Production lines, processes and sintered articles

摘要

A manufacturing line includes a tape of green material that is directed through a furnace so that the furnace burns off organic binder material and then partially sinters the tape without the use of a setter board. Sintered articles resulting from the manufacturing line may be thin with relatively large surface areas; and, while substantially unpolished, have few sintering-induced surface defects. Tension may be applied to the partially sintered tape as it passes through a second furnace on the manufacturing line to shape resulting sintered articles. The furnace is preferably vertically oriented and is operated preferably continuously. Preferably ceramic materials are used for forming the tape.