Additive Manufacturing of Ceramic Reference Spheres by Stereolithography (SLA)

Abstract

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is advancing technologically towards the production of components for high-demand mechanical applications with stringent dimensional accuracy, leveraging metallic and ceramic raw materials. The AM process for ceramic components, known as Ultraviolet Laser Stereolithography (SLA), enables the fabrication of unique parts or small batches without substantial investments in molds and dies, and avoids the problems associated with traditional manufacturing, which involves multiple stages and final machining for precision. This study addresses the need to produce reference elements or targets for metrological applications, including verification, adjustment, or calibration of 3D scanners and mid- to high-range optical sensors. Precision spheres are a primary geometry in this context due to their straightforward mathematical definition, facilitating rapid and accurate error detection in equipment. Our objective is to exploit this novel SLA process along with the advantageous optical properties of technical ceramics (such as being white, matte, lightweight, and corrosion-resistant) to materialize these reference objects. Specifically, this work involves the fabrication of alumina hemispheres using SLA. The manufacturing process incorporates four design variables (wall thickness, support shape, fill type, and orientation) and one manufacturing variable (the arrangement of spheres on the printing tray). To evaluate the impact of the design variables, dimensional and geometric parameters (GD&T), including diameters, form errors, and their distribution on the surface of the sphere, have been characterized. These measurements are conducted with high accuracy using a Coordinate Measuring Machine (CMM). The study also examines the influence of these variables in the dimensional and geometric accuracy of the spheres. Correlations between various parameters were identified, specifically highlighting critical factors affecting process precision, such as the position of the piece on the print tray and the wall thickness value. The smallest diameter errors were recorded at the outermost positions of the tray (rear and front), while the smallest shape errors were found at the central position, in both cases with errors in the range of tens of micrometers. In any case, the smallest deformations were observed with the highest wall thickness (2 mm).