Currently there are many ways to shape materials including additive manufacturing. Until now, 3D printing has been identified as interesting in the framework of prototyping for low to middle volume parts with high complexity.

Among the various technologies for the additive manufacturing of ceramics, stereolithography (SLA) is known as the best technology to get the best quality after sintering in terms of mechanical and thermal properties. However, the process depends on the optical properties of the powder and it is still complex to print dark powders with this technology, especially silicon carbide which is particularly interesting for aerospace applications.

3DCERAM has developed two new printers which will overcome the aforementioned shortcoming to further enhance the range of printable ceramics:

• New hybrid machines which could combine two different 3D technologies, one will be our stereolithography and the second one would be one co-developed with the end user. We put our know-how and our machines at the service of users in order to allow them to integrate the technologies that they themselves have developed into our machines. Our goal is to open our machines to become technological hosts combining the best of the two technologies

• A Multi Additive Technologies (M.A.T.) printer which would be able to host several technologies - through the means of swappable print heads - in the same frame to combine complementary skills and to print materials like silicon carbide. As of today, MAT machine fitted with a Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) head enables the printing of SiC to obtain high densities after sintering (97% of theoretical density and a bulk density = 3,11 g/cc)

This new way of conceiving the development of 3D machines opens up possibilities that can be further expanded as the needs arise. With the new M.A.T. machines, we are creating a favorable ground for a multi-technological deployment.