Using the foundations of 3D printing and applying them to the ancient art of glass production, the team at MIT has created a glass printing machine called G3DP.
The machine works like this: the upper part is essentially a kiln, where glass is loaded in and heated up to 1,900°F. Below that sits an alumina-zircon-silica nozzle, which can programmed to make the same intricate moves in X-, Y-, and Z-space familiar to anyone who has seen a 3D printer in action. Shapes can be designed on the computer, and the G3DP will execute them.
In a paper scheduled to be published in the September 2015 issue of 3D Printing and Additive Manufacturing, the team outlines why the process could be useful more than simply creating beautiful glass sculptures: the precision the machine is able to work at means there's potential applications in product and architectural design as well.
Additive Manufacturing of Optically Transparent Glass
(Score: 2) by turgid on Monday August 24 2015, @07:26PM
Since the summary gives the temperature of the melted glass in American units, allow me to provide a suitable conversion for us Brits and other Commonwealth readers. I make it Gas Mark [wikipedia.org] 66. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Note that Gas Mark 9 is "Very Hot."
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].