RP process chains for ceramic microcomponents

Abstract

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.

Microfabrication of ceramics by rapid prototyping process chains

“…Only little dif culties occurred during the demoulding of the ceramic green bodies. Compared to components fabricated before [26,27,29], demoulding of the test pattern represented no challenge, as the master models do not exhibit high aspect ratios and hardly any small freestanding details. D ue to the low adhesion of silicone rubber to paraf n and the elasticity of these moulds, demoulding of patterning details of ceramic green compacts is simpli ed signi cantly compared to in exible moulds.…”

“…By combining R P methods as a fast and inexpensive supply for polymer master models and the low-pressure injection moulding (LPIM ) of ceramics a rapid prototyping process chain (R PPC) has been established that enables the fabrication of micropatterned parts of variable sizes made of multiple ceramic materials as functional models or pre-production lots within a short time [25][26][27]. This R PPC has already been successfully applied for the development of various ceramic microparts or micropatterned ceramics, among them, for example, ceramic microreactor systems [28] and piezoelectric transducers [29]. The present paper will focus on the investigation of differently fabricated R P models to be used as master models in the R PPC.…”

A new technology for microfluidic structures preparation based on a photoimageable ceramic

“…The most important parameters in fabrication of microfluidic systems are chemical resistance, optical properties, well-known surface chemistry, ability to electroosmotic flow and many others. The most often applied materials in micromechanical engineering are glass, quartz, silicon (Tiggelaar et al 2005;Kikutani et al 2002;Ratner et al 2005;Huber et al 2003), various polymers (Duffy et al 1998;Becker et al 2002;Mello 2002) and ceramic (Henry et al 1999;Knitter et al 2001Knitter et al , 2002Mengeaud et al 2002;Knitter and Liauw 2004;Golonka et al 2005). Transparence, good optical properties and chemical resistance are the main features of glass and quartz.…”

Fabrication of microfluidic channel utilizing silicone rubber with vacuum casting

“…In addition, vacuum casting has also been shown to be capable to cast 3D micro helical gear with bismuth (Chung et al 2005a, b) and epoxy-aluminum (Chung et al 2005a, b). Furthermore, silicone rubber mold has recently been used to electroplate micropatterned tools (Lorenz et al 2006) and as mold for lowpressure injection molding process for fabrication of ceramic micro components (Knitter et al 2002).…”