An experimental approach by the maker Claywoven shows how processes from ceramic 3D printing can be successfully transferred to plastic. The result is components with a striking, textured surface that is usually more familiar from the processing of clay materials. The method is based on a combination of parametric design in Blender and implementation on a standard FDM printer.
In ceramic 3D printing, it is common to extrude plastic material with targeted texturing. These textures result from controlled path modulations and can be shaped comparatively well thanks to the viscous consistency of the starting material. With plastics, this behavior is limited by the rapid cooling, but with clever pressure path control, comparable results can still be achieved. The structures produced are particularly visually interesting and are used in decorative objects such as lights or designer housings.
The design is done in Blender, whereby a special plugin is required to generate the modified print paths. Texturing can be restricted to specific areas of the model – for example, to keep threads or mating surfaces free of disruptive structures. The generated G-codes can be transferred to any FDM printer. A Bambu Lab device was used in the test, but in principle any machine that can process standardized G-code commands is suitable.
The approach shows that design techniques from the ceramics sector can be creatively transferred to thermoplastic materials. For users who are familiar with Blender or want to delve deeper into the design of individual print paths, the method offers an extended form of expression in 3D printing.
The plugin is available for download from GitHub.
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