WEST LAYFAYETTE, Ind. -Researchers in the United States are making processes that can 3D print dark ceramics into the desired shapes for hypersonic vehicle components.
The research team at Purdue Applied Research Institute (PARI) is developing 3D-printed dark ceramics components that are tough enough to bear the extreme conditions that missiles or aircraft will have to face during hypersonic flights, Abhishek Bhardwaj writes for Interesting Engineering. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
3 March 2025 - Rodney Trice, a professor in Purdue’s School of Materials Engineering and lead in ceramic processing at the Hypersonics Advanced Manufacturing Technology Center (HAMTC), is working to improve additive manufacturing for hypersonic vehicle components.
Dark ceramics are ideal for hypersonic applications due to their resistance to extreme conditions, but their color complicates 3D printing using digital light processing (DLP). Unlike light-colored ceramics that reflect UV light for uniform curing, dark ceramics absorb it, hindering the process.
Trice’s team at HAMTC uses DLP printers to create hypersonic components layer by layer by curing a ceramic-resin slurry with UV light. This method enables intricate designs with micron-level precision. "We have succeeded in printing a variety of shapes, such as sharp cones and hemispheres," Trice said. Their work aims to overcome the challenges of printing dark ceramics, advancing hypersonic manufacturing.
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Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics
