Ultrasonic imaging of silicon nitride ceramic before and after firing

摘要

The production of ceramic components by methods which necessitate little or no post-firing treatment is of crucial economic importance to industry. Several techniques exist, including injection moulding, hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and slip casting. The latter technique is probably the simplest for both large-scale production and prototype development, be-cause of the low cost of forming materials, and the versatility of the technique.