lab studies

Lab studies

Empirical studies run in the CyberCraft Lab using CCL_Clay3DP. Studies live under LabStudies/ in the code repo, each in its own subfolder with a parametric STL, a build script, and a results log (typically .xlsx).

📷 Wide shot of test prints from the active study laid out on the bench, labeled with their parameter values.

Active studies

Water percent study

Goal: characterize how clay water content affects printability metrics — slump, surface finish, max wall height, layer bond — across the lab's standard 6 / 8 / 10 / 12 % grid for G&S 254 stoneware.

Parameter	Value
Clay	G&S 254
Water % grid	6, 8, 10, 12 (% of dry mass, additive)
Nozzle	2.5 mm
Auger/ram ratio pot	1 (calibrated position — see Calibration)
Firing	1200 °C
Test geometries	Slump cone (parametric STL) + vase tower D80 H100

Files: LabStudies/water_percent_study/

File	Purpose
slump_cone.stl	Parametric slump-test geometry — measures sag at fixed dimensions
gen_slump_cone.ps1	Regenerates the slump cone STL with different parameters
vase_tower_D80_H100.stl	Vertical wall test, 80 mm diameter × 100 mm tall
gen_vase_tower_stl.ps1	Regenerates the vase tower STL with different parameters
build_log.ps1	Helper for batching prints across the water % grid
water_percent_study_log.xlsx	Results log — schema includes water %, batch, observations, defects, post-firing dimensions

Status: in flight as of 2026-05-03. Curve fitting deferred until all four water % conditions are printed and fired.

Downstream: when the curve is published, the plugin's WaterPercent field — currently recorded only — will start adjusting nozzle / feedrate recommendations. See Materials.

📷 Slump cone test prints at 6/8/10/12% water, side-by-side, showing the slump progression.

How to add a new study

1. Create LabStudies/<study_name>/ under the code repo.
2. Drop in: parametric geometry (STL or .3dm), build script (PowerShell or batch), results log (.xlsx or .csv).
3. Document the study on this wiki page — goal, parameter grid, files, status.
4. Cross-link from the relevant subject page (Materials, Calibration, Settings reference) so future readers can follow the trail.
5. Update the study's status here as it progresses (planned → in flight → complete) and link to the result curve / report once published.

Why studies live alongside the code

Keeping studies in the same repo as the plugin means: the parameter values that drove a study (settings.json snapshot, slicer mode, nozzle) are reproducible, and the geometry generators stay in sync with the slicer's expectations. When a study informs a code change (e.g. a new SPD→flow regression), the commit ties them together.

Future studies (parked)

Study	Goal	Status
Ratio-pot characterization	Re-measure SPD→RPM at ratio pot positions 0.25, 0.5, 2, 4	Parked — current calibration only valid at ratio = 1
Chamotte %	Effect of chamotte content on max wall height + nozzle wear	Parked — needs ChamottePercent Material field first
Multi-cell benchmarks	Standard set of test geometries to compare cells across labs	Parked — see the benchmark-tool idea, separate from CCL_Clay3DP