Solar Sinter, 3D Printer That Uses Sunlight to Melt Sand Into Glass
The Solar Sinter by Markus Kayser is a 3D printer that uses focused sunlight to melt sand into glass objects. Kayser demonstrated the Solar Sinter in this beautiful short film shot in the Sahara Desert.
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 triggers 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.
photos via Markus Kayser
E.D.W. Lynch
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