The glass printer we designed and built consists of an oven with a fixed print head and a movable deposition platform. The print head was delivered to us. We kept as it was, although we created a smaller glass flow for more precise printing. For the rest, we changed everything around it. An important improvement was the new platform or stage, that in the original lay-out didn’t have the required accuracy. Thanks to a G-code for 3D-printing it follows an x-y-z contour beneath the flow of molten glass to create the required product. This enables the complex shapes 3D printing is known for.

By carrying out the project from specification up to installation, we provided the engineering, control software and hardware to give the platform the required < 50 micrometer level accuracy in positioning as well as movement. Built-in data monitoring enables to remain within specs during operation. It also allows for analysis of production conditions in relation to the finished products. Thus a safe, robust and accurate glass printer was created.