Machining of advanced ceramics in the green state

In order to reduce the high cost of finishing advanced ceramics, a strategy of near-net-shape machining in the so-called green state is pursued before sintering. In the case of small lot sizes or when there is a diverse range of parts, green machining offers considerable advantages in terms of quality, economic efficiency and flexibility. The paper will highlight the most important results of experiments carried out at the Fraunhofer Institut fur Produktionstechnologie IPT, Aachen.