This collaborative study between Lithoz GmbH and Quintus Technologies explores how Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP) can improve the performance of 3D-printed alumina-toughened zirconia (ATZ) produced by lithography-based ceramic manufacturing (LCM). The research compared conventional pressureless sintering with a strategy combining sintering and HIP post-processing to evaluate the effects on density, microstructure, mechanical strength, and reliability.
The study found that, by adapting the sintering parameters for subsequent final densification by HIP, the printed ATZ could achieve a characteristic bending strength above 1,200 MPa, compared with about 650 MPa for conventionally sintered material. This shows the potential of the combined strategy to maintain a fine grain size while achieving near-full density, significantly improving the strength and reliability of additively manufactured ceramic components and making the process suitable also for critical medical implants.
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