Digitalceram – one more device for ceramic 3D printing
Digitalceram, a 3D printer designed for printing with ceramic clay as well as other viscous materials – chocolate, plasticine, cement mixtures and so on – is being released on the Kickstarter platform.
The company decided to equip the machine with cartesian coordinate system. This decision they explain with the fact that such systems are better suited for heavy print heads. Also, the high positioning speed, being one of the key advantages of the delta 3D printer may seem contradictory when it comes to printing with soft materials. The developers claim that printing speed is 40% higher compared to other “ceramic” printers, but there’s no indication as to which printers exactly were chosen for this bald comparison.
The device has a build volume of 150х150х200mm, print speed of 10-120mm/s. The available nozzle diameter is from 0.6 up to 3mm. Operating is done with the original patented advanced control system and the materials are extruded by pneumatic actuator featuring an air compressor.
The advantage over worm-and-wheel gearbox systems supposedly lays in the fact that as the material thickens, the resistance of clay gradually becomes higher than step motor’s torque and eventually the motor will start losing steps, while the pressure in the air compression system compensates for the varying consistency of the material. This affordable solution will help you ensure that your prints are free of various defects common to products produced by many other ceramic 3D printers.
Any of the popular slicers – Сura, Simplify3D and many others can be used to prepare digital models for printing. Since the machine doesn’t restrict third-party software, the owner is free to choose whatever they like for slicing digital models.
As of yet, the team has not clarified the situation with compatible materials: they offer two special versions of clay mixtures, which will allow the printing of glossy products without glazing or sintering. It’s not specified what the mixtures consist of, but you can use more traditional materials with suitable consistency in addition – various clay, chocolate, cement mixtures, plasticine and so on.
The full package that consists of a 3D printer, Mini Air Compression System, tank for the materials, and 1KG of porcelain clay can still be ordered for HK$2580 ($329). The option without the Air Compression System is also available for HK$1875 ($239). The machine is delivered pre-assembled and works out of the box. The first shipment is scheduled on April 2020.
3D printers like Digitalceram can create truly amazing parts made of clay or other soft materials. Such things can be useful for decoration purposes or you can even sell them for a reasonable price to get a profit. The device’s accuracy allows for a high-quality result completely free of defects. If you’re interested in such 3D printers but have no experience and don’t know where to start, check out this guide. It will help you choose a machine that will suit all your needs without making you go broke.
