Ceramic fabrication using Mask-Image-Projection-based Stereolithography integrated with tape-casting

Ceramic components with complex geometry are difficult to fabricate. Layer-based additive manufacturing processes such as ceramic-suspension-based stereolithography (SL) provide a direct way of fabricating ceramic components from computer-aided design (CAD) models. In such an SL process, fine ceramic powders are mixed with liquid photocurable resin into ceramic suspension. The suspension-based slurry is then used in the SL process to fabricate green parts with desired shapes. A sintering process is further required to convert the green parts into dense ceramic components. In this paper, several key challenges of the ceramic-suspension-based SL process are discussed including the recoating and curing ceramic suspension with high solid loading. A novel Mask-Image-Projection-based Stereolithography (MIP-SL) process by integrating ceramic tape-casting and bottom-up projection methods is presented for fabricating dense ceramic components from CAD models. Various approaches to increase the solid loading in green parts are discussed including suspension preparation, image projection, layer recoating and separation. A prototype system based on the presented ceramics fabrication process has been developed. Test cases of different types of ceramics are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented fabrication method. The post-processing of green parts to convert them into dense ceramic components is also discussed with some sintering results presented.