Ceramic microreactors can be used for applications that cannot be covered by metal or polymer systems, because special material properties, such as high thermal and chemical resistance are required. However, application of ceramic microcomponents often fails due to the time-consuming and costly manufacturing of components with patterning details in the micrometer range. A promising solution to this problem is a rapid prototyping process chain. It offers a fast and precise fabrication of ceramic components down to the micrometer range by combining stereolithography and low-pressure ceramic injection molding. Its fast and¯exible tooling allows rapid product development and manufacturing of ceramic components as functional models or in small series. For use in chemical microreaction technology, a modular ceramic microreactor with inner dimensions in the submillimeter range has now been developed by means of this process chain.
Time‐intensive and cost‐consuming manufacturing of new ceramic components may be improved significantly by the use of rapid prototyping processes especially in the development of miniaturized or micropatterned components. Their molding is generally very expensive and finishing is difficult to the point of impossibility. Most known generative ceramic molding processes do not provide a sufficient resolution for the fabrication of microstructured components. In contrast to this, a rapid prototyping process chain that combines micro‐stereolithography and low‐pressure injection molding, for example, allows the rapid manufacturing of ceramic microcomponents from functional models to preliminary or small‐lot series.
Most processes for the manufacturing of ceramic components have in common that they are based on a powder-technological shaping process using a negative mold and subsequent thermal compaction. For microcomponents these processes require special adjustments especially when high aspect ratio structures have to be fabricated. Shaping methods that allow the application of silicone rubber molds, like low-pressure injection molding (LPIM) or centrifugal casting, not only have the potential to fabricate ceramic components with high aspect ratios but also offer a possibility for the rapid manufacturing of ceramic microcomponents.
Conventional shaping processes for ceramics are mostly based on a powder‐technological molding process using a negative mold and subsequent thermal compaction. Especially for prototypes and small lot series of microcomponents the outlay for molds are the major costing factor. Consequently the use of rapid prototyping (RP) processes can decisively reduce the costs and time in product development of ceramic microcomponents. In spite of the fact, that a large number of freeform fabrication techniques for different materials were developed in recent years, most generative techniques of ceramics still have different drawbacks for the fabrication of prototypes and often exhibit limited resolution compared to those of polymers. The combination of RP techniques such as micro stereolithography and ceramic injection molding in a RP process chain can fill in the gap between the limited applicability of solid freeform fabrication of ceramics and the restricted material properties of polymers.
M ost shaping processes for ceramics are based on a powder technological moulding process using a negative mould and subsequent thermal compaction. Especially for prototypes and small-lot series of microcomponents, the outlay for moulds is the major costing factor. Therefore the use of rapid prototyping (R P) processes can decisively reduce the costs and time in product development of ceramic microcomponents. By combining the high resolution of, for example, stereolithography as an inexpensive and fast supply for master models with the high exibility of lowpressure injection moulding, a rapid prototyping process chain (R PPC) has been established for the fabrication of micropatterned ceramic components as functional models or pre-production lots. This R PPC proved to have a very high moulding precision and accuracy in the submillimetre range, but also enables the fabrication of components with outer dimensions of several centimetres. D ifferent R P techniques were investigated with regard to their suitability to be used as master models in the replication chain. The quality of the master models turned out to be of decisive signi cance for the quality and reproducibility of the ceramic mouldings.
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