Abstract

In the manufacture of ceramic components, chemical composition and microstructure are specified to optimize the properties (eg, mechanical, electrical, and magnetic) of the finished product for a given application. Optimum properties are achieved by developing and refining processes to produce a target microstructure, and by controlling processes to minimize the concentration and scale of the defects in the finished part. The tolerance of the finished ceramic to defects determines the degree of control that must be exercised during processing.

Ceramic component fabrication involves simultaneously optimizing multiple processes ranging from raw materials beneficiation to post-sinter machining. To manufacture reliable ceramic components with reproducible properties, process–microstructure–property relationships must be understood and controlled during processing. These relationships can be determined by characterizing the ceramic raw materials, mixes, and the formed ceramic body intermittently during the various stages of processing and after final thermal consolidation. Established relationships between processing, microstructure, and properties can be applied to control manufacturing processes and optimize properties, and to identify and correct process deficiencies when less than optimal properties are obtained.