7.2.3 Modular
Design
Ceramic bodies that are either large or that
have complex shapes often cannot be formed, or can only be
formed with great difficulty, using the forming processes
described above. A method that is often practised, and is
worth considering, is that of splitting a complex part into
two or more smaller and simpler units that can therefore be
manufactured much more easily using the usual techniques.
It is only necessary to ensure at the design stage that these
smaller units can later be joined to form a whole. (Example
on page 173)
The design of ceramic parts using modular techniques
in many cases offers advantages with respect to the economic
manufacturing processes, simplifying quality control, increasing
load capability, reducing thermal stresses, and so on. For
example, insulators that are 4 to 5 m tall, rated for 550
kV, are assembled from prefabricated parts that are either
glued together or joined by glazing.
A number of different techniques have already been successfully
applied to joining identical materials (ceramic-ceramic):
- slip joining
(assembly of parts in the green state)
- lamination
(layered structure)
- co-sintering
(axle and rotors in some brands of turbochargers, etc.)
- gluing
- soldering.
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