Ceralink Capabilities and Opportunities

Transcription

1 Ceralink Capabilities and Opportunities Dr. Holly Shulman President, Materials Scientist Ceralink Inc. Rensselaer Technology Park 105 Jordan Rd. Troy, New York (1)

2 Ceralink Inc. Founded in 2000 by Dr. Holly Shulman 13 employees Two facilities:10,000 sq ft for processing, fabrication, characterization, testing Headquarters and R&D center in Troy, NY Ceramic processing of powders, tape casting, pressing Materials processing up to 2300 C Additive, Microwave Assist Technology, and FastFuse RF Lamination Mechanical Test Service in St. Clairsville, OH Mechanical and thermo-physical testing Specialized high cycle fatigue up to 2400 F (1315 C) Ceralink specializes in connecting technology and industrial partners, and adding materials science to create solutions

3 Ceralink Project Examples How we ve worked with companies General Electric Ceralink led team: developed novel microwave brazing process Patent issued, Ceralink assigned IP rights to GE BASF Ceralink assisted BASF in procuring $5 mil, 5 year grant for clean recovery of precious metals BASF led team: Ceralink hands on process development Assisted scale-up pilot plant ThermoAura (start-up company) Ceralink led team: created continuous process for new nano-thermoelectric ceramics Demonstrated improved quality and efficiency Designed scale-up manufacturing

4 How We Can Work with YOUR Company Project based efforts and large programs: Exclusive Scope of work, timeline, deliverables, assignable IP Identify, recommend, and integrate complementary technologies Joint development/licensing of Ceralink patented technologies Materials Testing, Analysis, and Toll Firing Special capabilities, e.g. high cycle fatigue, Charpy impact, thermal expansion Kilns and furnaces capable in air or inert atm C, conventional or microwave assist Microwave Assisted Technology (MAT) kilns sales Air or inert atm. lab kiln 1700 C Graphite lab furnace 2300 C Production scale MAT kilns available

5 Additive Manufacturing Methods Powder bed methods: For metals: EBeam, SLS (require conductive materials) Expensive equipment results in fully dense parts For ceramics, metals and polymers: Binder jet, Materials jet Less expensive method porous parts requires post processing Other AM methods, better for dense ceramics: Lamination Extrusion

6 Additive Manufacturing Materials and Product Development Rapid Manufacturing- Forming method Ceralink Capabilities: Printing feasibility studies Drying, binder burnout, sintering studies Formula development binders and powders Characterization of finished parts or samples Properties characterization Manufacturability & cost analysis Production equipment guidance Post processing expertise Industrial advanced ceramics Extrusion (Robocasting LLC) Available Ceramic AM Processes: Extrusion Binder-jetting Laminated object manufacturing Industrial: Sand cast core Binder Jet (ExOne) Industrial advanced ceramics Lamination (CAM-LEM)

7 Additive Manufacturing Laminated Object Manufacturing Ceralink in-house capability Fabrication of tapes Precision laser cutting and stacking Tangent cutting Trajectory smoothing Lamination and sintering Materials Alumina, silicon nitride, aluminum nitride, stainless steel

8 For Additive Manufacturing Success AM is rebranding of existing rapid prototyping tech Need products to generate industry pull Need cost modeling for industry to assess commercial feasibility Cost-benefit will vary with application Dependent on throughput, quality, value added benefits, etc. Example of AM success Based on lattice structured, Robocast alumina 50% higher cost, 4x longer life for molten metal filters Next application Ceralink teaming with Robocasting LLC on catalyst supports

9 Microwave Processing Enabling Rapid Post Process Helping you use microwaves for heating solutions Laboratory with specialized equipment and know-how Microwave Assist Technology (MAT ) Combination of microwaves with conventional heat source Proven time and energy savings at production scale Property improvements including retention of nanograins in ceramics MAT lab kiln sales Industrial MAT kilns available through Ceralink partners

10 Fast Efficient Post Process Heat Treatment Microwave Assist Technology (MAT ) Kiln technology enhances radiant heat with microwaves 50-80% reduction in firing time and energy consumption Fast binder removal, densification, and glazing Fast curing of thermoset binders (e.g., sand molds) Fast de-waxing of investment cast molds Industrial and lab MAT kilns available through Ceralink

11 Ceralink Ultra High Temperature Technology Ultra High Temperature Microwave Assist Technology Furnace UHT MAT Graphite furnace 2,300 C max temperature, 6 x 6 hot zone 3 kw microwave power, 2.45 GHz Goal: efficient UHT processing non oxide materials AlN, TiB 2, Si 3 N 4, SiC, ZrB 2 New high performance materials Pressureless sintering, complex shapes Other UHT MAT furnace designs created

12 Microwave sintered Robocast parts Collaboration between Ceralink and Robocasting LLC

13 Ceralink New Low Cost Method for High Strength Reaction Bonded Silicon Carbide Target Markets Semiconductor processing (wafer carriers) Chemical and petroleum (pump seals and vanes, bearings) Precision kiln furniture Carbon/ceramic fiber (fiber guides) Wear resistant nozzles Advantages Ability to produce high purity end products at a much lower cost using fine carbon instead of SiC for the preform Comparable strengths to conventional RBSC and sintered SiC Carbon preforms are easier to machine than SiC preforms, allowing for rapid near net-shape production Rapid conversion compared to conventional RBSC methods, allowing for complete cycles of only minutes Raw material costs less than 50% of conventional materials Potential market application examples: Sapphire wafer carriers made from CVD-SiC coated graphite (top left) RBSC mechanical seals (top right) SiC-coated graphite semiconductor processing parts (bottom)

14 Ceralink FastFuse TM RF Lamination Laminates faster and more efficiently than autoclaving Armor panels, LEDs in glass, photovoltaics, automotive, decorative and architecture, phenolic and epoxy bonded products Cuts energy over 90% vs. autoclave, ultrafast process Heats interlayer directly does not heat glass Low capital cost See for more info! A B C D E F G

15 Ceralink Materials Testing Services Independent Commercial Mechanical Testing Facility Specializing in: High cycle fatigue High temperature, long-duration testing Special set-ups and methods Machining capabilities Experienced machinist/quality inspector on staff Custom fixturing and sample machining Expertise in ceramic matrix composites Serving: Aerospace Defense Power generation turbine Automotive ISO17025-NADCAP certification in progress for Ohio Facility