Finite Element Prediction of Sintering Deformation in 3D-Printed Porcelain Filament

TL;DR

This paper develops a finite element model to predict sintering deformation in 3D-printed porcelain, accounting for anisotropy and complex geometries, validated through experiments and simulations.

Contribution

It introduces a novel combined experimental and finite element modeling approach to accurately simulate porcelain sintering deformation considering anisotropic effects.

Findings

Model accurately predicts overhang deformation.

Incorporates anisotropic sintering stresses in FEM.

Validated against experimental geometries.

Abstract

Sintering of printed porcelain filaments can be strongly affected by overhang geometry, thin features, and printing-induced anisotropy. These effects are particularly difficult to simulate because they require accurately capturing the interplay between sintering kinetics, viscous deformation, and macroscopic anisotropy. In this study, a robust and predictive model is established experimentally using anisotropic sintering dilatometry combined with overhang-deformation calibration through finite element simulations (FEM). The sintering behavior is identified using a porosity-temperature-independent minimization strategy applied to multi-rate dilatometry. Pellet anisotropy is incorporated via FEM by imposing directional sintering stresses. The deformation behavior is then calibrated by adjusting the shear viscosity to match overhang shapes deformation. The resulting model is finally validated on overhanging bar geometries. This step-by-step approach provides a comprehensive assessment of porcelain sintering while accurately capturing deformation mechanisms.