Additive Manufacturing Of Components From Engineering Ceramics

Description is given of two technical approaches to the exploitation of additive manufacturing in the forming of powder compacts for the production of engineering ceramic components. Both strategies permit the development of complex, finely resolved internal features. This is a notable development for powder processing technologies. A green-tape lamination method is preferred for platelike geometries. Tape allows ready formation of defect-free layers from finely divided sinterable ceramic powders. An effort is made to describe how additive manufacturing is similar to and different from well-established green-tape lamination applications. A casting method is described that takes advantage of a combination of additive manufacturing methodologies, or technologies, to produce permanent and soluble tooling. Some examples of parts being evaluated for performance are presented.