Continuous Clay Printer Requirements + Value Proposition

Requirements

1. Continuous printing in clay starting from clay powder
2. Powder allows for easy and continuous material flow with augers and pumps, and easy mixing into a fluid material
3. Mixing chamber premixes clay and water
4. Pump, probably peristaltic, pumps into a pressure chamber
5. Pressure chamber operates by air pressure
6. Clay print head has automatic flush with water, so maintenance is zero on print head
7. Mixing chamber retains settled clay material, so cleanout/maintenance requirement is zero between prints
8. Ability to print with common clays, found in many locations worldwide
9. Includes ball/roller mill for powdering clays from local sites (rocks are turned to clay-size particles)
10. 3D prints are kilned after printing to turn them into ceramic

Value Proposition

1. Cups, plates, and pottery for plants
2. Printing insulators for nichrome wire and other forms for heater elements
3. Printing flameware for cooking
4. Printing inert vessels for reactions
5. Making cylinders for reactor vessels and pistons
6. Making vessels for liquid metals
7. Ceramic rollers and balls for bearings
8. Scaled version: house printing