Evaluating the impact of green machining on ceramic components manufactured via robocasting

Robocasting of ceramic paste allows for the printing of near-net-shape complex parts. Further processing such as green machining can be used to improve surface finish and achieve better dimensional tolerances. On occasion, however, green machining can introduce microcracks or other defects into the ceramic parts, leading to a knowledge gap for the ceramics industry as to its impact on 3D-printed components.

As part of this work, alumina parts were formed through robocasting and subsequently machined in the green state. This work reports the influence of green machining on the density, hardness, and surface roughness of the sintered ceramic, with the goal of allowing us to choose the optimal processing route for these parts in the future.

Authored by Connor Ayre, the work was undertaken at The AMRICC Centre on behalf of MICG partners Precision Ceramics and Lucideon, and was supported and partly funded by UK Research and Innovation through the Strength in Places Fund Programme.

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