Solar Sinter Project: 3D Printing with Sunlight and Sand

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By Matt Richardson
Posted 2011/06/25 @ 6:00 am
Category 3D Printing, Energy

I’m absolutely amazed by Markus Kayser’s Solar Sinter Project, a 3D printer that uses the sun for power and sand as its raw material:

In a world increasingly concerned with questions of energy production and raw material shortages, this project explores the potential of desert manufacturing, where energy and material occur in abundance. In this experiment sunlight and sand are used as raw energy and material to produce glass objects using a 3D printing process, that combines natural energy and material with high-tech production technology.

Solar-sintering aims to raise questions about the future of manufacturing and trigger dreams of the full utilisation of the production potential of the world’s most efficient energy resource – the sun. Whilst not providing definitive answers this experiment aims to provide a point of departure for fresh thinking.

[via @clothbot]

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15 Responses to Solar Sinter Project: 3D Printing with Sunlight and Sand

Pete Prodoehl on June 25th, 2011 at 1:16 pm said:

Pretty amazing! I feel like we’re still in the early days of 3D printing, but the advances we’ve seen in the past few years are quite promising.

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A J on June 25th, 2011 at 1:46 pm said:

I think this is fantastic – but I’m dying to know how strong the results are – is he picking up that glass bowl with cloth on his hands because it’s covered in deadly sharp spikes, or because it might crumble to pieces?

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- Sebastian Rietig on June 25th, 2011 at 2:27 pm said:
  
  Because its made from fresh molten Sand and it’s frickin’ hot
  
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Travis Howse on June 25th, 2011 at 2:40 pm said:

That’s really really impressive, if a bit arthouse. The next big improvement would be an automatic sand-adder-and-leveller which should help with the regularity of the layer thickness, surface smoothness and packing density.

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Anonymous on June 25th, 2011 at 5:50 pm said:

Is this real? The sand would need around 1700 degrees Celsius to melt.

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- Matthew Krawczun on June 25th, 2011 at 9:37 pm said:
  
  its very real.
  
  that’s a 4 foot plus fresnel lens you could melt steel at that focal point.
  
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  dr on June 27th, 2011 at 11:44 am said:
  
  Sand has a higher melting point than steel. Thus “sand casting” of steel and cast iron.
  
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Anonymous on June 25th, 2011 at 11:13 pm said:

Wow~~~~ Another 3D printing project! Promising!
I’m curious about the potential for every household to own a 3D printer in the near future, customized with the best energy and material supply in your region.

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VRAndy on June 25th, 2011 at 11:42 pm said:

Perfect Sci-Fi technology for the end of the civilization, or the colonizing of a new (but sunny) world.

Really wish the video had ended with a close-up of the bowl.

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Russell on June 25th, 2011 at 11:45 pm said:

I would like to design something where the fabricator is mobile. As it travels it adds sand and sinters it, repeatedly travelling over the same route. Eventually you get a large walled structure and enclosed domes that would last for centuries. You could put the thing on Mercury, Moon or Mars and build them autonomously, and with a bit of plaster, maybe have them suitable for habitation.

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PsySciGuy on June 26th, 2011 at 12:58 am said:

Wonder if this is based on the Sci Fi story in this book: http://www.amazon.com/Machines-Metro-Stories-ebook/dp/B0050W9H4I

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מדפסות לייזר on June 26th, 2011 at 2:14 pm said:

This is so very cool!!
It’s like we’re in the future but also going back in time

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Anonymous on June 26th, 2011 at 10:36 pm said:

I’d like to see a video of this solar sintering thing, rather than a video of what a cool video they can make…

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David Chatting on June 27th, 2011 at 12:21 pm said:

On show in London at the RCA Show this week

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Eiki Martinson on June 27th, 2011 at 9:51 pm said:

Am I the only one who thinks he should be wearing welding glasses while looking at the focal point?

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