Quote Originally Posted by jezzeryoung;93080

Durability. Is the material used in 3D printing able to handle high heat?Is it food safe? Is it insulation enough to hold boiling liquid without burning one's hands when holding the bowl?

[There are many materials used for 3D printing. If you print in ceramic and fire it, then sure - it's food safe, and it won't burn your hands any more than any other ceramic bowl. But if you print your bowls using a FDM printer and ABS or PLA, then no - it's not really food safe and it's not suitable for boiling liquids.


Cost. I know there is a vast range of options, but is there any way to ballpark cost a basic soup bowl, cost per bowl? Does this cost vary depending on color? Does it vary if any design or logo is added to the bowl? What about the cost of the printer itself? I am willing to spend more for a printer that can easily handle higher volume production (again, +/-300 bowls).

[You can upload your 3D file to the Shapeways site and get a price for printing your bowl. Generally, color and details don't affect the cost much if at all; it's figured by the cubic volume.

If you buy a printer to do it yourself, then the cost varies depending on which printer you choose. The HighRel printer works with ceramic pastes, for example; you can ask Davo how much a suitable system would cost: http://www.hyrel3d.com/ Keep some room in your budget for a kiln, etc. ]


Thanks for sharing your knowledge!
You might also consider investing in a potter's wheel - it's faster and considerably cheaper...