Selective laser sintering of three-dimensional geometries and structures of quartz glass - possibilities and limits

Additive processes offer the possibility to create complex and three-dimensional geometries with great freedom of design. This technology is already very well developed for metallic materials and plastics. For silicate materials this innovative technology is still in its infancy. The special material properties of these hard and brittle materials are one reason for this. A new selective laser sintering process for glass powder is presented in this paper. With this process compact glass bodies can be built up, which have a residual porosity of about 25%. The maximum printable footprint of the building platform is 120 mm so far. In the course of the investigations a test geometry was designed to evaluate the resolution and the current structural limits of the process. As a result, the various printed geometries are analysed and metrologically evaluated. A comparison is made with the sintering processes for metals and plastics. Possibilities and limits of this novel sintering technology are evaluated and the future potential is shown. Image: The 3D printing processes of laser metal deposition (LMD) and directed energy deposition (DED) are revolutionizing how the aerospace industry designs and builds high-value components across the manufacturing spectrum from prototyping to production. 3D printing company, Formalloy, is producing parts using a laser-based process because of its ability to create new advantageous shapes. “Our technology is known as LMD. That’s a method where you blow power and heat it with a laser.