Advanced Technical Ceramics - Aluminium Oxide
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Technology abstract
Aluminium Oxide, Al2O3 is a major engineering material. It offers a combination of good mechanical properties and electrical properties leading to a wide range of applications.
Technology Description
The advanced technical ceramics aluminium oxide (Al2O3) is the most well known and cost effective ceramic material. Due to a combination of good strength, a high E- module, hardness and thermal shock resistance ceramics made of Al2O3 (alumina) are applied in high-temperature applications such as rings, cones, rods, disks, as well those where low friction is required.
These kind of parts are used in various applications like communication-amplifiers for satellites, travelling wave tubes, klystrons, (ion)thrusters, radars and sensors for onboard and ground systems for civil aerospace and (multi-pin) feed-throughs, power tubes, insulators etc.
Alumina can be produced in a range of purities with additives designed to enhance properties. A wide variety of ceramic processing methods can be applied including machining or net shape forming to produce a wide variety of sizes and shapes of component. In addition it can be readily joined to metals or other ceramics using metallizing and brazing techniques.
Process Capabilities:
- Primary forming methods: isostatic and die pressing
- Secondary forming: conventional and CNC green machining
- Sintering kilns
- Final forming: conventional and CNC hard machining
- Metallising: cleanroom paint application
- Metallising: sintering furnaces
- Metallising: galvanic and cleaning lines
- Brazing: lab vacuum brazing furnace
- Various test equipments
Primary forming methods: isostatic and die pressing
Secondary forming: conventional and CNC green machining
In many cases it makes sense to replace metal by alumina due to the superior properties of ceram-ic material. The technology provider offers know how and service for companies considering the alternative for using a professional and technically matured ceramic solution.
The company received DIN EN ISO 9001 certification in 1996 and since 2004, DIN EN ISO 14001 certification is approved.
Innovations & Advantages
Material:
Until now Alumina is an excellent all-round material amongst all technical ceramics. Due to chang-ing requirements other materials such as AlN (aluminum nitride) is becoming more popular. It is lower in density and has a better thermal conductivity compared to alumina.
Depending on the specific type, these aluminium oxide ceramics feature a variety of properties:
- Good strength and stiffness
- Good hardness and wear resistance
- Good corrosion resistance
- Good thermal stability
- Excellent dielectric properties (from DC to GHz frequencies)
- Low dielectric constant
- Low loss tangent
Process:
The metallizing process is very sophisticated. From the production of metallizing paint to the sinter-ing furnace and last but not least the clean-room, we entirely control this process
Current and Potential Domains of Application
Typical applications include:
- Seal rings
- Medical prostheses
- Laser tubes
- Electronic substrates
- Ballistic armour
- Thermocouple tubes
- Electrical insulators
- Grinding media
- Thread guides
- Wear components
Aluminium oxide ceramics are also used in components for medical device such as X-ray, CT-scanner and laser.
Due to a much higher life span or higher hardness/resistance to wear and tear ceramic material could easily replace plastic material or metal in many applications.
