Opportunity
Ceramic and glass materials are highly valued in the 3C (Computer, Communication, and Consumer Electronics) industry, particularly for components like mobile phone back plates, due to their excellent electromagnetic signal transmission properties for 5G and wireless charging, along with a premium aesthetic and tactile feel. However, traditional manufacturing of these high-performance materials is severely constrained by their extremely high melting points, which limits geometric complexity and design flexibility. While emerging four-dimensional (4D) printing of elastomer-derived ceramics offers a breakthrough in shape versatility, current systems are hampered by time-consuming processes, low-resolution deformation mechanisms, and an inability to produce finely detailed structural features efficiently. This creates a significant market and technological gap for a manufacturing approach that can produce high-resolution, complex-shaped ceramic and glass components for advanced electronics in a scalable, precise, and cost-effective manner.
Technology
This patent introduces a hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing (ASM) method to fabricate ceramic or glass components. The core innovation lies in processing a specially formulated precursor material with high-energy beams before its final conversion into a high-temperature ceramic or glass. The method involves three key stages. First, a precursor is prepared, either from a silicone-based polymer (like PDMS) to yield glass, or from a polymer composite matrix (e.g., PDMS) filled with ceramic powders (e.g., ZrO₂, Al₂O₃) to yield ceramics. This precursor is shaped using additive manufacturing techniques such as 3D or 4D printing, including material extrusion or film scraping. Second, the shaped precursor undergoes high-precision subtractive machining using laser or water-jet beams for engraving and cutting, achieving features with resolutions as fine as 6 micrometers. This step allows for the creation of intricate details like camera holes, surface textures, and artistic patterns on the precursor while it is still in a more easily machinable state. Third, the machined precursor is transformed into the final ceramic or glass material through thermal processing (ceramization), which induces controlled linear shrinkage (1-70%), further enhancing final accuracy. The technology also encompasses advanced techniques like localized UV/ozone treatment for creating curved shapes (heterogeneous engineering), partial ceramization to create rigid-flexible hybrid structures for foldable devices, and secondary heat treatments to produce color-tunable or artistically varied heterogeneous ceramics.
Advantages
- Enables the fabrication of ceramic/glass components with high resolution (up to ~6 µm) and complex, intricate geometries previously unattainable with traditional or standalone additive methods.
- The hybrid ASM approach synergizes the design freedom of 3D/4D printing with the precision of laser/water-jet machining, overcoming the resolution-speed trade-off.
- Allows for the creation of novel product forms, including curved and foldable ceramic/glass back plates, color-tunable ceramics, and components with integrated artistic decorations.
- The precursor-based process is more cost-effective and environmentally friendly compared to direct machining of sintered ceramics.
- Produces materials with superior functional properties, such as anti-fingerprint nanocrystalline-amorphous dual-phase (NCADP) structures and high-temperature stability for MEMS applications.
Applications
- Mobile Phone/3C Device Back Plates: Manufacturing flat, curved, or foldable ceramic/glass back plates with precisely machined camera holes and decorative surface patterning.
- Foldable Electronics: Creating hybrid rigid-flexible structures via localized ceramization for hinges and components in foldable phones and devices.
- Decorative & Artistic Components: Producing ceramic artworks, decorative panels, and aesthetically enhanced 3C device components with engraved artistic features (e.g., murals, calligraphy).
- Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS): Fabricating high-precision, high-temperature resistant ceramic MEMS components like resonant strain sensors and planetary gear systems.
- Functional Surfaces: Manufacturing anti-fingerprint polished ceramic plates for device casings and touch surfaces.
- Color-Tunable Products: Developing ceramics with customizable colors through controlled primary and secondary ceramization processes.
