Solid freeform fabrication: novel manufacturing opportunities for electronic ceramics

Solid freeform fabrication (SFF) methods offer unique opportunities for manufacturing electronic ceramics, specifically piezoelectric ceramics and ceramic/polymer composites (for sensing and actuating applications) free of constraints imposed by complexity of design or architecture. This is a direct result of the fact that these methods allow component manufacture without the need for hard tools/molds or costly machining. There are a number of SFF methods that have been developed since the introduction of stereolithography in the mid 1980's. Only recently have some of these methods been successfully applied to advanced ceramic materials. This paper gives a brief introduction of the major commercial SFF methods. In addition, examples are given which show how SFF methods have been recently used to manufacture PZT ceramic/polymer composites for actuators and sensors. The paper will offer an indication of the potential that SFF offers to manufacture advance electronic ceramic materials.