Ceramic Tape Sintering Without Setter Boards for Flat Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Sintering processes for ceramic articles result in surface defects due to contact with setter boards, which are difficult to polish, especially for thin and large-surface-area articles, leading to reduced mechanical strength and increased manufacturing challenges.
Innovation Solution
A continuous manufacturing line process that removes the setter board by burning off the binder and sintering the green tape without support, using tension to maintain the tape's integrity and achieve flat, defect-free surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If green tape is placed on a setter board during sintering, then the tape is supported during the process, but surface defects are transferred to the tape from the setter board
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the setter board from the sintering process entirely. The green tape is suspended in air during sintering rather than being placed on a setter board, thereby eliminating the source of surface defects while maintaining support through the suspension mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces air as an intermediary medium to support the green tape during sintering. Instead of direct contact with a setter board, the tape is suspended in air, which prevents defect transfer while providing the necessary support structure
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional polishing is used on thin, large-area sintered articles, then surface quality can be improved, but the process becomes unwieldy and impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The invention converts the harmful effect of sintering shrinkage into a beneficial outcome. By allowing the tape to contract freely in air without setter board constraints, the shrinkage creates a flat, defect-free surface that eliminates the need for polishing, especially for thin and large-area articles
Solution Approach 2:
The sintering process itself serves the dual function of both densifying the material and creating the final flat, high-quality surface. The free contraction during sintering in air automatically produces the desired surface flatness, making the process self-sufficient without requiring separate polishing operations
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the tape is allowed to contract freely during sintering, then surface defects are minimized, but the tape may warp or curl
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses a dynamic suspension system that adapts to the tape's contraction during sintering. The suspension mechanism maintains tension and positioning throughout the shrinking process, preventing warping and curling while allowing free contraction to occur without setter board contact
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 process produces sintered articles with improved mechanical properties and reduced surface defects, enabling efficient production of thin, flexible ceramic sheets with consistent surface quality on both sides.
Implementation Method 1
heating the green section to burn off or char the binder
Implementation Method 2
heating the unbound section to at least partial sintering of the inorganic particles
Data Source
AI summary
A method of manufacturing ceramic tape includes a step of directing a tape of partially-sintered ceramic into a furnace. The tape is partially-sintered such that grains of the ceramic are fused to one another yet the tape still includes at least 10% porosity by volume, where the porosity refers to volume of the tape unoccupied by the ceramic. The method further includes steps of conveying the tape through the furnace and further sintering the tape as the tape is conveyed through the furnace. The porosity of the tape decreases during the further sintering step.