HYbrid sintering and advanced Machining of technical CERamics

The development of new production processes and innovative sintering technologies, i.e. firing processes during which the conversion of a powder compact into a fully dense bulk compound is realized, as well as the improvement of the current processes and technologies, would permit to enhance the use of ceramics in industrial applications by increased product development and high added value products. This will reinforce the position of the European companies against their competitors in Asia and America. Nowadays, non-conventional machining processes allow cost effective processing of ceramics introducing the possibility to obtain complex 3D shapes. Processes such as vibration assisted and electrical discharge machining solve the limitations of conventional processes like grinding, introducing more flexible and cost effective machining capabilities.

The HYMaCER project, driven by 4 dedicated Hi-Tech SMEs, aims at developing a complete supply chain for large size technical ceramic blanks in order to fulfill their need for economically produced, innovative and difficult to densify technical ceramics, all three parameters which are currently limiting the SMEs’ market expansion.

The SMEs will join their knowledge on spark plasma sintering (NANOKER & FCT) and machining of ceramics (Ceratec, ARTOOLING & FCT) to produce innovative technical ceramics with an already proven market potential for dedicated niche markets. In order to realise this, the SMEs will be supported by 3 RTD centres with a long standing expertise in ceramic material development (K.U.Leuven & CSIC), spark plasma sintering (CSIC & K.U. Leuven) and non-conventional machining (K.U.Leuven & IK4-TEKNIKER).

The research will be focused on the fabrication of electrically conductive technical ceramics, combining an oxide matrix with a secondary, electrically conductive phase, by means of the largest world-wide hybrid spark plasma sintering equipment, with pressing force up to 400 tons and component capacity up to 400 mm in diameter, of FCT origin, and recently installed at NANOKER.