Strategies for Minimizing Defects in Ceramic 3D Printed Parts: A Brief Review

This review is dedicated to assessing and summarizing recent developments on methods used for improving the strength and integrity of 3D-printed ceramic parts, with a specific interest in minimizing defects by reducing manufacturing and post-processing defects such as cracks and porosity. A review of recent literature investigated a variety of strengthening strategies from the optimization of raw material composition to the accuracy of control of printing parameters, like print rate, layer thickness, and sintering temperature. Post-processing methods like thermal treatment and isostatic pressing were also investigated for their impact. Evidence reveals that the application of infiltration and sintering processes has the effect of decreasing porosity and cracking by more than 20%, while in other cases, the printed ceramic density exceeds 98% of the theoretical density. Additionally, other studies have demonstrated that the application of different infiltration processes has the effect of increasing the flexural strength of ceramic components to more than 220 MPa, while in other cases, to approximately 350 MPa. Isostatic pressing has also been used to achieve more than 96% maximum theoretical density. Usually, the information indicates that controlled conditions of processing and advanced post-processing technologies facilitate the production of high-quality ceramic components for harsh and sophisticated applications.