Broke a Glass? Someday You Might 3-D-Print a New One
Rakan Al Dosari
Researchers are getting closer to printing clear, strong glass objects at home.
3-D printing has mastered plastic and metal, but glass has been stubbornly difficult. That is starting to change.
New techniques mix fine silica particles into a printable resin. After printing, the object is heated so the resin burns away and the glass fuses into a clear, solid piece. The results can be as transparent as ordinary window glass.
The process still needs a high-temperature oven, so desktop glass printers are some years away. But labs are already printing lenses, tiny fluid channels and custom lab equipment.