In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

A source material, which is based on a glass, is arranged on a working surface of a mold substrate. The mold substrate is made of a single-crystalline material. A cavity is formed in the working surface. The source material is pressed against the mold substrate. During pressing a temperature of the source material and a force exerted on the source material are controlled to fluidify source material. The fluidified source material flows into the cavity. Re-solidified source material forms a glass piece with a protrusion extending into the cavity. After re-solidifying, the glass piece may be bonded to the mold substrate. On the glass piece, protrusions and cavities can be formed with slope angles less than 80 degrees, with different slope angles, with different depths and widths of 10 micrometers and more.

This relates to an additive manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional component made of glass, the method including the steps of: feeding continuously a glass filament having a flame retardant or self-extinguishing protective film applied to the surface thereof, from a filament feeding nozzle to a heating source for removing the flame retardant or self-extinguishing protective film and softening the glass fiber, applying the softened glass filament to a surface of a substrate or object, wherein the flame retardant or self-extinguishing protective film is made of polyimide-based material having a thickness in the range of 1 m to 50 m, wherein the fed glass filament length is less than 5 millimeters. The invention is also related to a glass filament and the use of the same.

This relates to an additive manufacturing method for producing a three-dimensional component made of glass, the method including the steps of: feeding continuously a glass filament having a flame retardant or self-extinguishing protective film applied to the surface thereof, from a filament feeding nozzle to a heating source for removing the flame retardant or self-extinguishing protective film and softening the glass fiber, applying the softened glass filament to a surface of a substrate or object, wherein the flame retardant or self-extinguishing protective film is made of polyimide-based material having a thickness in the range of 1 m to 50 m, wherein the fed glass filament length is less than 5 millimeters. The invention is also related to a glass filament and the use of the same.

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

In illustrative implementations of this invention, a crucible kiln heats glass such that the glass becomes or remains molten. A nozzle extrudes the molten glass while one or more actuators actuate movements of the nozzle, a build platform or both. A computer controls these movements such that the extruded molten glass is selectively deposited to form a 3D glass object. The selective deposition of molten glass occurs inside an annealing kiln. The annealing kiln anneals the glass after it is extruded. In some cases, the actuators actuate the crucible kiln and nozzle to move in horizontal x, y directions and actuate the build platform to move in a z-direction. In some cases, fluid flows through a cavity or tubes adjacent to the nozzle tip, in order to cool the nozzle tip and thereby reduce the amount of glass that sticks to the nozzle tip.

A manufacturing process includes creating 3D shells; connecting the 3D shells together to arrange as rows of the 3D shells and fasten same in a sand box; disposing the sand box in a closed chamber having a furnace and a heater; activating a pump to lower pressure in the closed chamber to be less than the atmospheric pressure; heating the sand box; introducing a molten, non-metallic material from the furnace into each 3D shell; deactivating the pump; flowing gas into the closed chamber to increase the pressure in the closed chamber to be greater than the atmospheric pressure; cooling the sand box; taking the sand box out of the closed chamber; shaking the sand box to separate the rows of the 3D shells from sand; cutting the rows of the 3D shell to obtain the 3D shells; rubbing each 3D shell; and finishing non-metallic products.

The invention relates to a solar concentrator comprising a solid body consisting of a transparent material that has a light coupling surface and a light decoupling surface, the solid body having a light guide part that tapers towards the light decoupling surface, being located between the light coupling surface and the light decoupling surface and being delimited by a light guide surface between the light coupling surface and the light decoupling surface, the light guide surface merging into the light decoupling surface with a constant first derivation. The invention also relates to a method for the production of a solar concentrator, wherein the transparent material is precision-molded between the molds.

An optical connector connects: N (N is an integer of 3 to 14) single-mode fibers each including one core with a high refractive index in a cladding material with a low refractive index; to multi-core fiber including N cores with high refractive indexes in a cladding material with low refractive index such that the cores of the single-mode fibers are respectively optically coupled to cores of the multi-core fiber. The optical connector includes: quartz glass cylinder having a first end face to be in contact with the multi-core fiber and a second end face to be in contact with single-mode fibers; N glass fibers that are arranged in the quartz glass cylinder to extend from the first to second end face, the N glass fibers each including: a circular rod with high refractive index that has a constant outer diameter; and a low refractive index material that surrounds an outer periphery of the circular rod and has a constant thickness.

Provided is a method and apparatus for building a structure of glass using additive manufacturing technology. The apparatus incorporates a method of depositing molten glass material in discrete droplets rather than as a continuous fused filament. The additive manufacturing of glass material relies on the surface tension, the high viscosity of the molten glass, and droplet formation to control deposition by melting the glass filament directly without the use of a needle or crucible.