Feb 2, 2016 | By Alec
Nothing is pushing the 3D printing envelope further than new 3D printable materials with exciting qualities, and we were therefore very interested to see a new Kickstarter campaign by Tethon 3D go live. They have developed a very intriguing resin called Porcelite which, as the name suggests, mimics the qualities of ceramic porcelain. Most importantly, this new resin delivers very high quality results and is compatible with both SLA and DLP resin 3D printers.
In case you’ve never heard of Tethon 3D, they’re a Omaha, Nebraska-based ceramic 3D printing service provider. Their name actually reflects their Nebraska home ,as the word ‘Tethon’ actually means White Buffalo in the language of the native Omaha tribe. The company itself specializes in producing high quality ceramic 3D printers for a variety of sectors, and have worked with artists, architects, archeologists and other specialists before. They are also currently working on 3D printable biomaterials that can be used for bone reconstruction.
However, they are now also ready to bring their high quality Porcelite resin to professional and home users everywhere. “We've invented Porcelite and now we want to bottle it up and share it with others,” They say over at Kickstarter. “The use of fired clay began in 24,000 B.C. The invention of the potter's wheel was a major transformation in the fabrication of ceramics. Now, we introduce Porcelite as the next innovative step in Ceramic 3D Printing for our generation.”
The material itself is actually a special resin that adds a firing stage to the production process. A porcelain UV curable resin, it is compatible with both SLA or DLP 3D printers. “Anyone with a UV-based 3D printer, whether a professional or hobbyist can now print in this ceramic composite,” they say.
"Porcelite is a photo-cured resin material that fabricates a solid ceramic composite straight from the 3D printer. If desired, it can be fired in a kiln, resulting in a 100% porcelain object suitable for glazing or other traditional ceramic finishes," says Karen Linder, President and CEO of Tethon 3D.
It essentially acts as any other resin, and objects are made of a solid ceramic composite once 3D printed. Firing it up in a kiln then completes the transformation, turning the objects into pure porcelain. This also makes them suitable for common porcelain treatment techniques, such as glazing. Most importantly, it also maintains the high resolution details common in SLA and DLP 3D printing, making this a perfect material option for industrial components and jewelry.
"In addition to its technical qualities, Porcelite produces beautiful pieces that are a pleasure to view and hold," adds Linder.
As they explain, Tethon 3D is now turning to crowdfunding to make the Porcelite production process suitable for large-volume production. “Our current process involves hand measuring and mixing, pouring directly into the 3D printer resin trays. To make Porcelite resin commercially available directly to the consumer, we need to mass produce and bottle it for shipment. This will require an investment in automated materials processing, bottling and packaging equipment.”
To realize this, they are hoping to raise a mere $5000 over the coming month, which should be doable. A pledge of $200 or more will get you a liter of the precious Porcelite resin, while they have also made three ready-to-print files available for backers. A sufficient pledge will even give access to an in-house (or Skype) 3D printing workshop for individuals or groups. “Experiences will be customized to the participant's needs and time available, including 3D scanning, 3D computer modeling for ceramics, 3D printing with powder/ink jet binder or SLA/DLP technologies and post fabrication finishing of 3D printed ceramics,” they say. Interested? Head over to Kickstarter for more information.
Posted in 3D Printing Materials
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Pfff, this is awesome...
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