MIT unveils 3D printing with glass breakthrough

The field of 3D printing is still largely the domain of major companies in need of easier prototyping methods and hobbyists

But a new breakthrough could vastly expand the technology's applications: 3D printed glass

Earlier this week, MIT unveiled a method it calls G3DP that allows the creation of complex 3D glass structures to be "printed" in a similar fashion to plastic constructs

MIT's process accomplishes this by using two chambers, one that acts as a kiln cartridge (working at 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit), and another that works to melt the structures together. The molten glass is distributed through an alumina-zircon-silica nozzle (shown in the video, above) that pours the material out like soft serve ice cream Read more...