Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS
Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems IKTS

Additive manufacturing of ceramics via Vat Photopolymerisation (CerAM VPP)

Topic

Aerospike nozzle made of Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> (10 N).
© Fraunhofer IKTS
Aerospike nozzle made of Al2O3 (10 N).
Technical parameters of the VPP printer CeraFab 8500 (Lithoz).
© Fraunhofer IKTS
Technical parameters of the VPP printer CeraFab 8500 (Lithoz).
Technische Parameter des VPP-Drucker CeraFab 7500 (Lithoz).
© Fraunhofer IKTS
Technical parameters VPP plant CeraFab 7500 (Lithoz).

Ceramic additive manufacturing using Vat photopolymerization (CerAM VPP) is based on the principle of stereolithography. In this process, the introduction of light with a defined wavelength initiates the spatially resolved photopolymerization of organic monomer mixtures (suspensions) highly filled with ceramic powder particles. In this process, the introduction of light with a defined wavelength initiates the spatially resolved photopolymerization of organic monomer mixtures (suspensions) highly filled with ceramic powder particles.

The densities achievable after conventional heat treatment of the additively produced green bodies are, for example, at least 99.4 % of the theoretical density for Al2O3 and at least 99.0 % for ZrO2.

Established materials: alumina (Al2O3) - various grades, zirconia (ZrO2), SiAlON silicon nitride (Si3N4), dispersion ceramics (ZTA), hydroxylappatites (HAp), tricalcium phosphate (TCP), silica (SiO2), porcelain, ATZ (not validated).

Materials under development: silicon nitride (Si3N4), silicon nitride for high temperature (HT-Si3N4 up to 1700 °C), aluminum nitride (AlN), dispersion ceramics (ATZ)

 

Services offered

  • Component development and manufacturing based on customer-specific CAD files
  • Ceramic and manufacturing-compatible design of components
  • Development of light-curable suspensions from customized powders
Process steps of the Vat photopolymerization (CerAM VPP) for additive manufacturing of ceramics.
© Fraunhofer IKTS
Process steps of the Vat photopolymerization (CerAM VPP) for additive manufacturing of ceramics.

 

Public projects

  • Fabrication of patient-specific hybrid bone substitutes for the regeneration of bony facial skull defects (HybridBone)
  • Characterization of the real mechanical properties of ceramic AM components (CharAM)
  • Development of plant technology, process and material pairing for the production of multifunctional ceramic components (3D-MultiCera)
  • Highly dynamic ceramic matrix heaters for generating fast temperature fields (DynaCool)
  • Additively manufactured ceramic nozzles for application in space (Macaronis)

 

Publications

  • 2015 – Scheithauer et al.: ”Micro-Reactors made by Lithography-Based Ceramic Manufacturing”, ACerS; https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119236016.ch4 
  • 2017 – Scheithauer et al.: “Additive Manufacturing of Ceramic Heat Exchanger: Opportunities and Limits of the Lithography-Based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM); Journal of Materials engineering and Performance, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11665-017-2843-z
  • 2017 – Schwarzer et al.: “Lithography-based ceramic manufacturing (LCM) – Viscosity andcleaning as two quality influencing steps in the process chain of printing green parts”, JECS, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2017.05.046
  • 2018 – Schwarzer et al.: “Process development for additive manufacturing of functionally graded alumina toughened zirconia components intended for medical implant application”, JESC, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2018.09.003
  • 2018 – Schwarzer et al.: “Additive Manufacturing of Functionally Graded Ceramic Materials by Stereolithography“, JOVE, doi:10.3791/57943
  • 2019 – Schwarzer et al.: “Functionally Graded Alumina Toughened Zirconia Components made by Ceramic Vat Photo Polymerization (CerAM VPP)”, CMT, https://doi.org/10.29272/cmt.2018.0015
  • 2021 – Schwarzer-Fischer et al.: “Combining Zirconia and Titanium Suboxides by Vat Photopolymerization“, Materials, https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14092394
  • 2022 – Schwarzer-Fischer et al.: “Study on CerAMfacturing of Novel Alumina Aerospike Nozzles by Lithography-Based Ceramic Vat Photopolymerization (CerAM VPP)”, Materials, https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15093279

 

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