3D-printed components exhibit textured surfaces as a consequence of the additive manufacturing process. For the stereolithographic manufacturing process, the texture’s geometry and periodicity depend on the printing direction, i.e. the angle between the building direction and the specimen surface. Such structures stem from over-polymerization and from the aliasing effect, which is a result of the pixel-based nature of the stereolithographic manufacturing process. Therefore, the strength of ceramic 3D-printed components may depend on the orientation in which tensile stresses act with respect to the printing direction. Other aspects of the manufacturing method, such as insufficient layer bonding or delamination, might further increase the observed variation in strength. 
In order to provide reliable material data for the design of components, the strength characteristics have to be assessed routinely for various processing conditions and/or as means for quality control. Such investigations are laborious and costly if standardized strength specimens and methods for ceramics are used. In the project CharAM (ZIM & IraSME), an innovative test specimen is designed and investigated. It allows to manufacture a sample set of sufficient size (2 x 48 specimens) for statistical strength evaluation within a single print job with the LCM-procedure (CerAM VPP). Additionally, suitable test equipment is developed to enable rapid and simple test execution.
In order to assess the practical applicability of this testing method and its accuracy, a thorough investigation of possible influences on the measured strength has been conducted. Supported by practical observations, Monte-Carlo analysis, analytical considerations, and Finite-Element-Analysis have been employed. Based on Weibull theory, the influence of surface structures on the measured strength was determined through both empirical strength testing and Finite-Element-Analysis.