Coil CAM and 3D Printed Pottery
by s_paul in Workshop > 3D Printing
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Coil CAM and 3D Printed Pottery
![IMG_4289.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F8U/6QOE/LHYUZIEF/F8U6QOELHYUZIEF.jpg&filename=IMG_4289.jpeg)
![IMG_4282.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F9Y/IKC5/LHYUZIGE/F9YIKC5LHYUZIGE.jpg&filename=IMG_4282.jpeg)
I used the CoilCam Grasshopper setup to 3D print this form. I wanted to push the boundaries of the clay and see if I could get "controlled" sinking for visual effect. I was inspired by the droopy forms on this orange pot in the lab.
Supplies
Clay
Grasshopper
Small PotterBot
Using CoilCam
![Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 3.27.22 PM.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FZG/10L6/LHYUZILY/FZG10L6LHYUZILY.png&filename=Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 3.27.22 PM.png)
![Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 3.27.13 PM.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FY8/9LX7/LHYUZIM1/FY89LX7LHYUZIM1.png&filename=Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 3.27.13 PM.png)
![Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 3.29.13 PM.png](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FCR/7OTB/LHYUZINP/FCR7OTBLHYUZINP.png&filename=Screenshot 2023-05-22 at 3.29.13 PM.png)
Based on some advice from someone familiar with CoilCam, I generated some unsupported overhangs to get the droopy effect. I modified one of the example files to make a square wave cascading up the side in a spiral.
As you can see in the image of the Toolpath generator, there are a few parameters I can modify.
For the radius shaping parameter (which defaults to a circle for each layer), I added a square wave to create the bumps. My amplitude was about 1/10 of the period and I used 2 bumps to make a "smooth" shape. Each layer should have about 2 waves, so I can get a distinct rotation.
For scale shaping parameter, I used the same setup as the example, which was an addition of two sine waves- 1 large wave for the profile and one smaller wave to make the oscillations.
I left scalingRadius shaping parameter alone, and it is just a linear function with 0.05 slope.
I didn't add any translating factors to this model.
For the Rotate parameter, I used the Staircase function. I used a step width of 6 and a height of 40. I didn't want a lot of features protruding out, and I had trouble tuning this. I realized that I needed to decrease the number of waves in my layers, by increasing the period of the radius shaping parameter. Otherwise, it gets too busy. This could also be a cool effect similar to the example, but I wanted fewer features and one defined spiral cascading up.
The tool path is pictured in red.
Printing on the Potterbot
![IMG_4289.jpeg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F9F/9Y0H/LHYUZJE4/F9F9Y0HLHYUZJE4.jpg&filename=IMG_4289.jpeg)
As you can see by this picture, I did get some unanticipated sinking. I quite like it, but it may not be ideal for firing. I think I would decrease the amplitude of the smaller sine wave (for the wavy profile) if I were to print this again. I did have to tune the z baby step and extrusion ration on the potterbot interface while it was printing.