voxeljet, a machine manufacturer that specializes in 3D printed sand moulds, has worked with Japanese ceramics expert AGC Ceramics Co., Ltd (AGCC) to develop a new high-performance ceramic material for 3D printing.
Named Brightorb™, the material has been developed for the VX1000 machine, a 3D printer the company unveiled for the first time in 2019. With a build volume of 1000 x 600 x 500 mm, the 3D printer bonds the ceramic particles with an inorganic binder, one layer at the time.
The ceramics material is made up of spherical sand. Its main components include Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3) 80%, Zirconium Oxide (ZrO2) 10%, Silicon Oxide (SiO2) 9%, the minerals Corundum, Baddeleyite and various sorts of cement.
During the 3D printing process, the German manufacturer explains that Brightorb is applied to the build platform with average grain sizes of 50 µm and layer thicknesses of 100 µm and selectively bonded with an inorganic binder. The inorganic binder is characterized by its high environmental compatibility as only water vapor is produced during molding, which means that processing this material enhances the environmental and working conditions in foundries.
Furthermore, the preparation of the printed ceramic for the final application, requires an immersion of the printed components in a silica-based liquid. Thereafter, operators have to fire them in a sintering furnace to ensure strength. Most of the unprinted powder can be reprocessed, recycled and fed back into the printing process.
“We have been noticing a growing demand for increasingly complex component geometries among our customers for a long time,” explains Dr. Ingo Ederer, CEO at voxeljet. “The great advantage of the geometric freedom of 3D printing is, that geometric adjustments can significantly optimize the efficiency and effectiveness of, for example, engines or turbine wheels. It is rare that such complex components can still be produced using conventional molding processes. Together with AGCC, we have been able to optimize a VX1000 for ceramic powder in close cooperation, so that it is ideally suited for the challenging demands of metal casting. Both in terms of strength and surface quality”, says Dr. Ederer.
Targeted applications for the new, ceramic material set include high-performance cores for sand and investment casting, ceramic filters, structural components, as well as art and product design. When used as cores for the investment casting process, 3D printed ceramics help reproduce complex and filigree cavities within castings. voxeljet explains that in this process, the filigree cores are combined with conventional wax patterns. These are coated with a ceramic slurry and burned out before casting. What remains is a hollow ceramic mold in which the printed core is still inserted. Molten metal is then poured into the mold. After cooling, both the mold and the core are removed.
Mr. Ushimaru, Additive Manufacturing Director from AGCC is also satisfied: “Brightorb is a high-performance ceramic that is extremely well suited for metal casting due to its high-chemical stability, heat resistance, thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion. We were able to optimize the material set in such a way that the shrinkage factor of the printed components during the downstream sintering process at 1,400°C is less than 1%. This means that the components are also suitable for filigree core designs. Thanks to the high-fire resistance, it is possible to cast alloys with melting points beyond 1,600°C. Overall, ceramics will continue to gain importance as a material in the future, and the same applies to 3D printing as a manufacturing technology. We are pleased to have embarked on this path together with voxeljet and look forward to further close cooperation.”
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