3D-printing of glass: Laser based additive manufacturing of fused silica
92nd Annual Meeting of the German Society of Glass Technology
28.-30. Mai
Bayreuth
2018
Type: Konferenzbeitrag
Abstract
Additive manufacturing is used in several industrial sectors where polymers and metals are established materials. Different academic studies proved that additive manufacturing methods can be applied on glass materials using powder or fiber based material sources. In terms of fused silica, with melting temperatures around 2200°C, laser sources are used to achieve the necessary intensities. In the present study, additive manufacturing of fused silica is achieved by melting a glass fiber with a CO2 laser source. The fiber is conveyed through a self-developed deposition system. A combined laser head focuses the laser radiation onto the glass fiber in order to evaporate the fiber coating and to melt the fiber. A three axis systems is used