Robotic glass crafting by dip forming

Abstract

This research is to develop a robotic glass crafting dip-forming process by dip forming. Instead of employing molds, we utilize repetitive dip coating and gravity to shape the glass. In addition, its morphogenesis process is similar to the certain growth mechanisms in nature, such as geotropism and branching. During the forming process, melted glass is accumulated layer by layer gradually until the target geometry is completed. The process takes advantage of the precision of the industrial robotic arm and the viscosity property of the material. This process requires the custom-made tool to operate in high temperature and controlling the timing of heating and annealing to eliminate Z artifacts caused by layered deposition, achieving the crystal-clear effect of the glass craft without the post cure process after printing. In addition, the robotic arm provides a higher degree of freedom for forming. This research demonstrates glassworks in the organic form including variations in thickness and branching to test the proposed method.