Shooting at Ceramics

Author:  Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM
Source:  The Shot Peener magazine, Vol 26 / Issue 4, Fall 2012
Doc ID:  2012035
Year of Publication:  2012
Abstract:  
RESEARCH REPORT: In corrosive, high-temperature environments, metals quickly lose their elasticity. Beyond certain temperatures the material fails and its properties are compromised; metallic springs stop working if heated above 500 degrees Celsius, for example. But what to do if these are exactly the conditions a production process requires? One way of avoiding the problem has been to make components out of ceramic, a material that is lightweight, rigid, corrosion-resistant and able to withstand high temperatures. Yet this only offers a partial solution, as producing thin ceramics for parts such as leaf springs, lightweight mirrors for optical and extraterrestrial use, or membranes for sensors and fuel cells, is both time-consuming and expensive. This is because ceramics can only be machined using costly diamond tools, and the process itself creates tensions within the surface of the material which cause the finished part to distort as soon as it is removed from the machine. Reshaping the components after manufacture has never been a viable option before as the material is too brittle, and so the large amounts of waste that are generated push the costs up.