A method of fabricating a ceramic molded body for sintering, which includes molding a raw material powder containing a ceramic powder and a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature higher than room temperature into a predetermined shape by isostatic pressing and in which a first-stage press-molded body is fabricated by subjecting a uniaxially press-molded body fabricated by uniaxially pressing the raw material powder into a predetermined shape or the raw material powder filled in a rubber die to a first-stage isostatic press molding at a temperature lower than a glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin and then a ceramic molded body is fabricated by heating this first-stage press-molded body to a temperature equal to or higher than the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic resin and performing warm isostatic press molding as second-stage isostatic press molding.

A reward for a decision result of an isostatic pressurization processing condition is calculated based on a state variable including at least one physical quantity related to a workpiece and at least one isostatic pressurization processing condition, a function for deciding at least one isostatic pressurization processing condition from the state variable is updated based on the reward, and updating of the function is repeated to decide an isostatic pressurization processing condition that maximizes the reward. The isostatic pressurization processing condition is at least one of a first parameter related to the workpiece, a second parameter related to a pre-process of the isostatic pressurization processing, and a third parameter related to an operating condition of an isostatic pressurization device, and the at least one physical quantity is at least one of physical quantities related to densification and green compaction of the workpiece.

A method of forming a bladder cast ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article including infiltrating a CMC substrate positioned in a cavity of a mold body with a slurry. The CMC substrate includes reinforcement material defining inner spaces. The slurry includes solid particles and a carrier material. During infiltration, the slurry at least partially fills at least a portion of the inner spaces of the CMC substrate. The method also includes inflating at least one bladder that is coupled to the mold body and disposed within the cavity such that a surface of the at least one bladder in an inflated configuration contacts at least one surface of the CMC substrate. The method also includes drying the slurry to remove at least a portion of the carrier material form an infiltrated CMC and deflating the at least one bladder.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a ceramic molding, comprising the following steps: a) providing three or more ceramic powder layers that are arranged in layers, one on top of the other, to form a compression-molded element and sintering the compression-molded element obtained in step b) to form a ceramic molding, characterized in that the ceramic powder layers have different compositions, each ceramic powder layer comprising a mixture of at least two different base powders and each base powder containing at least 80 wt. % ZrO.sub.2 and at least 0.02 wt. % Al.sub.2O.sub.3, each weight amount being relative to the total weight of the constituents of the base powder.

The present disclosure discloses a cold isostatic pressing apparatus. The apparatus comprises a container having a cavity to hold a pressure medium. The cavity comprises one or more openings. The openings comprise a first opening and a second opening. The cavity is configured to receive at least one sample through the first opening. The apparatus further comprises a closure member configured to seal the first opening and for the introduction and removal of the sample(s). The apparatus further comprises at least one high pressure pump in fluid communication with the container through the second opening. The high-pressure pump is configured to deliver the pressure medium at high pressure to isostatically compress and compact the sample.

Prosthetic knee implant or implant component is made with a magnesium oxide stabilized transformationally toughened zirconia.

Expandable apparatus include a triggering element comprising an at least partially corrodible composite material. Methods are used to trigger expandable apparatus using such a triggering element and to form such triggering elements for use with expandable apparatus.

To provide a faraday rotator using a TGG ceramic sintered compact and a light isolator using the faraday rotator such that the influence of scattered light can be relatively reduced and overall characteristics degradation for the entire light isolator is minimized so that a high extinction ratio of at least 38 dB or greater is achieved. [Solution] The faraday rotator according to the present invention uses a TGG ceramic sintered compact having an average particle diameter of 0.2 to 5.0 m, and has a transmission beam diameter of 0.3 mm or more, the TGG ceramic sintered compact being preferably annealed.

Fired magnesium oxide stabilized transformation toughened zirconia ceramic can be for or of an implant or implant component of a one-piece unicompartmental knee spacer device; a multi-piece unicompartmental joint aligning device; a temporal mandibular joint cap implant; a vertebra cap; an ankle joint ensemble or component; a bridge, a tooth or teeth; a patellofemoral joint implant; a tibial tray for a knee joint replacement implant; an intermediary articulation plate for a tibial tray and liner for a knee joint replacement implant; or the intermediary articulation plate assembled in combination with the tibial tray.

The present invention relates to sintered balls comprising tungsten carbide (WC) and partially stabilized zirconium oxide, nX:ZrO.sub.2,, and to powder mixtures and green bodies for the production thereof, and to methods for the production of the green bodies and the sintered balls. The sintered balls have high densities, high wear resistance and a long service life.