3D Printed Series

As an outgrowth of my graphical dog series, I've started developing a parallel set of 3D printed figurines to match. Having finally photographed the 3D prints I received some 3 weeks ago, I've now updated my Shapeways models and made them available for sale.

The Next Hybrid Idea: Light #2

This was originally an idea from several years ago which I dropped while moving onto other ideas -- I've got some 30+ designs just in light fixtures, in various levels of design completeness.

I've started reading a book, Making Ideas Happen, and I thought I'd pick up one of my existing designs and develop it further, incorporating some 3D printed parts with the original plan of CNC parts with the goal of pushing it to reality.

I'm going to get one of these built, but I don't know whether to go with the dark or light version. I think I'll go with the light version.

In process: Hybrid Light Fixtures

This design represents a different means of production -- a hybrid -- of using custom-designed 3D printed parts and laser-cut CNC parts. I've been sitting on a few other hybrid design objects, knowing that I need to explore these concepts further.

Perhaps contrary to the honesty of the production process, I feel that objects which look like they were laser-cut CNC parts fall short of their true potential. Hence, the desire to introduce 3D-printed parts and the need for further exploration before finalizing a design and sending out for production.

I'm quite proud of this design, to be sure.

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.

12-sided vase.

The original concept was that, as DNA is made up of four variations of nucleotides (Guanine, Adenine, Thymine, Cytosine), so too might it make for an interesting set of design variations, based on four different profiled edges, in order to create an illusion of randomness.

What's the point?  I'm exploring ideas for a 3D-printed ceramic vase, and variations of it.  Preferably minimalist.