I saw this on the shape ways blog today..how cool is that!

Ok so it's not vitraglyphic but it is fun

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project idea

I was thinking about an exhibition 'Inside out' that I saw at Object gallery a while ago in the project space.
46 designers / artists from Australia, UK and New Zealand were asked to use 3D computer modelling software to create a sculpture which would fit within a 6cm x 6cm x 6cm box. All works were printed using rapid prototyping.

Anthony Eland

I think that this kind of approach successfully exposes new technologies to a good  number of artists and visitors . The artists get to work with something new and make connections and visitors can see a range of ideas within one medium and start to see the possibilities. Remembering this exhibition sparked off an idea. I could use this strategy for a community project using vitraglyphy.

Shapeways vitraglyphy process video

A beautiful partnership

Netherlands based rapid prototyping company 'Shapeways' offers an online service for anyone (they aren't the only ones). Upload your design, choose your material, they print it and post it to you..(almost sounds like a fast food noodle joint..hmmm which sauce shall I have....?) You can also choose someone else's designs and have those printed and shipped. I can see similarities in the way Shapeways and the Solheim Lab operate, it's their 'open to everybody' approach that makes the Solheim/Shapeways partnership in the case of vitraglyphy a natural step. What seemed like days after the Solheim Lab had vitraglyphy figured, Shapeways had the glass option for printing on their site (June 2010) thanks to the open source style from Solheim.

Finding the Solheim lab

At first I found references to Vitraglyphy through articles on various tech news sites, all exclaiming 'wow' and 'how cool' , but they all pointed in the same direction, to the Solheim Lab at Washington University, College of Engineering. Through that I found their blog Open3DP which is the best source of information. Later I found out that of course other comapnies and Labs have been chasing the same grail, but none are as transparently open as the Solheim Lab.

And the winner is

Vitraglyphy. Vitraglyphy! What's that? If you are familiar with 3D printing or Rapid Prototyping then this is 3D printing using powdered glass to produce objects made of glass.

the familiar 2D printer

What's 3D printing?

from 3D file to object

Well, imagine the kind of 2D printer that you are familiar with. A cartridge full of ink moves back and forth across the paper depositing small drops of ink that makes up the image or text that you are printing. This information or set of  instructions comes from a file or computer.
Right?
So, someone comes up with the idea of letting layers build layer upon layer, kind of like a stalagmight but a lot quicker.
To start creating you need software that you can design in 3D, your 3D design gets sent to the 3D printer. The 3D printer also has cartriges but instead of ink it has resevoirs of powder and binder. A very thin layer of powdered material is printed and then the binder is printed in the shape of your design. Layer by layer.


In this you tube clip by meggatron73 filmed in the Solheim Lab you can see the process occuring using ceramic powder. This is one example though many different materials are being used.


and another from shapeways

The Short list

Spray on glass

Flexible glass

Bioactive glass

Vitraglyphy (glass printing..printing with glass)
at the University of Washington's Solheim Rapid Manufacturing Laboratory