Fabrication of electroceramic components by Layered Manufacturing (LM)

Layered Manufacturing (LM) has been developed and utilized to provide a cost-effective route to rapidly turn new designs into net-shape components. In LM, components are built layer-by-layer via a computer-controlled dispensing system, directly from a CAD file. Fused Deposition of Ceramics (FDC), which is used for single material fabrication, and Fused Deposition of Multi-Materials (FDMM), which is used to fabricate prototypes composed of up to four materials, are two examples of techniques employed to produce a variety of electroceramic components at Rutgers University. Novel piezoelectric and electrostrictive actuators and sensors with single and multi-materials have been prototyped via LM such as spiral and telescoping actuators, volume fraction gradient composites, and oriented structures. The concept of Templated Grain Growth (TGG) has been combined with LM to initiate the fabrication of net-shape grain-oriented and single crystal components.