How do Laboratories and Research Centers Benefit from Ceramic 3D Printing?

In 2018, French company Nanoe launched its additive manufacturing material offering. Called Zetamix, it offers ceramic and metal filaments for extrusion processes (FFF). It facilitates the creation of customized ceramic and metal parts for professionals and manufacturers. Today, many research laboratories use these ceramic materials for a variety of applications,. For example, to design sample holders, gas blower components or crucibles. Ceramic 3D printing offers them more freedom in terms of design while maintaining the necessary thermal and chemical properties.

We met with three research centers to understand the added value of ceramic additive manufacturing and Zetamix filaments: shorter production times, lower costs, customized design, the benefits are many. The Ceramic Processes and Associated Processes Laboratory (LMPCA) studies technical ceramics for biomedical, electrical and electronic applications, from their development to their characterization. Zetamix materials are part of this study and are also used to manufacture various tools. The second laboratory is the ESFR, an international research center that focuses on the structure of materials with atomic resolution. Finally, the materials center at Mines ParisTech is trying to understand the influence of manufacturing processes on the properties of materials.

3D printed crucibles made using Zetamix (photo credits: Zetamix)

The creation of custom-made technical ceramic pieces

The experiments carried out in research centers require various equipment and tools that most often meet very specific needs. Custom-made parts must be manufactured to ensure that the experiment runs smoothly. Most of the time, these specialized laboratories need sample holders and other tools that are heat resistant or have very specific chemical properties.