Large-scale 3D printed porcelain vases

Dutch designer Olivier van Herpt built a 3D printer capable of forming the thinnest porcelain to date on a large scale, which he used to create large porcelain vases.

Porcelain is a type of ceramics known for its delicacy, strength and whiteness. However, because the material, unlike other clays, softens in the kiln, it is difficult to use porcelain to make larger objects, as these collapse or deform during firing. Thus, porcelain is generally used to make small objects. Large object are possible, but only with additives to the clay, supports or self-supporting round forms.

Van Herpt built a new 3D printer that is capable of forming the thinnest porcelain ever on a a large scale. The printer makes the material light enough to avoid collapsing the kiln, despite its size, thus allowing for asymmetrical, large-scale forms without limitations.

The secret does not only lie in the production process, however. Pure white porcelain has a high shrinking percentage, the highest of all clays. To prevent deformations, Van Herpt built digitally controlled drying chambers that ensure that large pieces dry evenly. He also 3D printed thin, fire-clay reusable saggars, which are containers that protect objects being fired in kiln. They help spread the heat and allow for uniform firing.

Van Herpt used his technique, which took him three years to perfect, to create non-round large-scale vases in a project called Dunes. Each object, ranging between 110 and 120 cm in (43.3 to 47.2 inches) height, took him weeks to create, and the final result was only revealed after opening the kiln. The blue colouring is added during the printing process, rather than being applied afterward.

The Kunstmuseum Den Haag in the Netherlands has acquired the first pair of Dunes.

Photos: Olivier van Herpt