Advanced Ceramics in Mechanical and Plant Engineering
Key Facts at a Glance
- CeramTec develops ceramic components for mechanical and plant engineering as well as for special applications – for applications where steel, plastics, and metals reach their limits: in extreme heat, heavy wear, aggressive media, or demanding electrical requirements.
- Fields of application include, among others, forming technology, machining, pumps & seals, welding, textile machinery, the semiconductor industry, and hydrogen technology.
- Ceramic components from CeramTec often achieve significantly longer service lives than metallic alternatives – noticeably reducing maintenance intervals and total cost of ownership (TCO).
- Standard solutions or custom-engineered developments – also available as 3D-printed components for individual geometries.
CeramTec helps design engineers and procurement managers in mechanical and plant engineering reduce downtime and maintenance costs – through high-performance ceramic components that reliably perform under conditions where steel, special metals, and plastics fail.
Technical ceramics combine properties that no other material offers in this combination: greater hardness than hardened steel, one third the weight of steel, complete chemical inertness against aggressive media, electrical insulation, and thermal stability up to over 1,600 °C. In practice, this means: machine components made from CeramTec ceramics last many times longer in wear-intensive processes than metallic alternatives – with a direct impact on plant availability and production costs.
Products, Markets & Application Areas
From wear-resistant bearing and sealing components to precision tools for machining, vacuum-tight connections, and piezoceramic solutions – we offer the right ceramic solution for virtually every demanding area of mechanical and plant engineering. Whether in forming technology, welding technology, the textile machinery industry, or additive manufacturing: our high-performance ceramic components are deployed wherever precision, longevity, and process reliability allow no compromises.
Standard solutions and custom-engineered developments complement each other to form a comprehensive portfolio that covers the entire industrial value chain.
How Does Technical Ceramics Compare to Steel, Carbide, and Plastics?
- Longer service life: Ceramic components achieve significantly higher longevity in typical wear applications than steel or carbide components – reducing the frequency of maintenance stops and lowering spare parts costs.
- Lower total cost of ownership (TCO): Fewer replacement cycles mean less downtime – a decisive factor for plant operators in series production.
- Broad material portfolio:Aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃), zirconium oxide (ZrO₂), silicon carbide (SiC), silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), aluminum titanate (Al₂TiO₅), and piezoceramic materials – the right material choice for every requirement.
- Individual manufacturing from batch size 1: Thanks to ceramic 3D printing (additive manufacturing), CeramTec also realizes complex geometries and one-off parts economically.
- Chemical inertness: Resistant to acids, alkalis, solvents, and aggressive process media – FDA and food-grade approval available for many materials.
- Electrical insulation & thermal stability: Ideal material properties for applications in electrical engineering, the semiconductor industry, and high-temperature processing.
- R&D expertise from over 100 years of experience: In-house research and development teams with deep application know-how develop tailored solutions together with customers – from material selection to series readiness.
- Global availability: Production sites and sales in Europe, America, and Asia ensure short supply chains and local support.
