Lili Yas Tayefi on Toolpath Design for 3D Printing Clay

At the nexus of technology and tactility, Lili Yas Tayefi’s practice combines coding, craft, and material intelligence, pushing the boundaries of traditional design-to-print workflows with a more material-aware methodology.

Lili Yas Tayefi has created a body of work that is sculptural and methodical. Under the direction of an artist, designer, and digital fabricator with experience in ceramic-based additive manufacturing, her forms range from ceramic modules to body-scaled vessels. They are influenced by gravity, extrusion, and the natural properties of clay in addition to digital technologies.

She is now sharing this knowledge with a larger audience of designers, artists, architects, and experimental makers who are interested in generative clay printing through the introduction of a live online course. This Clay 3D Printing Workshop focuses on using a recently released custom plug-in that the LYT Studio built after more than ten years of research to create efficient toolpaths in Grasshopper 8. The toolpath now serves as the design, and knowledge of material behavior—such as flow, tension, drying, and gravity—is just as crucial as knowledge of geometry.

3D-Printing Clay Mastery

PAACADEMY’s upcoming workshop 3D-Printing Clay Mastery is intended for anyone who wishes to develop toward technically sound, materially intelligent design rather than just attractive prints. It will be conducted on 19-20 July, 2025.

Using the LYT.Studio Grasshopper 8 plug-in, participants will learn how to create custom G-code within Rhino over two live sessions. This eliminates the need for external slicers and gives them complete control over toolpath generation. With an emphasis on elements like gravity, flow, overlaps, and drying deformation, the program provides a thorough grasp of the interactions between geometry, toolpaths, and machine behavior in the context of clay extrusion.

 In order to ensure cleaner, more dependable results, participants will also learn how to simulate, troubleshoot, and modify their prints prior to manufacturing. The use of 3D body scans offers an optional route into hybrid, organic-inspired geometries for individuals interested in sculptural experimentation. As a result, clay 3D printing is now more clever, responsive, and user-friendly.

Methodology

Using a live, interactive teaching methodology, the course includes live demos of Grasshopper and Rhino with the specially designed LYT plug-in. Technical walkthroughs covering geometric constraints, toolpath behavior, and efficient print techniques will be provided to participants, guaranteeing a thorough comprehension of how to design with both material and machine in mind. Practical context and inspiration are offered via case studies from LYT Studio's own portfolio, which includes interactive clay installations, body-scaled vases, and modular ceramic walls.

There is room for personalized feedback, troubleshooting, and discussion of unique project goals during an open Q&A session. Instead of advocating for a uniform process, the course equips students with the skills and information necessary to create unique, situation-specific clay 3D printing solutions.

About LYT Studio 

Rethinking how digital tools might work with analog materials is the main goal of LYT Studio, a creative lab founded on more than a decade of research and experimentation. Their method, which is based on actual print behavior, produces everything from experimental clay installations to ceramic lighting and sculpture.

The studio's philosophy prioritizes learning through tangible feedback over static geometry. An important step toward toolpath-based creativity is the recently released LYT Grasshopper plug-in, which lets users operate like fabricators, think like machines, and design like artists.