Additive Manufacturing of Optically Transparent Glass

Abstract

The thesis presents an Additive Manufacturing Enabling Technology for Optically Transparent Glass.The platform builds on existing manufacturing traditions and introduces new dimensions of novelty across scales by producing unique structures with numerous potential applications in product-, and architectural-design. The platform is comprised of scalable modular elements able to operate at the high temperatures required to process glass from a molten state to an annealed product. The process demonstrated enables the construction of 3D parts as described by Computer Aided Design (CAD) models. Processing parameters such as temperature, flow rate, layer height and feed rate, can be adjusted to tailor the printing process to the desired component; its shape and its properties. The research explores, defines and hard-codes geometric constraints and coiling patterns as well as the integration of various colors into the current controllable process, contributing to a new design and manufacturing space. Performed characterization of the printed material to determine its morphological, mechanical and optical properties, is presented and discussed. Printed parts demonstrated strong adhesion between layers and satisfying optical clarity. The molten glass 3D printer as well as the fabricated objects exhibited, demonstrate the production of parts which are highly repeatable, enable light transmission, and resemble the visual and mechanical performance of glass constructs that are conventionally obtained. Utilizing the optical nature of glass, complex caustic patterns were created by projecting light through the printed objects. The 3D printed glass objects and process described here, aim to contribute new capabilities to the ever-evolving history of a very challenging but limitless material -glass.

Method for Procedural 3D Printing Using a Python Library

“…In the examples shown in the previous section, filament is stacked seamlessly and in an aesthetically pleasing manner. Klein, et al [16] established a method for the helical 3D printing of transparent glass. The objects printed according to this method are seamless and aesthetically pleasing.…”

A Lightweight Surface Reconstruction Method for Online 3D Scanning Point Cloud Data Oriented toward 3D Printing

“…3D printing is a technology that manufacture solid parts through accumulating material layer by layer [1], and it can efficiently support the recent accomplishments in 3D digital-to-solid modeling [2]. 3D printing can produce customized objects [3,4] that can be realized by any merchant to personalize products for a consumer, meet quality expectations, and add personal refinements [5].…”

“…In sum, the novel contributions in this paper are as follows: (1) an online lightweight surface reconstruction algorithm, in which the lightweight operations are conducted at every step, from point cloud data acquisition to preprocessing and to surface reconstruction. This reconstruction ensures that a reduced data volume of the 3D model meets the requirement for web-based data transmission; (2) a dynamic visualization framework for point cloud data based on WebSocket, which achieves online dynamic visualization of point cloud data in high concurrency environments; (3) an online personalized customization system oriented toward 3D printing, which dynamically visualizes the point cloud data through the 3D scanning process and the efficient and rapid reconstruction of the lightweight mesh in the web environment.…”

Potencial Disruptivo Da Manufatura Aditiva: Influência Nas Cadeias De Suprimentos E Uma Aplicação Na Marinha Do Brasil

“…Material (Bourell et al, 2009 Figura 6 -Foto esquemática do sistema baseado em pó e laser de Ciraud (Baldock, 2016) Nos anos 80, computadores, lasers, placas controladoras e muitas outras tecnologias haviam atingido um grau de sofisticação tal que passou a ser possível criar equipamentos capazes de concretizar os modelos dos anos anteriores de forma física (O'Connor, 2014 Systems, visando à produção desse novo equipamento (Baldock, 2016;Bechthold et al, 2015;Huang et al, 2013;Klein et al, 2015;Mackley, 2014;Maxwell, 2012;O'Connor, 2014;Paben e Stephens, 2015;Ray, 2013;Zhai et al, 2014 Figura 7 -Ilustração do processo proposto por Hull em sua patente (Hull, 1986) Concomitante à estereolitografia de Hull, Carl R. Deckard, graduando da universidade do Texas, apresentou ao mundo sua tecnologia Selective Laser Sintering (SLS), que se tornaria em uma das principais tecnologias de AM até os dias atuais (Paben e Stephens, 2015). Deckard preencheu em 1986 sua patente intitulada: "Método e equipamento para produção de peças por sinterização seletiva", tecnologia que permitiu o uso na AM de materiais que não apenas polímeros, tais quais metais, termoplásticos, cerâmicas, além de poder utilizar, também, polímeros de diversas naturezas (Bechthold et al, 2015;Deckard, 1989;Mackley, 2014;Strickland, 2016 (Santos et al, 2006).…”

“…Com a possibilidade de suplantar esta barreira, por meio da AM, que permite a fabricação de itens com designs mais complexos, amplia-se a diversidade de itens passíveis de serem produzidos, intensificando a concorrência no mercado, através da disponibilização de produtos com maior atratividade, praticidade e funcionalidade (Klein et al, 2015;Appleton, 2014;Snow, 2015).…”