Advanced manufacturing
Our CERATECH by CTTC platform gathers a range of resources for the manufacturing of technical ceramics or multi-material.
From powder to object
Ceramic processes involve a series of stages that need to be optimised and mastered in order to produce objects that fulfil the desired functions.
From laboratory to industrial scale, the platform's equipment meets the needs of development through the industrialization of manufacturing.
The platform's equipment covers all stages of the process: from material synthesis to finishing, through the preparation of powders, pastes or suspensions, the shaping of raw parts, and heat treatments.
1st step
Synthesis and formulation
Our synthesis and formulation facilities enable us to develop high-performance materials tailored for each application. Processes are implemented using powders or precursors to achieve the desired characteristics: particle size, purity, morphology, viscosity, loading rate, etc.
Examples: silica nanobeads of controlled size, rare earth oxide nanopowders, solid solutions of controlled compositions, catalysts, calcium phosphates (HA, TCP), grains surfaces functionalisation, etc.
2nd step
Preparation of powders, pastes and suspensions
Raw materials can be prepared as powders, granules, pastes or suspensions. The CTTC owns most of the equipment and professional expertise required for this important step in the ceramic process. The equipment is suitable for scale transfer (from a few grams to several hundred kilograms). Some of these processes can also be used for metal powders.
Examples of projects: Preparation of stable and well dispersed casting suspensions, Formulation and atomisation of ready-to-use alumina powders for a pressing process, Preparation of extrusion pastes and injection granules, preparation of feedstocks for 3D printing.
Step 3
Shaping
Ceramics are shaped using a range of equipment adapted to the manufacture of plates, bars, tubes, honeycomb structures and complex shaped parts. The parts can be made as raw preforms or in near-net-shape.
Example of project: Development of manufacturing processes for very high temperature furnace parts for the nuclear sector, production of porous materials (gas or liquid filtration) with flat or tubular geometry, definition and implementation of a manufacturing line for technical ceramics for catalysis, manufacture of pre-series parts for biomedical use, etc.
Step 4
Heat treatment
The platform offers a range of ceramic heat treatment facilities for drying, debinding, calcination and sintering operations. Equipment of varying capacities can be used to treat small samples as well as large parts.
Examples of projects: sintering of oxide, carbide and nitride ceramics, synthesis by calcination of powder mixtures, production of RBSN silicon nitride parts, flash sintering of nanopowders, etc.
Step 5
Finish
The finishing step may involve machining or grinding the part to final dimensions. It may also involve bonding or assembly. The platform's tools and the CTTC's partners enable us to respond to all the problems submitted.
