The technique is essentially a mixture of conventional glass making with a digitally controlled nozzle that layers glass according to designs drawn up in a 3D CAD programme. This process makes it possible to tailor the size, shape, and properties of the printed glass parts. The trick is bringing all the various components together so that the 3D printer can handle the extremely high temperatures required. The Kiln Cartridge above the printer nozzle operates at approximately 1037°C.
Using a technique the team says that it can modify process parameters such as temperature, layer height, and feed rate to customise the characteristics of the 3D printed glass in a process it calls G3DP. The team also introduced geometric constraints, and the introduction of various colours into the process. High-performing 3D printed glass could have high-value applications in various industries, such as the aerospace sector.
"3D printed glass is a beautifully elegant achievement and a significant technological advance for the field," says Skylar Tibbits, director, Self-Assembly Lab, MIT.
