ASK

Hey folks,

Started a new role with a company that will eliminate single use cups with on-the-spot fabricated ceramic cups. Pretty cool stuff, well funded, good mission.

While we currently have a way of fabricating them, I am also exploring how thin walled ceramics are traditionally mass produced. Does anybody know a factory that mass produces ~1mm ceramics and would be willing to make an intro?

(side note: I already personally pinged the famous Robin of Heath Ceramics)

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Art Sandoval - possible suppliers

holy crap chatgpt just spits it out:

Certainly! Here are the companies mentioned earlier along with a brief description and their main websites as of 2021:

1. Villeroy & Boch:
   Description: A renowned German company with a long history in ceramics production, offering various tableware, including thin-walled cups and mugs.
   Website: https://www.villeroy-boch.com/

2. Wedgwood:
   Description: An English company known for its elegant and high-quality ceramics, including fine bone china cups.
   Website: https://www.wedgwood.com/

3. Lenox Corporation:
   Description: An American brand known for its fine china and porcelain products, including delicate cups.
   Website: https://www.lenox.com/

4. Royal Doulton:
   Description: A British company that produces high-quality ceramics, including fine china cups.
   Website: https://www.royaldoulton.com/

5. Noritake:
   Description: A Japanese brand with a wide range of tableware, including thin-walled cups.
   Website: https://www.noritakechina.com/

6. Rosenthal:
   Description: A German manufacturer of fine porcelain and tableware, known for its modern designs and high-quality products.
   Website: https://www.rosenthalusa-shop.com/

7. Royal Worcester:
   Description: A British company specializing in fine bone china and porcelain products, including cups and saucers.
   Website: http://www.royalworcester.co.uk/

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Jacob Grillo - larger thoughts around sustainability

Hi Brogan, 

Unfortunately I don't have any contacts for you but it sounds like a really interesting idea for a product. One thing I'm curious about is the analysis around the different ways this product might be better for the environment. I did some work around alternative materials for consumer product enclosures and found that plastic, even though it gets a really bad rap environmentally, is a really durable material on a per mass basis and really efficient to manufacture from a carbon emissions per enclosure perspective. It sounds like your company would be better for the environment from a waste perspective but curious if there's any analysis around CO2 emitted on a per cup basis factoring in the shipping costs of the seemingly heavy raw materials needed. Sustainability is probably the most important topic of generations moving forward and I find it interesting to think about how we can have the biggest impact/benefit to society (raw material conservation by reduce/reuse/recycle, reducing CO2 emissions, regulation/politics, carbon capture, etc.).

I'm not expecting you to provide the data, just wanted to share some thoughts I had about this topic and past experience.

Cheers,

Jacobi

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David Northway - suppliers

I recommend reaching out to Kyocera locally.

Fine ceramics division rep is in Fremont.

https://global.kyocera.com/prdct/fc/global_contact/index.html

Yes they are big, but they are the ceramic experts and do high volume fine ceramics for semiconductors and may have technology transfer options.

Worth a call at least.

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Additional leads = Thin wall/scientific glass fabricators,...also out of Japan,...

Example: https://www.hario-usa.com/products/drinking-glass

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Good luck, cool project,....

Mark forged 3D print folks = Stanford alum run = John Howard = might also print ceramics at fine pitch.

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Robin Petravic - suppliers and process

high volume methods that could be appropriate though, because they both use pressure, would be pressure slip casting and powder pressing (compaction).

those processes are high volume and given how small the US ceramics industry is, pretty unlikely. there may be one mfg that has old pressure casting tech and i can ask. last i heard there may be pressure molding in texas at dal tile but it's more likely in mexico. 

lippert is the company that makes high pressure casting systems - you can check it out here and watch the youtube video too. if its interesting to you, i'd recommend contacting them and they'll actually be able to tell you who if anyone still uses their systems in the US (better path than me trying to reach out i think). 

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