Optimizing the Process Parameters for Additive Manufacturing of Glass Components by Selective Laser Melting: Soda-Lime Glass Versus Quartz Glass

Abstract Additive manufacturing by selective laser melting (SLM) is generally applicable to glasses while insufficient resistance of the material to thermal shocks due to local laser heating may result in cracking and a high viscosity of glass melt is responsible for incomplete powder consolidation related to residual porosity. The present work shows that preheating up to 350 °C is sufficient to avoid cracking of soda-lime glass. Preheating of quartz glass up to 730 °C considerably decreases the residual porosity, which is explained by acceleration of powder consolidation by the viscous-flow mechanism of glass particles’ coalescence. Variation of the preheating temperature is an effective tool to control consolidation of glass powder and to avoid cracking.