Since the inception of the first Additive Manufacturing (AM) processes in the 80’s production of both polymer and metal parts using AM has been well established. For both material families a range of AM technologies and a sizeable suite of applicable are available. In comparison AM of ceramics, both glasses and crystalline ceramics, has lagged behind. Currently most approaches toward ceramics AM uses an indirect method, relying on either consolidation or addition of a binder, or on chemical conversion of a preform. Most commercially available solutions are based on stereolithography and binder jetting. Parts made using these technologies require extensive debinding, often resulting in a preference for thin walled parts due to process constraints.
In traditional ceramic processes self-supporting green parts with low binder contents are not uncommon. These are obtained via methods such as slip casting, pressure casting, die pressing or direct forming. These green structures can be consolidated using a much more direct and simple sintering cycle.
In the presented poster we investigate how these traditional ceramics processing routes can be emulated using Selective Powder Deposition (SPD). The latter allows forming of multi-material powder layers which can be stacked to form a multi-material powder compact or structure. By combining powder with different sintering characteristics in a die, this technique can be used to generate an temporary mold in situ, which after sintering can yield a complex part. As no binder is used, this can result in thick walled near net shape parts.