3D printers are sometimes compared to hot glue guns, in part because of similarities between hot glue and printer filament. However, analyzing the mechanical obstacles that complicate...
Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years.TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust In context: Several recent experiments have broadened the potential applications for 3D printing. Although most users wouldn't consider hot glue a viable building material, it has important similarities to other compounds. Designing a workable hot glue 3D printer might solve problems that prevent using different alternatives. printing with glue could open doors for other materials. Engineer Jón Schone recently demonstrated these issues in an experiment that, following much trial and error, converted a hot glue gun into a 3D printing extruder. Like the filaments commonly used in 3D printing, hot glue can transition from liquid to solid without altering its composition. Although Schone's experiment encountered problems determining the proper heat levels for…