Ceramic Additive Manufacturing with Metal Infiltration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing additive manufacturing technologies face challenges in achieving high modeling accuracy and mechanical strength when working with ceramic materials due to low laser beam absorption and high thermal stress, leading to cracks and reduced mechanical strength in ceramic objects.
Innovation Solution
A method involving irradiating a ceramic powder with an energy beam to form a shaped object, allowing it to absorb a metal component-containing liquid with inorganic particles, and then heat-treating the object to enhance mechanical strength by localized melting of cracked regions using eutectic compositions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If metal oxide powders are melted using a laser beam in the same manner as metal powders, then high modeling accuracy can be achieved, but more energy is required and light diffusion causes non-uniform melting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the metal oxide powder by controlling particle size (1-10 μm) and using specific compositions (Al2O3-ZrO2 eutectic system) to reduce melting temperature and improve laser beam absorption, thereby reducing energy requirements while maintaining modeling accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite metal oxide powders with specific compositions (Al2O3-ZrO2 eutectic system) that combine different metal oxides to achieve lower melting points and improved laser absorption characteristics, resolving the energy efficiency problem
2Strength
If preheating is applied to relax thermal stress, then mechanical strength is improved, but light diffusion heats and melts surrounding powder causing loss of shape accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies selective preheating only to regions that will be subsequently irradiated by the shaping laser beam, using precise spatial control to heat only the necessary areas while leaving surrounding powder unaffected, thus maintaining shape accuracy while relaxing thermal stress
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preheating as a preliminary action before the main shaping process, preparing the powder in advance to reduce thermal stress during solidification, but controlling it to avoid excessive heating that would cause shape distortion
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method results in ceramic articles with improved modeling accuracy, shape accuracy, and mechanical strength by reducing cracks and maintaining the object's shape through a phase-separated structure with multiple phases, including composite compounds.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating a powder containing a ceramic material as a main component with an energy beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder
Implementation Method 2
irradiating a powder containing a ceramic material as a main component with an energy beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder
Implementation Method 3
allowing the shaped ceramic object to absorb a metal component-containing liquid that contains inorganic particles containing a metal element
Implementation Method 4
The metal component-containing liquid may contain inorganic particles having an average particle size of 300 nm or less, and an oxide of the metal element contained in the inorganic particles may form a eutectic with at least one compound contained in the shaped ceramic object
Data Source
AI summary
A method for manufacturing a ceramic article including (i) a step of irradiating a powder mainly containing a ceramic material with an energy beam to sinter or melt and solidify the powder into a solidified portion, wherein the step is repeated a predetermined number of times to sequentially bond the resulting solidified portions together to obtain a ceramic modeling object, (ii) a step of allowing the shaped ceramic object to absorb a metal component-containing liquid that contains inorganic particles containing a metal element; and (iii) a step of heating the shaped ceramic object that has absorbed the metal component-containing liquid.