Will I be able to see my design being 3D printed?

Yes. The workshop includes a live clay 3D-printing session where selected participants' designs will be printed.

What software will I need for the workshop?

You will use Rhino 8 and Grasshopper. Additional tools such as KUKA PRC, the Robots plugin, and Ultimaker Cura will also be introduced.

What will I create during the workshop?

You will develop computational design strategies to generate clay 3D-printable geometries, exploring textures, toolpaths, and material-driven forms for architectural applications.

Will I get access to the workshop recordings?

Yes. You will have lifetime access to the recordings of all purchased courses, allowing you to revisit the content anytime.

What is Grasshopper used for in clay 3D printing workflows?

Grasshopper, running inside Rhino, is used to generate parametric geometries and toolpaths for clay 3D printing. In this workshop, participants use Grasshopper to control print effects, layer height, texture, infill patterns, and shape manipulation, and to produce fabrication data for the Delta WASP 40100 Clay printer and robotic systems using plugins like KUKA PRC and the Robots plugin.

What does the Clay 3D-Printing workshop at PAACADEMY cover across two days?

Day 1 covers theoretical foundations, including digital fabrication case studies with semi-liquid materials, an introduction to clay and ceramic printing, and a Rhino and Grasshopper tutorial on toolpath generation. Day 2 moves into design review, fabrication data generation using KUKA PRC and Ultimaker Cura, material preparation, machine setup, and live clay printing of participant designs on the WASP printer at ZHAW's digital lab.

Do I need prior experience with Rhino or Grasshopper to join this workshop?

The workshop introduces the basics of Rhinoceros and Grasshopper as part of the program, specifically for clay printing applications, so no advanced prior experience is required. Participants will learn toolpath generation, geometry development, and fabrication data preparation from scratch within the workshop sessions.

What will I produce by the end of the clay 3D printing workshop?

By the end of the two days, participants will have a fully developed parametric brick element or system, generated toolpaths and fabrication data, and a physically printed clay prototype produced on the Delta WASP 40100 Clay printer at ZHAW's digital fabrication lab, either individually or as part of a group depending on enrollment.

Aug 15-16, 202611 lessonsIntermediate

✦ Recently AddedFREE with Full Access Aug 15-16, 2026 Workshop Intermediate 11 lessons 5.0 Rating

Clay 3D-Printing: Beyond Digital Design

Clay 3D-Printing: Beyond Digital Design is a 2-day digital fabrication workshop that teaches material-aware design for clay 3D printing using Rhinoceros and Grasshopper. Participants study material behavior in semi-liquid fabrication processes, generate toolpaths and print paths parametrically, and produce a customized brick element or facade system. The workshop concludes with live clay printing of participant designs at ZHAW's Digital Lab using a Delta WASP 40100 Clay printer, with remote participation via Zoom. No prior Rhino or Grasshopper experience is required.

This course includes

Live workshop · 7h 4m
Lifetime session recordings
Certificate of completion
Downloadable course files
5 design tools
Private Discord community
Included with Full Access
Aug 15-16, 2026

The possibilities of digital fabrication go beyond the creation of complex geometries; interaction with materials offers opportunities for expression or for exploiting their characteristics. This also means that the physical prototypes will often look or react differently from what was assumed digitally.

This workshop will focus on the capabilities of materials and how to plan for their use in digital fabrication, with a particular practical focus on semi-liquid materials for 3D printing applications. The specific application will be the creation of a standard brick element or set of elements with a customized intervention for facade or other applications.

Through theoretical and practical sections, the participants will learn about: diverse cases of material reactions using multiple digital fabrication processes; how 3D printing with robots and printers works; and some possibilities, particularly with clay printing.

In the practical section, the participants will learn the basics of Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, the main software I use for these applications, specifically for printing applications, and will be able to produce geometries for 3D printing and test their assumptions by physically prototyping through Zoom at ZHAW’s digital lab using a WASP Clay 3D printer.

Understand material behavior in digital fabrication and in clay 3D printing.
Design and model architectural elements using Rhino 8.
Develop parametric systems using Grasshopper.
Generate and prepare 3D-printing toolpaths for fabrication.
Translate digital designs into robotic and printer-based workflows.
Participate in live clay 3D-printing and physical prototyping.

The workshop will have a theoretical and a practical section.

We start with a theoretical section by going through:

Case studies using diverse fabrication processes, with specific examples on semi-liquid materials.
Introduction to the 3D printing process, and the particularities of robotic and printer-based 3D printing. Such as production capabilities, scale, programming, and data generation.
Considerations and possibilities when printing with clay: viscosity, texture, drying stages, firing, additives, paints, and glazings.

And follow with a practical section, which will be individual or groups (depending on the quantity of participants) and will involve:

Tutorial on print path generation, effect, texture, and shape manipulation
Tutorial on data generation for robots and 3D printers
Workshop time for technical doubts and design
Practical workshop for the application of print path using a Delta WASP 40100 Clay, available at the Digital Lab in ZHAW

The typology to be used is a standard brick, which participants will manipulate individually or as a system to apply specific textures, functions, and details. The main software used will be Rhinoceros and Grasshopper, which will be used to generate the geometries and print paths.

Program of the Workshop

Day 1:

Introduction by tutor and digital fabrication case studies
Introduction to 3D printing (robots and 3D printers), clay, and ceramics
Tutorial [Rhinoceros + Grasshopper]: Toolpath generation options (textures, effects, infill, height, and shape control)
Individual design development and technical Q&A

Day 2:

Review of participant designs
Technical troubleshooting and discussion of participant work
Tutorial [Grasshopper (KUKA PRC, Robots), Ultimaker Cura profile manipulation]: Fabrication data generation, simulation, and visualization
Introduction to material preparation and machine setup, tips, and best practices
Live 3D printing of participant designs (participants will print one or two projects)

Edurne Morales

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Edurne Morales is a Mexican architect whose work focuses on computational design solutions, development of non-standard fabrication processes, and the introduction of natural materials for applications in architecture, objects, art, aerospace, and automotive sectors. She has participated in projects such as Mexico City’s New International Airport (FREE + Foster & Partners), Clay Rotunda (GKR, ETH Zurich), Magic Queen (MAEID - Venice Biennale 2021), BMW M Visionary Seat (BMW + Gradel LW), Un Proyecto de Talavera (MANUFACTURA), earthprinting (ZHAW). Edurne is a co-founder of MANUFACTURA (Mexico) and Robocraft (UAE), and is currently a researcher at Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW).

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Clay 3D-Printing: Beyond Digital Design

About Clay 3D-Printing: Beyond Digital Design

Program of the Workshop

Clay 3D-Printing: Beyond Digital Design FAQ