Park describes Clay Lab as “a ceramic lab that transcends the boundaries between art and technology,” explaining that “our team, composed of members from both ceramic arts and engineering backgrounds, is working together to create a new culture of ceramics through interdisciplinary fusion.”
"Clay Lab has been conducting various projects to expand the ceramic art market. This year, our automatic extrusion clay 3D pen, Clay-Be, was selected for the Re-challenge Success Package, and we’ve begun full-scale product development."
The name “Clay-Be” represents the idea that anything can be made through clay. It is an automatic extrusion 3D pen that uses non-toxic clay, addressing the drawbacks of traditional 3D pens. Materials commonly used in conventional 3D pens, such as PLA, ABS, and PCL, require high-temperature preheating, which can emit harmful gases and pose burn risks. Unlike other materials, Clay-Be can be safely extruded at room temperature and does not harden immediately, allowing users to modify their creations by hand and greatly enhancing creative flexibility.
Key features include a speed-adjustable dial, an OLED display to check cartridge levels, a guide laser for straight and curved work, and lighting to reduce shadows. Thanks to its cartridge-based system, even beginners can use it safely as an educational tool.
“The greatest advantages of Clay-Be are safety and expandability. Using non-toxic clay extruded at room temperature, it is safe for both children and beginners. Also, unlike plastic filament 3D pens that harden immediately, Clay-Be allows manual adjustments after extrusion, making it ideal not only for education, but also for DIY, rehabilitation, and other creative applications.”
What motivated CEO Park to start a company? “I started working with ceramics in high school and have now been active in both the ceramic art market and education for over 10 years. Although I have a deep passion for ceramic art, the market is relatively closed and small in scale, making it difficult to convey its value to a broader audience. That limitation always stayed with me, and I began thinking about how to introduce more people to the potential of ceramic art. It was around that time that I learned about the health concerns associated with traditional 3D pens. Since clay is a safe, room-temperature medium, I became convinced that it could become a viable material for 3D pens, opening up possibilities beyond conventional ceramic education. That’s what inspired me to found Clay Lab and develop a safe, creative educational tool based on clay. Initial funding was secured through government support programs, and we are now developing the product in collaboration with expert institutions such as the Korea Ceramic Technology Institute and Cellabio Tech.”
After launching the company, Park shared, “I find the greatest sense of fulfillment when we receive positive feedback about our ideas and development direction. When Clay-Be is recognized as a creative alternative that addresses the flaws of conventional 3D pens, it reinforces my confidence in the path we’ve taken.”
Clay Lab consists of four team members, including CEO Park. The CEO oversees overall business management and service design. The team also includes a CTO responsible for product development and technical support, a 3D education expert, and a clay material researcher.
Regarding future plans, Park stated, “Once MVP testing for Clay-Be is complete, we plan to open both online and offline sales channels.” She added, “We will continue engaging users through hands-on experiences and promotion based on our offline workshop that opened this June. In the long run, our goal is to become a competitive player in the global EdTech device market through both hardware and online educational content.”
Established: April 2024
Core Business: Development of the automatic extrusion clay 3D pen (Clay-Be) and creative educational content
Key Achievements: Selected for the 2025 Re-challenge Success Package, Selected as a tenant company for Kyung Hee University Campus Town
reporter jinho lee
jinho2323@hankyung.com
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