KYOCERA Fineceramics Europe GmbH, a subsidiary of KYOCERA Europe GmbH, a supplier of advanced ceramic components for the technology industry, recently established a process for the additive manufacturing of components made of silicon carbide (SiSiC) at its Selb location in Germany.
This step marks the beginning of the company’s activities in the AM industry – and in ceramic 3D printing in particular.
The focus on Silicon-infiltrated silicon carbide (SiSiC)
Silicon-infiltrated silicon carbide (SiSiC) is a high-performance ceramic material with exceptional mechanical strength, thermal conductivity, rigidity, and high wear resistance.
SiC is ideal for demanding areas of application, such as aerospace, the semiconductor industry, and industrial production, particularly due to its nearly negligible thermal expansion.
Kyocera processes both StarCeram® Si, which is used for conventional processes, and StarCeram® AM-Si, which was developed for 3D printing, independently – both materials are characterised by comparable material properties.
The AM process Kyocera will leverage is based on a two-stage procedure: First, a green part is created from silicon carbide powder and polymer binder using the binder jetting process. This is then infiltrated with molten silicon, which reacts with the remaining carbon to form the final SiSiC structure.
The multi-stage production process was specially developed for large-volume and complex components. The maximum component size is 325 x 270 x 130 mm with wall thicknesses from 3 mm. The elimination of green machining, time-consuming programming times and the manufacture of tools for machining enable particularly short production times and the production of large quantities.
“This advancement is the result of intensive research and development work,” explains Sarah Diener, Team Leader for Additive Manufacturing. “We look forward to creating added value for our customers through the production of complex component geometries.”
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