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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 VLM on Monday August 24 2015, @07:54PM
Hmm the commercial fibers aren't much cheaper than PLA, or cost more. The food grade nylon is interesting. 260C print temp and hygroscopic... I'm liking my non-stinky PLA so much, though. I read these strange things about people running their heated bed up to 120C or 150C and I'm all WTF as mine barely makes it up to 90C on a warm summer day. That and any remaining PLA reside would probably catch fire (maybe even literally!) at 260C or so that nylon needs.
In a very slow and lazy manner I've begun printing the parts for another printer, a huxley, and I've been thinking about dedicating printers to specific plastics. So I could have a nylon rod rod where everything glows a dull red (almost), and a cooler PLA printer.