The Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR) at UWE to invite you to the symposium ‘Towards a New Ceramic Future ‘ at the Victoria and Albert Museum, Hochhauser Auditorium, London on the 17th January 2012 (10.30am – 4.00pm).

The 3D print research team at the Centre for Fine Print Research (CFPR) have developed and patented a new innovative ceramic material for 3D printing that has wide applications. It opens up the possibility for artists to print ceramic objects directly in three dimensions and will allow them to produce unique works without incurring some of the existing modeling and tool costs. This one-day symposium will address the potential of 3D printed ceramics for both the ceramic tableware industry and the implications it may offer to the individual craftsperson.

Currently CFPR is working in partnership with Denby Pottery on an AHRC funded project to demonstrate the viability of 3D printed ceramic bodies as a design tool for concept modeling of tableware. Until now, it has not been possible to produce an actual commercial ceramic prototype using digital technology. This project has led to “actual object generation” and the development of processes suitable for commercial and artistic exploitation. The ability to print directly into a compatible ceramic material that could be rapidly glazed and decorated will be a quantum leap for Denby Pottery. The research has attracted interest from other major industrial partners including Z Corporation, Johnson Matthey PLC, Viridis LLC, Roland DRG and Hewlett Packard.

We are working with artists, designers, craftspeople and Denby to use the technologies and methods we have developed to design new ceramic artefacts and investigate the potential of producing short run bespoke items.  We are starting to get some really interesting visual results.
 
This symposium will be chaired by Paul Scott and will include presentations from Professor Stephen Hoskins, Mr David Huson and Dr Peter Walters from UWE and designers from Denby Pottery as well as a demonstration of the CFPR material, methods, best practice, research findings and examples of artefacts created using the UWE material.

You can find out more about the research being undertaken at CFPR by visiting:
http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/research/cfpr/research/3D/research_projects/solid_free_form.html

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/research/cfpr/research/3D/research_projects/fabricationof3d.html