Advanced shaping techniques in advanced ceramics

Improvements in powder processing and shaping technologies are methods for increasing the reliability of advanced ceramics while lowering their cost. Considerable effort has been put into the development of low cost technolog ies for high volumes of complex-shaped components that will have the abilit y to form complex-shaped thin-walled parts. Near-net-shaping of advanced ce ramics are of particular interest. The following shaping processes are curr ently in the commercialisation or development stages: pressure slip casting , freeze casting, powder injection moulding, tape casting/lamination, rapid prototyping, and colloidal processing of powders. Especially the technique s based on colloidal processing, such as gel casting, electrophoretic casti ng, hydrolysis assisted solidification, direct coagulation casting, etc. ar e of great interest due to their ability to reduce critical defect size tha t originate during manufacturing. Specific manufacturing features, advantag es, disadvantages and the limitations of these novel processes are describe d in detail in this paper.