The applications of 3D printing are only as broad as the materials that can be 3D printed. Fortunately, those materials are increasingly on a regular basis. One of the most exciting materials for 3D printing may be glass, which can be used for such applications as specialty optics and lenses. However, few have pulled off this feat, with optics left to the realm of transparent plastic 3D printing, such as that developed by Luxexcel.
Among those few that have ventured into the world of glass 3D printing is Micron3DP, which announced its ability to 3D print molten glass over a year ago. The company has since claimed to have installed alpha glass 3D printers within its own facilities for internal operation.