spout for ball mill

When full of balls and glaze this Royal Doulton ball mix weighs about 80 lbs. If efforts to pour it out don't cause a hernia the slurry ends up spilling everywhere as the balls come out with it! Trying to stop the balls with my hand ends up spilling even more. The answer was to 3D print a spout and a ball retainer. The bar and screw that normally hold the lid on work well to hold this in place. For multiple batches of the same glaze, it can now be poured right from the rack, no need to carry it to our sink. And not a drop spills. In the upper right picture, I had to change the filament midway, from green to black. It was easy to draw this in Fusion 360. I first printed the ring and flange to be sure of a good fit into the rim. A rubber band stretched around the flange provides a very good seal with the jar.

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