Traditional and Modern Ceramic Manufacturing Processes

When you hear the word ceramics, you are likely to think of crockery, tiles and

earthenware. The material constituting these low-technology applications is

known as traditional ceramics. Advanced ceramics, on the other hand, refer to

new materials or new combinations of existing materials that display superior

mechanical properties. They are used in several applications in the automotive,

medical, aerospace and communications industries, apart from lending

themselves to use in the field of energy and environment and electronic

applications. Ceramic manufacturing is a process that requires varying methods

and equipment for producing ceramic parts and components that can lend

themselves to these various uses.

Ceramic manufacturing involves forming powdered base material into requisite

shapes and firing them at high temperatures to harden and densify the material.

The forming process may be carried out using traditional methods such as die

pressing, isostatic pressing and slip casting or with the use of newer methods such

as injection molding and tape casting.

Ceramic forming processes used in ceramic manufacturing

Die pressing

Die pressing is a compaction method in which uniaxial pressure is applied to

granular powder in a die, between two rigid punches. It is the most commonly

used forming technique for shaping ceramics.

Isostatic pressing

In isostatic pressing, pressure is applied to compact the green body; a term used

to refer to an object made up of weakly held ceramic material. The pressure is

applied through multiple directions through a liquid or gaseous medium

surrounding the material to be compacted.

Isostatic pressing is of two types, cold isostatic pressing and hot isostatic pressing.

Cold isostatic pressing is conducted at room temperature and involves immersing

a flexible mold, commonly made of polyurethane, in a pressurized liquid medium.

Hot isostatic pressing is a ceramic manufacturing method that combines pressing

and sintering, resulting in the consolidation of powder particles and the formation

of a strong ceramic object.

Injection molding

In the process of injection molding, a plastic mix is prepared and heated in a

molding machine till it has sufficiently low viscosity to be able to flow on the

application of pressure.

Pressure is applied to the heated mixture with a plunger, forcing it through an

orifice into the tool cavity. The molded ceramic is removed from the die and the

organic binder is burned off with a carefully controlled heating schedule, prior to

sintering.

Tape casting

Tape casting is a method used to form thin, flexible ceramic tapes. Ceramic

powder is mixed with solvents and additives, forming a free-flowing ceramic

slurry. A tape casting plant allows for the ceramic slurry to be spread over a

conveyor belt to form an even layer. This layer is eventually dried and coiled for

further processing. The tapes produced may be used as circuit boards or ceramic

capacitors, among other uses.

Ceramic manufacturing is probably the oldest and yet, one of the fastest-evolving

industries since the inception of mankind. From artistic applications of traditional

ceramics to the use of engineered ceramics in a variety of industries, this material

has become an indispensable part of our lives.

Meta title- Ceramic forming can be carried out through a variety of techniques

Meta description- Ceramic forming is the process of converting powdered ceramic

into a desired shape which is subsequently densified using sintering. Ceramic

forming processes include die pressing, isostatic pressing and injection molding,

to name a few.