Researchers from MIT announced that they have just made a breakthrough in 3D printing, extending the application of this technology to optically transparent glass products.
In the collaborative research involving multiple research institutions of MIT, researchers developed a glass printing process called G3DP. The concept is similar to 3D printing with other materials. It first melts the glass to liquid state, then squeezes the molten glass through a nozzle into a 0.4 inches (approximately 1cm) thick strip and pours the materials out like tooth paste into glass cups or other products.
Neri Oxman, one of the key researchers in this MIT team believes that this breakthrough technology can make transmission of information more efficient by printed optical cable, or make glass buildings that will absorb more solar radiation. They expect the technology will be in architecture field for various applications in the near future.