ABSTRACT
This chapter describes common methods for forming ceramic powders into green bodies. The specific method to be used will depend in each case on the shape and size of the green body, as well as on the fabrication cost. Mechanical compaction of dry or semidry powders in a die is one of the most widely used forming operations in the ceramic industry. Plastic-forming methods, in which a mixture of the ceramic powder and additives is deformed plastically through a nozzle or in a die, provide a convenient route for the mass production of ceramic green bodies. Gelcasting is introduced process based on techniques taken from the traditional ceramics industry and the polymer industry. The flow pattern of the feed material through the extruder influences the quality of the shaped article. The rheology of concentrated ceramic suspensions can be divided into four classes: ideal plastic, Bingham, shear thinning, and shear thickening.
