Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

Additive Manufacturing; Fiber; Glass; Quartz; Soda-Lime; Transparent

Abstract

“This thesis presents various approaches for the laser-aided additive manufacturing of glass. First, a technique is investigated to create free-form, low to zero coefficient of thermal expansion structures out of silica-gel. A CO2 laser was coupled through a gantry system and focused onto a binder-free silica-gel powder bed (15-40 μm particles). Prior to writing each layer, powder is dispensed by sifting it onto the build platform as opposed to a conventional wiper system, avoiding contacting and potentially damaging sensitive parts. After deposition, the parts are annealed in a furnace to increase their strength. The influence of various process parameters including scan speed and laser power on final shape is investigated. In addition, the flexural strength of annealed parts is measured via three-point bending tests. Next, it was endeavored to transform the intensity profile of a TEM00 CO2 laser beam with a field-mapping beam shaper, the primary goal being to obtain a beam transformation which created a more uniform intensity distribution. Beam profile measurements were conducted in two regimes (focal plane and far-focal range) in an attempt to identify various profile transformations that correspond to theoretical models. Finally, a fiber-fed laser-heated process was developed for the additive manufacturing (AM) of glass parts. Soda-lime and stripped quartz SMF-28 optical fibers with diameters ranging from 100-125 μm were fed into a laser generated melt pool. A CO2 laser beam is focused onto the intersection of the fiber and the work piece, which is positioned on a four-axis computer controlled stage. Through the careful control of process parameters such as laser power, feed rate and scan speed, bubble free parts such as walls and lenses may be printed, as well as complicated free-standing structures”--Abstract, page iii.

Advisor(s)

Kinzel, Edward C.

Committee Member(s)

Bristow, Douglas A.
Landers, Robert G.

Department(s)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Mechanical Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Summer 2018

Pagination

xi, 66 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographic references (pages 63-65).

Rights

© 2018 John Michael Hostetler, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12083

Additional Files
T12083.pdf (91 kB)
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Manufacturing Commons

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