MIT researchers develop 3D printer that produces intricate glass structures

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a 3D printer that produces intricate glass designs with the push of a button.

The machine uses molten glass as its “ink,” contained in a “kiln cartridge” that heats up at 1,900 degrees until it is molten and pliable, Fast Company reports. “In a lower chamber, the glass is softened through a heat treatment process called annealing and funneled through an alumina-zircon-silica nozzle,” the article says.

Mediated Matter is the MIT research group responsible for the invention, which has been used to create glass vases and prisms.

Here are some screenshots of the device. You can learn more and watch the video at Fast Company.