Abstract
We report for the first time use of 3D-printed metal extrusion dies for the extrusion of an optical material into an extrudate at elevated temperatures. Using lead-silicate glass as the material to be extruded, the 3D-printed dies demonstrated the same glass flow behavior as conventionally machined metal dies. Evaluation of the extrusion force at set temperature and extrusion speed revealed that the metal-type of the dies used did not affect the glass flow behavior. Using 3D-printed dies as delivered, the high surface roughness of the 3D-printed dies resulted in high preform surface roughness. However, this effect was overcome by finishing the easily accessible internal die surfaces over 1-2mm length upstream from the die exit. The opportunity of using 3D-printed dies offers unprecedented flexibility in the die design for unlimited tailoring of fluid flow within the die, which paves the way towards extruded items of arbitrary shape.
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