3D Ceram ceramaker 900h
CERAMKAER 900H
3DCeram’s ceramic 3D printing technology is being utilised by the coordinator of a European project focused on the additive manufacture of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks.
The Institute of Energy and Research of Catalonia (IREC) installed a CERAMKAER 900H 3D printer last month, and has been harnessing the machine through its work with the CELL3DITOR project.
IREC was created to develop a sustainable ecosystem for energy consumption, while not compromising on economic competitively and providing sufficient electricity. It benefits from the influence of private and governmental departments, most notably the department of the economy, industrial and science and innovation.
Within the IREC, the Nanoionics and Fuel Cells group directs the CELL3DITOR scheme. This project is exploring the use of 3D printing for the production of high temperature energy generators. The project is supported through the European Commission’s Fuel Cells Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH 2 JU), and is researching the entire industrial value chain surrounding the manufacture of SOFC stacks. SOFC cells are made up of four layers, three of which are ceramics, and produce electricity when oxidising a fuel. Typically a single cell is only a few millimetres thick. When hundreds of these cells are connected, they form an SOFC stack.
CELL3DITOR
The main goal of the Cell3Ditor project is the development of a 3D printing technology for the industrial production of SOFC stacks by covering research and innovation in all the stages of the industrial value chain.
All-ceramic joint-free SOFC stacks with embedded functionality will be manufactured on the CERAMKAER 900H in a two-step process – printing and sintering – in a bid to reduce the amount of energy, materials used, as well as assembly costs. The 3DCeram machine was designed to manufacture parts from small scale to industrial production, removing current limitations along the way. Though only having the machine for a month, the CELL3DITOR project is already excited at the potential of the CERAMAKER 900H.
“The 3D printing technology developed by 3DCeram via their Hybrid machine, the CERAMAKER 900H, will revolutionise the production of ceramics and develop the 3D printing of multi-materials and eventually complete devices,” commented Albert Tarancon, Senior Scientist of the CELL3DITOR project, IREC.
Richard Gaignon, Co-President of 3DCeram, added: “The 3D CERMAKER 900H printer is a breakthrough technology. This hybrid multi-material printer can produce complete functioning devices instead of simple structural parts.”
