Swedish company Nobula was founded with the vision to make glass 3D printing fast, affordable and energy-efficient. As a spin off from the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm, its proprietary Direct Glass Laser Deposition technology (DGLD) allows for the creation of complex glass products. In an interview with 3Druck.com, CEO and Co-founder Chunxin Liu explains why printing glass is currently triggering a wave of innovation by utilising the material’s unique properties to develop complex components and devices.
The demand of complex glass products is growing continuously in areas including aerospace, optics as well as the medical sector. Nobula offers a complete solution including 3D printers, filament and software to create parts made with a high resolution between 10 μm and 0.5 mm. The printer operates at a temperature of 2000°C and uses specially designed glass filaments to maximise the printing flexibility and consistency.
Key applications include micro lenses, microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, fibre optics and arts among others. Additionally, innovative multi-component filaments open up a wide range of other applications.
Interview with CEO Chunxin Liu
In an interview with 3Druck.com, CEO and Co-founder Chunxin Liu explains why progress in the field of glass additive manufacturing is transforming various industries and gets into detail about possible current as well as future applications.
In your opinion, what is the significance of glass as a material in additive manufacturing?
CEO and Co-founder Chunxin Liu, Image: Nobula
The significance of glass in additive manufacturing, notably through Direct Glass Laser Deposition technology (DGLD®), is making a big impact across many industries because of its unique features and ability to tackle complex problems once considered impossible.
The optical clarity and transparency of glass are crucial for precision optics in sectors like telecommunications and healthcare, enhancing the production of lenses, prisms, and advanced imaging devices. Its chemical resistance and biocompatibility are essential in life sciences and medical fields, supporting the development of microfluidic systems, lab-on-a-chip devices, and biocompatible implants that withstand chemically reactive environments. Furthermore, glass’s thermal stability is perfect for high-temperature applications in aerospace and automotive industries, ensuring the performance of components under extreme conditions. These properties facilitate advanced applications in photonics, such as novel fibre optics and photonic devices, and in medicine, enabling customised implants and accelerating lab-on-a-chip technologies for research in drug discovery and diagnostics.
Glass additive manufacturing is starting a wave of innovation, utilising glass’s unique properties to develop complex components and devices. Progress in glass AM is changing many fields, showing how versatile glass is and the transformative power of additive manufacturing.
Additive manufacturing has continuously developed in recent years. Which innovations or technological breakthroughs do you consider to be particularly important for the industry sector?
The introduction of novel materials, such as glass, ceramics, biomass, into additive manufacturing has opened up new markets and applications. The ability to print with materials like glass signifies a leap towards more diverse and complex manufacturing capabilities, enabling the creation of components and devices that were previously impossible.
The integration of AI into generative design has significantly accelerated application iterations in additive manufacturing. AI can optimise designs for specific criteria, such as weight reduction, material usage, or structural strength, much faster and more efficiently than traditional methods. By leveraging AI, designers and engineers can explore a vast design space to find optimal solutions that might not be apparent through conventional design approaches.
The evolution of additive manufacturing towards mass production capabilities has been a game-changer for the industry. Earlier, 3D printing was primarily used for prototyping due to higher costs and slower production rates. However, advancements in machine technology, printing processes, and material science have significantly reduced the cost per unit when manufacturing at scale. This shift towards mass production has made additive manufacturing a viable and cost-effective alternative to traditional manufacturing methods for a wider range of products and industries. The ability to produce large volumes efficiently not only democratises manufacturing but also contributes to sustainability by reducing waste and optimising material usage.
First Corona and the now high inflation pose major challenges for the entire industry. In your opinion, how do the multiple crises affect the additive manufacturing industry?
The COVID-19 pandemic and high inflation have significantly impacted industries, including additive manufacturing (AM), each presenting unique challenges and opportunities. During the pandemic, the vulnerabilities of global supply chains were highlighted, showcasing AM’s advantages with its decentralised production model. This ability to produce goods closer to demand points allows AM to respond more agilely to market changes than traditional manufacturing, proving crucial in rapidly supplying essential items like medical equipment and protective gear.
High inflation has escalated operational costs, affecting the affordability of AM products and pushing the industry to explore higher-value applications or shift towards mass production. This situation nourishes innovations in technology, materials, and processes within the AM sector to maintain growth and relevance in a challenging economic landscape.
What impact do you think additive manufacturing will have on various industries and possibly society as a whole in the coming years?
From our perspective, particularly with advancements in glass AM, we are poised to see a profound impact on various industries in the coming years. The unique capabilities of glass AM, such as producing intricate shapes with optical clarity, bio compatibility, and thermal stability, open up new horizons in sectors such as optics, pharmaceuticals, and lab-on-a-chip systems.
In the optics industry, glass AM can revolutionise the way lenses, prisms, and other optical components are manufactured. This could significantly impact fields ranging from photography and consumer electronics to advanced scientific instruments, improving product performance and enabling new functionalities.
In the pharmaceutical industry, glass AM can transform the production of drug delivery devices, personalised medicine, and bespoke implants. The chemical stability of glass makes it ideal for controlled drug release systems, potentially leading to more effective and patient-friendly treatment options.
The lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices require precise channels and structures to manipulate small volumes of fluids for medical diagnostics, environmental monitoring, and research applications. Glass AM’s ability to create these complex, microscale features in a single step without the need for assembly can accelerate the development and deployment of LOC devices. This advancement could lead to more accessible and rapid diagnostics, personalised medicine, and advanced research capabilities in life sciences.
Social impact: Beyond specific industries, the broader adoption of glass AM has the potential to drive sustainability by reducing material waste and energy consumption associated with traditional glass fabrication methods. The ability to produce parts on-demand and on-site can also contribute to reducing supply chain dependencies, enhancing resilience against global disruptions.
Here you can find out more about Nobula and its proprietary glass 3D printing technology.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
3DPResso is a weekly newsletter that links to the most exciting global stories from the 3D printing and additive manufacturing industry.
