3D Printing: Ceramics.

To clarify, this isn't precisely 3D-printed ceramics; Shapeways uses a process by which it 3D-prints the shell into which a clay mixture is poured into.

Late last week I got my prints back, and of the three prints I ordered, my porcelain print was the one I was most interested in. I got mixed results in this, however.

This first image (above) highlights the problem with Shapeways' process, which I consider a quality control issue. Notice the deeper color at the base of major edges? That's the pooling of liquid glazing when applied by spray. In my design, I designed for roughly 1.5mm tolerance so that the shot would fit inside of the base. The pooled glaze ended up bulging outward by 1mm all around. Remove that bulge and the shot would have fit.

Up close, you can see this bulge very clearly. Having done a decent amount of ceramics in my youth, including hand-applying glaze, I know that this is a sign of quality control problems.

Nonetheless, I took to my espresso machine to make some tasty liquid so that I could have a mini photo shoot.

It wasn't 5 minutes after opening up the box and examining the print, that I ran to my desktop and made modifications to the 3D design, by lengthening the shot slightly, and narrowing the base so that it would slide effortlessly into the base. At the same time, I also modified the base to widen it slightly and straighten the top and bottom to limit the effects of edge pooling.

Of course, I initially contemplated complaining to Shapeways about issues of QC. But I realized that making these changes would bypass their QC issues and eliminate any future risk.

And so goes my dive into 3D printing of ceramics.