High-strength component for demanding applications
This ceramic gripper is designed for applications that require precision, cleanliness and high mechanical load capacity, such as medical or surgical environments. Two curved groove areas enable controlled gripping functions. An internal channel allows the integration of additional functions such as fluid transport for air or water, or the routing of electrical connections. The zirconia material, with a density greater than 6.1 g/cm³ and closed porosity, provides significantly higher bending strength and fracture toughness compared to alumina.

Parameter

• Application: Medical instrument for surgical procedures

• Material: Zirconia (ZrO₂, 3 mol.% yttria stabilised)

• Weight: 0.57 g

• Dimensions: 19.5 × 4 × 2.5 mm

• Technology: SLA and LCM

• Features: Internal channel; Two curved functional groove areas; Design optimized for easy installation

• Advantages: High density and no open porosity; High strength and fracture toughness; Functional integration in a single component

Sinto Advanced Ceramics sets new standards in additive manufacturing (AM) with the production of complex components for medical devices. Recently, the team manufactured a ceramic insulating sleeve for a laparoscopic tool used in minimally invasive surgery. Particularly noteworthy about this project is the production of 1,400 components in a single batch – a testament to the precision and scalability of the technology used.

The challenge was to produce a component with an outer diameter of only 1.3 mm and a wall thickness of merely 90 μm. The small size and high complexity were crucial for the insulation function between two conductive components in the medical device. Thanks to Lithoz's LCM (Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing) technology, Sintp Advanced Ceramics achieved exceptional precision and design freedom – properties that would not be possible with traditional manufacturing methods.

Technical Challenges

The development process for the insulating sleeve required several design iterations to find a balance between structural strength and electrical insulation properties. The additive manufacturing technologies made it possible to quickly adapt the design and process parameters to achieve an optimal result. Each version of the component underwent rigorous testing, with a total of four iterations necessary to achieve the ideal wall thickness and outer diameter.

Thanks to the 40 μm resolution of Lithoz's CeraFab technology, Sinto Advanced Ceramics was able to produce the required wall thickness of 90 μm with the highest precision. This was crucial for the component to be correctly integrated into the laparoscopic tool and to ensure the necessary insulation between the two conductive components.

Scaling to Series Production

After successful sample production, the Sinto Advanced Ceramics team was able to scale up production. The ability to manufacture 1,400 components on a single build plate made it possible to efficiently meet the annual requirement of 20,000 parts.

Another key factor for success is the cleaning process specially developed by Sinto Advanced Ceramics, which ensures gentle and precise handling of the sensitive green parts after the printing process. This automated process removes excess material without damaging the fragile structures, ensuring consistent quality and consistency in every batch.

Advantages of Ceramic Additive Manufacturing

Ceramic additive manufacturing (AM) offers significant advantages over traditional manufacturing methods such as micro-ceramic injection molding (μCIM). The AM process eliminates the need for costly micromodels and enables high functional integration. Sinto Advanced Ceramics uses LithaLox 360-Alumina for this project, which offers excellent thermal resistance, chemical stability, and electrical insulation. These properties are crucial for the component's performance under the demanding conditions of surgical sterilization and use.

This project demonstrates the future of medical device manufacturing, where the capabilities of additive manufacturing to produce highly complex and reliable components on a large scale represent a powerful tool for innovation. Sinto Advanced Ceramics has set a new benchmark for Ceramic AM, demonstrating that the technology meets the highest demands for precision, consistency, and volume.