Compound process of selective laser processed alumina parts densified by cold isostatic pressing and solid state sintering: Experiments, full process simulation and parameter optimization

Combined cold isostatic pressing (CIP) of alumina selective laser processed (SLP) parts and solid state sintering (SSS) were used to obtain complex shaped and relatively dense alumina ceramic components. Simulation of the compound process was fulfilled, and the simulative results were found to agree well with the experimental ones. A link was built between the microstructure evolution and the macroscopic deformation by implanting the sintering path curve into the constitutive model. The relative density distribution and its standard deviation were defined to evaluate the homogeneity of the parts. The effects of structural and process parameters on the densification and deformation during the compound process were studied using experimental and simulation methods. Laser energy density, ratio of the fillet radius to the bag thickness and the sintering acceleration during the selective laser processing, cold isostatic pressing, and solid state sintering, were defined to optimize the whole process.