3D printing artifacts on a bowl model. Are these a problem?

3D printing is resetting and revolutionizing all fabrication industries. It has taken hold because it brings exciting new capabilities we never had before, especially in ceramics. Each disadvantage is being addressed and solved. This stair-casing, or more correctly, "printing artifacts", are often cited as a reason not to adopt 3D. But these are not an issue here. First, most of the surface on this case mold is not exposed on the final piece. Second, near vertical and fully horizontal printed surfaces, such as the shell around the outside and the spacer ring, don't have artifacts. Third, this bowl model is not 3D printed, it is plaster that was poured into a 3D printed shell. Before use, this will be stuck down onto a potter's wheel and tooled smooth. It is then attached to a clamping baseplate and the 3D printed railing clamped around it.

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3D-printing artifacts on a slip cast M370C bottle. A problem?

3D printing artifacts on slipcast ceramic bottles

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Here is why the stair-casing artifacts are not the problem many people think. These are stonewares fired at cone 6 oxidation. The dark one is M370C with 10% added raw umber. The other is M370C. Both are glazed using GA6-B Alberta Slip amber transparent. The wood-grain texture on the right is an artifact of 3D-printing - the case mold was printed flat rather than upright. Strangely, that is the bottle people want! But the production prototype bottle is the one on the left and the stair casing is barely visible. Additionally, these are prototypes, the production molds would either be made by printing the model upright or by casting a plaster model of a bottle half, smoothing and soaping it, attaching it to a clamping baseplate and then setting up 3D printed railing around it.

Why 3D design and printing is a better way to make slip casting molds

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I dread the traditional mold making process, the mess, all the supplies and tools involved. I am a potter, I make functional ceramics. I am not a mold-maker, but 3D design and printing have put it within my reach. This way more fun! There is no stopping this, it’s the future.
-I spend most time on design, pouring the plaster or rubber takes minutes.
-Many fewer tools and supplies are needed, the process is less messy, as easy as downloading a file, printing it and pouring in plaster - this is doable in my kitchen!
-Sanding of flat mating faces is possible (for better seams than I've ever had). This is because natches can be added later (using embeds).
-I can make my own natches and interlock schemes.
-No spare is needed, the 3D-printed pour spouts work better.
-The range of shapes seems limitless. Especially because designs can be split up into pieces, each printed in optimal orientation (and glued together).
-I make molds through multiple design-print iterations. 3D makes do-overs or changes in design as easy as a reprint and plaster pour. So, I can make a mold just to test an idea!

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3D printing problems
3D design and printing for mold making in ceramics bring exciting new capabilities. Awareness of the issues and knowing how to mitigate each is a must. 3D is resetting all fabrication industries and engineers are solving every problem, you can too.

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