Ceramic 3D printing combines the process-specific advantages of additive manufacturing with the material-specific advantages of technical ceramics. This results in a wide range of applications, including special areas in which maximum requirements are placed on the respective component. This applies to aerospace technology, for example. In this industry, depending on the component and its use, explicit requirements are made with regard to mechanics, aerodynamics or temperature - which is why we can consider only a few materials.

Technical ceramics such as aluminum oxide or zirconium dioxide have very high strength and extremely good resistance to chemicals, corrosion and temperature. They are also electrically insulating and biocompatible. In addition, aluminum oxide has the potential to reduce weight, as it is a very lightweight ceramic.

Additive manufacturing allows extremely complex, filigree and hollow structures to be produced cost-effectively and in a very short time. Additive manufacturing is suitable both for the production of individual parts, such as prototypes, and for the serial production of small or large series. In the production of technical ceramics, CADdent relies on the LCM process (Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing) from machine manufacturer Lithoz GmbH - the market leader in the field of lithography-based ceramic 3D printing.

In addition to its expertise in 3D printing with technical ceramics, CADdent has many years of experience in the additive manufacturing of various metal alloys, such as cobalt-chrome and titanium. These two high-performance materials are used in the dental industry and have a significantly higher hardness and corrosion resistance compared to conventional steel alloys. Titanium - the material of the future - also impresses with its lightness, which is due to its comparatively low density. Both dental alloys therefore also have great potential for use in the aerospace industry. With the additive manufacturing method using LaserMelting, we can produce extremely thin-walled and complex geometries with high precision, which cannot be realized with production techniques such as milling.

Since 2023, we have been a manufacturing service provider for the German Aerospace Center (DLR) for the development of prototypes and subsequent production of small series for the Measurement and Sensor Technology group of the Flight Experiments facility. One of our projects involved the production of a prototype for a PT100 sensor, which was required for flight experiments with the "HALO" (High Altitude and Long Range Research Aircraft). This temperature sensor is made of platinum (Pt), among other materials, and has a resistance of 100 ohms (Ω) at 0 °C. Through intensive collaboration with our research and development department, we could make some design adjustments and optimize the topology.