Formlabs Ceramic Printing Progress

With each print job, new things come to light that help us learn what it takes to reliably print with the experimental ceramic resin on the Formlabs Form 2.

With the first successful print completed, with just one earring.  It was time to complete the pair and add a second pair to see how more than one earring printed.  So, the second print job included three earrings.  All of them were oriented as was the first.

Fortunately, the print was successful.  So, at this point I have been able to print 2 pairs of sample earrings.  This was encouraging!

FormLabs Ceramic Progress... four sets completed.

But, it was more than that.  It gave me multiple items to study closely.

The first thing that became clear is that while it is doable, removing all these supports cleanly is going to take time and time is money.  I had to find a way to print the items upright, or as near to upright as possible so that areas impacted by supports are minimized, while still providing the adherence required for successful printing.

One key, of course, is robust support creation.  But, the other key, was not so obvious.  But, it had been in front of me every time I had been successful up to the point of finishing a raft.  That key is preventing "cupping".  Think of "cupping" by visualizing the tentacles on an octopus or squid.  Our designs can form the suction cup features that make it difficult to separate a newly printed layer from the bottom of the resin vat.  In fact, the suction can be so great that it breaks supports completely causing catastrophic failure.

As I studied the successful prints carefully, something caught my eye.  What you cannot see in this image is that there are little holes around the circumference of the rafts generated by the Formlabs software.  They are SO tiny that it is even difficult to see them when you look closely while holding one in your hand.  Yet, they are important clues.  They are relief holes that allow air to escape which prevents cupping from happening at a level that causes the parts to fail.

I had been warned about "Cups" by the Formlabs software in previous prints.  But, now that message took on new meaning and I decided to investigate more deeply.  Before attempting to print again, I realized I had to create those same little escape holes in my entire part.

I have done so and now have just begun a new print job with four earrings.  Each earring design includes internal venting tunnels.  We'll see how it goes.  We'll have to wait some hours to find out.  But, I can tell you this, I am encouraged enough to purchase a new cartridge of ceramic material so that I can continue testing.  There IS light at the end of the tunnel.

UPDATE 1:  Support removal is unique for Ceramic Prints

I will write more about this topic in the near future.  We've been dealing with supports for years with a wide variety of techniques.  Using SLA plastic support removal tools and techniques is NOT going to have the same outcome with ceramic prints. Ceramic prints in their "green" state crumble easily.  So, using snips without damaging a part is more difficult than when removing plastic supports.  We're thinking that something like a rotary tool with a Dremel 561 Multipurpose Cutting Bit might be effective.  We'll see.  More later...

Dremel 561 Cutting Bit

UPDATE 2:  "Tunnel" method works! 

"Tunnel" Test Print

This was a quick snapshot taken with my camera just as the print completed.  Raft and supports were part of the design.  Raft is a hex design so that multiple groups can be easily placed into the print area.

But, I will have to delay getting better pictures for a bit due to our full teaching schedule through Saturday.  This is 3D ThinkLink Immersion Lab week for 6 cadets from Maryland, DC and South Carolina.  Keeping 6 cadets busy designing and printing on single color FDM, Color Mixing FDM, powder/binder full color and SLA takes full concentration.  Besides, it is a LOT of fun!

BTW, the print that finished this afternoon just about emptied my first ceramic cartridge; but, more is on the way.

Even though it might not arrive this week, we'll let the cadets design something for ceramic to be printed and fired before their graduation ceremony where we can present it to them.  In the meantime, we do have "tough" resin so they can see the result of their design from an SLA printer. They will be the first group to be introduced to both powder/binder and SLA during their 3D immersion experience.

Where There Has Been No Learning, There Has Been No Teaching

I went to college at a very small school, with just 35 in our graduating class.  But, in that tiny educational institution were some outstanding educators that cared deeply.  One of them was Dr. Wesley Willis.  The title of this blog entry is a quote from him that came to be the foundation stone of my own educational theory.  And, that is true even when the teacher and student are one and the same person.

Before I can teach the at-risk young people we are dedicated to serve, I must first teach myself.  And, sometimes I am a VERY slow student.  But, the teacher me cannot use that as an excuse to give up.  If teaching the student me is to be successful, the teacher me has to continue to try from every possible direction.

And, I am happy to say we have made progress.  We have our first successful ceramic print from the Form 2 SLA printer!

It's not an impressive part, by any means.  But, it represents some learning and that is a huge step.

For one thing, it tells us that we are correct in our feeling that even though we might choose to print larger ceramic objects using a powder/binder printer, if we can solve our issue with SLA and come up with a more reliable workflow that the end result will be stunningly detailed.  It's not an issue of "EITHER/OR" it's "AND".

We have to remember that the Form 2 was designed well before anyone decided to try ceramic materials to use with it.  It was never designed specifically for printing ceramics.  In fact, Formlabs is VERY clear that it is an experimental material that is not for the faint of heart to try to use.  But, ceramics has such unique character and value that it is worth the effort for those desiring those characteristics.

Where we are now

We have learned enough to print a single small item.  We have learned that when we do have a failure, it is imperative that we search through the dense, opaque material for every vestige of failed print that might be the cause of the next print to fail.  And, we have also learned that being successful with printing a single item does not mean you will be successful with printing multiple items in a single print job.  This is the result of getting greedy!

Not good.  This is a capture from the camera we use to monitor prints when we are not there.  Clearly one or more parts fell off.  But, until I get into the office, we don't know more than that.

When we analyze the failures, it appears that the suction that is inherent in all SLA printers that print upside down is a major part of the problem.  The new Form 3 series of printers is designed to reduce that effect so that may be a better option. We just don't know.

Another option is the as yet-to-be-released Bison 1000 from Tethon3D that is described as having been designed specifically FOR CERAMIC and METAL printing.  Again, without having seen one, it's still a mystery as to how reliable one can get when printing ceramics in SLA or DLP.

But, the quest goes on with the realization that I have a LOT of teaching to do in spite of the fact that my only student studying ceramic printing with an SLA (me) at the moment is having a rough time grasping the fundamentals.  We'll keep you posted.

UPDATE: 

Formlabs has not certified their ceramic material for the Form 3 as yet and the plans for doing so are unclear.  This means that it remains an experimental material for the foreseeable future.  Even so, until another option is available, we will continue to pursue our own experiments in hopes of raising the percentages of successful prints to an acceptable, if not perfect, level.  Ceramics, for us, is worth the effort.

Experiments With Printing Ceramics in SLA are Going Slowly.

Before a single other sentence is written, it must be stated that not only does Formlabs call their ceramic resin "experimental"; but, they go out of their way to warn users that ceramic printin, using the Form 2 SLA printer, is a bit of a challenge.

My goal is to duplicate the design sent to Kwambio, that was successfully printed, using

 the Form2.

So far, the score is Form 2 THREE and Tom Meeks ZERO.

That does not mean that I have not seen enough of the cured material to know it is well worth continuing the quest.  It simply means that I must learn from the failures, do a bit of critical thinkug about those failures and come back at it from a revised direction.

Obviously, the most impressive aspect of printing with an SLA or DLP is the incredible detail.   And, the printed fragmens also so an incredible strength even before they are fired.  In fact, the reslts of my 3 attempts to print have reslted in incredibly great looking supports. It's just that the parts they were intended to support ended up in the bottom of the resin vat in a lump.

But, the surving supports have a wonderful character to them leading me to be even more tenatious at finding a way to succeed.

But, here are some other observations:

• SLA takes an incredibly long time compared to powder/binder.
• DLP should be faster
• It's difficult to assess, early, how well a print might turn out until it has printed at least a few inches.
• When things go wrong it is a very messy business to fix them.
• 99% Alcohol is your friend.  You'll be tempted to drink it; but, don't.  It will kill you.

The ceramic part is a LOT heavier than a plastic part.  So, coming up with a winning support strategy is a must.  I'm not there yet.  But, things are not peeling off the build plate.  They are separating from the supports at thin points.

I have made what I hope to be a correction on that score and the fourth attempt is in progress.  Only 10 more hours to go!

Update:  It's now Form2 FIVE and Tom Meeks ZERO.

But, I am still convinced that it is 90% user error.  The last two failures were something new.  The Framework for the supports came of the print plate.  I suspect that there might be a tiny remnant of cured resin still in the bottom of the tank keeping the print plate from completely reaching the focus point OR the mix is now two thick.  I will try smaller parts and, perhaps, strain the resin and remix it to get a better consistency.

Formlabs is very upfront about printing in ceramics:

"As a Form X experimental product, Ceramic Resin has a lower print success rate than standard Formlabs materials, and therefore benefits from a higher level of skill and attention than other Formlabs products. Ceramic Resin has special requirements for part design and print planning"

So, I will not fault them.  With that kind of up front statement, I have not problem with the fact that it is up to the user to develop the skills and attention to be successful.  I just wish I were a quicker learner. :)

First 3D Printed Ceramic Object Has Arrived

In order to take the first step in exploring 3D printing objects in ceramics, I used Kwambio's print-on-demand with a simple original design simply to get an idea, in person, how the final product looks.

It has arrived.

Since Kwambio is located in the Ukraine and ALL ceramic objects go through a multi-step process over a few days, there was a little time between ordering a receiving the print.

Kwambio's help started even before design began with their printing guide.  This provided me with the optimal wall thickness and the importance of as much uniformity as possible for a first print.  After they received the design, Kwambio's design team checked the design and smoothed out some sharp angles where two features joined then sent me the corrected design to approve.

After approval, I was given a tentative schedule.  Without going back through multiple communications to be certain, I actually believe that they beat their tentative schedule.  It certainly was not a painful wait.

As I have previously stated, I am NOT an artist.  But, I am proficient in Moment of Inspiration and was able to come up with a design of a small planter with an internal feature that is typical of what can be done best with a powder-based 3D printer.

The design was meant to be a bit pedestrian.   So, my analysis of the results are aimed solely at the character of the materials and the finish of the print.

Simply put... The results are stunning.

Kwambio Ceramic Powder/binder Print

Kwambio uses a powder/binder print process in equipment they have designed themselves.  At YouthQuest, we have a similar type printer called the Z450.  The primary difference is in the available materials.  The Z450 relies on gypson for the powder and the equivalent of Crazy Glue for the binder.  The parts are in full CMY color; but, they cannot be fired and only a coat of epoxy glue can make them even come close to durable.  On the other hand, the Kwambio one of the materials the Kwambio Ceramo series printers uses is ceramics and they CAN be fired which means there is agood likelihood they will still be around in 1000 or more years!

In addition to being able to be fired, Kwambio ceramic parts can be glazed as in the above sample.  The final result is a durability, look and feel of standard traditional pottery.  Clay is clay no matter how the part originated.

While powder/binder is not the only technology for 3D printing ceramics, based on our experience with the Z450. it should be the most reliable way to do so.  We expect that we will also use one or more SLA or DLP printers in some specialized ceramic applications.  But, for daily high volume production work, powder/binder is going to be our first choice.

Hopefully, the Kwambio Ceramo Zero Max will be released in the nexttwo or three months so we can find out!

Why this Blog?

Ceramics, as a material, has come to 3D printing.  But, it faces a problem.

Traditional ceramics artists know the full workflow required from creating a clay shape to taking a finished piece out of a kiln.  But, for the most part, the reason why they enjoy the clay arts is that they enjoy the tactile aspects of working with their hands on clay.  Thus, it's rare to find a clay artist that has proficiency with a 3D design software program... which is NOT a tactile activity.

On the other hand, there is a huge world of people that have learned one or more 3D design programs that certainly could design and print in ceramics.  But, their issues in adopting the new material revolve around the fact that they have absolutely no experience in the workflow required to move from a green clay state to a fully finished and fired final result.

3D Printing ceramics requires a mix of skills and technical know-how that has not been required from either either group of people.

This blog will endeavor to be a help to both camps.

For the traditional clay artist it is hoped that we can offer insight and tutorials into easy to learn 3D design applications and guidance in how to incorporate 3D printing into their traditional approach.  It's really NOT an either/or proposition.  3D printing can COMPLEMENT traditional methods of creating clay objects.

For those already designing and printing plastic parts on their 3D printers who wish they could use their skills for income, it is hoped that with a little guidance in the ceramics workflow, they will come to see that ceramic objects have intrinsic values that has potential for tangible income.

I have held plastic 3D printed parts and I have held 3D printed ceramic parts and there is no question as to which has the most perceived value!  It's not even close.

Here is my first 3D printed ceramic object that I ordered from Kwambio's parts-on-demand service.

Kwambio Ceramics Print

I'll have more to say about this piece in my next blog entry.  For now, it's enough to say that this exudes value that none of the plastic or powder/binder printers we use exhibit.  It's stunning in person.  You can see the original design on Sketchfab.

While I recognize that there are FDM printers that produce ceramic objects, for the most part we are going to focus on SLA and powder-based 3D ceramics printers.  The Formlabs Form 2 is the best representative of the SLA category and, the promised Kwambio Ceramo Zero Max is the best representative in the powder-based category.

Over time, I anticipate that most of the focus will turn to the powder-based alternative.  But, there is no way to know for sure until the Kwambio is actually delivered.  The best I can do for now is to work with Form 2 SLA to demonstrate the ceramics workflow until an alternative is actually shipped.

I do plan to go to Kwambio's office in the U.S. as soon as a Kwambio Ceramo Zero Max is available to see in person.  Hopefully, that will be in July.  In the meantime there is a LOT to learn and a LOT of fun to be had!  Stay tuned!

3D Printed Ceramics: A New 3D Adventure Begins!

The creation of this blog culminates years of anticipating the ability to create ceramic objects using 3D printing.

I know that this ability, using FDM printing techniques, has been around for a long time.  And, I also know that there have been ceramic resins for SLA printers for a while.  But, for a variety of reasons, my personal goal has always been to be able to print ceramics using a powder-based printer.

I say that not to take away the value of the other methods; but, simply because I used a gypsum based powder printer for may years and it's my favorite of all the 3D printing technologies.  I'm simply more comfortable with it.

But, having said that, my first baby steps in merging my interest in 3D printing with my interest in ceramics will be with the Form2 SLA printer from Formlabs.  With it, I hope to be able to explore the workflow required to go from a 3D design in software to a successful ceramic object.

The big difference between what I am used to using, the Z450 powder/binder printer, and what I hope to use is the ability to FIRE the 3D printed output.

FIRING is a HUGE leap forward.  It adds strength and durability that is not possible with most 3D print technologies.  And, the glazing process that can be part of the workflow as a beauty and quality that is difficult to achieve any other way.

But, I am NOT an artist.

My interest in 3D printing of ceramics is more technical in nature.  I will be directly exploring the HOW of the process to help artists and designers who are better equipped than I to do this art form justice.

But, I have another reason to embark on this journey.  My life's work is now dedicated to one singular goal... changing the trajectory of young, at-risk lives.  At the YouthQuest Foundation, we have found that teaching 3D design and printing is a highly effective way to do this, as the students' learn critical thinking skills and realize that "Failures are not final!" resulting in a new tenacity to break free of their past.

I'm hoping that by adding ceramics printing to our capabilities, we can expand the long-term potential of our outcomes, including adding a potential vocational component for some of the students we impact.  More on this later.  But, for now, it is enough to say that it is an essential element of my exploration goals.

In my next post, I will relate how I began this quest more than 13 years ago, a why I am so excited to be able to start this new blog.