Machinable ceramics
Machinable ceramics are a group of materials that can be machined using standard tools. This differs from other types of ceramics such as Al2O3, which must be machined with diamond tools. Two major examples of this group are:
- Macor®
- Shapal Hi M-Soft™
Both grades are used for vacuum applications, among others. Macor® is a material with low thermal conductivity, whereas Shapal Hi M-Soft™ has very high thermal conductivity.
Machinable ceramics are used for making both smaller and larger ranges.
Gimex supplies the materials in rolls and sheets, allowing you to machine the finish of the end product. Naturally Gimex can supply machined products as specified by your drawings.
In addition to Macor® and Shapal Hi M-Soft™, Boron Nitride can also be machined. Due to the low hardness of various Boron Nitride grades, this material can be machined using standard tools. You can find more information on Boron Nitride under the non-oxide materials.
Macor® is a machinable versatile glass ceramic. Macor® consists of mica and borosilicate glass. Macor® can be processed using conventional machining tools. Other prominent Macor® properties:
- It does not contain porosity and doesn’t gas out. This makes Macor® suitable for use in vacuum.
- It can be used at temperatures up to 800 °C, at a peak temperature of 1000 °C
- It has a low thermal conductivity of approximately 1.4 W.m-1.K-1. This makes the material suitable for use as thermal insulator.
- Macor® has a fairly high expansion coefficient of approximately 10.E-06. This value is fairly similar to that of some metals and that of sealing glass materials.
- Macor® is electrically insulating.
Gimex supplies Macor® both as a semi-finished product (bars, square bars, plates) and as an end product, machined to your drawing or specifications.
Shapal Hi M-Soft™ is machinable with conventional tooling in the same way as Macor®. However, a huge difference with Macor® is its high level of heat conductivity of 92 W.m-1.K-1.
Some other properties of Shapal Hi M-Soft™ are:
- Shapal Hi M-Soft™ is vacuum-proof.
- In an inert atmosphere Shapal Hi M-Soft™ is usable upto 1900 °C.
- Shapal Hi M-Soft™ is electrically insulating.
Shapal Hi M-Soft™ can be supplied by Gimex in rods, square bars and plates. Additionally, Gimex can deliver processed end products in Shapal Hi M-Soft™ to your customized drawings.
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Contact
- Gimex technische keramiek b.v.
- Grasbeemd 21
- NL-5705 DE Helmond
- +31 (0)345 574 255
- sales@gimex.nl
