CMD - Ceramic Stereolithography

Ceramic stereolithography (CSL), a form of 3D printing and additive manufacturing, is a rapid prototyping and manufacturing process that uses photocurable resin filled with a high loading of ceramic powder to produce ceramic parts using laser stereolithography machines. The parts produced by the stereolithography machine are in the green-state and are subsequently fired to achieve the desired ceramic properties.

Schematic of the Ceramic Stereolithography process

Fine Features, Intricate Geometry: The fine laser beam and the automated, layer-by-layer build approach of stereolithography enables ceramic parts with a high level of detail (fine features and complex geometry) that cannot be produced using conventional molding or machining methods.

Ceramic Stereolithographic part produced by TA&T, showing complex geometries

Ceramic Rapid Prototyping: Ceramic parts are built directly from a three dimensional CAD representation of the parts and do not require any part-specific tooling. This allows rapid, low-cost prototyping of fully-functional ceramic parts with the cost or leadtime associated with tooling.

A Gallery of example Ceramic Stereolithographically produce parts is available here.

TA&T offers Ceramic Prototyping Services using high purity alumina and fused silica materials

TA&T conducts Research and Development of new materials and applications for ceramic stereolithography.