German 3D printing startup Stoneflower has introduced a DIY Ceramic 3D Printing KIT which can convert any standard FDM Printer into a Clay or Porcelain depositing printer. With some upgradation it can also print pulp, wax or paint on a canvas and even food.
Stoneflower is launching a crowdfunding campaign pretty soon for the ceramic kit. The launch will have discounted offers for supporters and the Early bird offers start from $535 which in itself is far cheaper than the present dedicated ceramic printers. The kit will include a light weight and easy to use print head along with an extruder and a syringe pump for the porcelain or clay feed.
Clay 3D Printing Image Credit: Stoneflower
The best part of this development is the fact that ceramic materials are far cheaper than plastic materials and moreover they are biodegradable so hobbyists and enthusiasts can experiment without any environmental concerns.
This idea was developed and achieved by two Russian engineering students Stanislav Mironov and Anatoly Berezkin. After 6 months of immersive research they came up with the perfect solution for use of viscous fluids like clay and other pastes in 3D printing. Due to their dedicated focus on such materials, the kit can also be used for printing wax, pulp, painting on canvas and also soldering pastes on PCBs. The entire setup is easy to assemble and disassemble and can be conveniently cleaned.
Syringe for clay 3D Printing Image Credit: Stoneflower
Some of the specifications of the kit are as follows:
Printing speed: 20 to 100 mm/s
Available nozzle diameters: 1 to 4 mm
Layer thickness: 0.3 to 1.5 mm (3mm nozzle)
Weight of the print head: 400g
The crowdfunding campaign will start in January 2018 and the delivery of the Kits is expected to start from April 2018.
