Custom Manufacturing
Made-to-drawing alumina ceramics: isostatic pressing to Ø300 × 600 mm, diamond grinding to ±0.005 mm, first-article reports with every sample.
Most of what leaves our plant is not in a catalogue. If you have a drawing, a worn sample or even a photograph with the critical dimensions marked, we can turn it into a fired, ground and inspected alumina part — and tell you honestly which tolerances ceramic can hold.
The four steps
Send the drawing
PDF, DWG, DXF, STEP, IGES, or a photo with dimensions marked. A worn sample posted to us works too.
Engineering review
We check wall thickness, firing distortion, grindability and section changes, then confirm the feasible tolerance and the grade that suits the duty.
Quote and tooling
Price, tooling cost, MOQ and a dated schedule. Tooling starts only after your written approval, and it is held for your repeat orders.
Sample and production
Approval samples in 7–10 working days with a dimensional report. On sign-off we run the lot and ship with full traceability.
What we can press and grind
| Capability | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dry pressing | 5 – 250 mm | High volume, simple and moderate geometry, ± 0.5 mm as-fired. |
| Cold isostatic pressing | Ø 300 × 600 mm | Uniform density in thick-wall, long and complex parts. |
| Extrusion | Ø 3 – 80 mm | Continuous sections, tubes and rods before sintering. |
| Green machining | by geometry | Undercuts and features that would need diamond grinding after firing. |
| Diamond surface grinding | ± 0.01 mm | Routine production tolerance on flat faces. |
| Diamond cylindrical / internal | ± 0.005 mm | Shafts, sleeves, bores and seats. |
| Lapping and polishing | Ra 0.1 µm | Seal faces, substrates and optical-quality surfaces. |
| Wall thickness | from 1.5 mm | Below this, handling and firing losses rise sharply — we will advise. |
| Glaze, metallisation, drilling | on request | Threaded inserts, metallised bands and laser-drilled holes. |
What we will not do
We will not accept a drawing we believe we cannot hold and then ship something approximate. Where a requested tolerance, wall thickness or sharp internal corner is outside what sintered alumina allows, you get a note explaining the constraint and a workable alternative — usually before the quotation reaches your desk.
1. Think in compression. Alumina is far stronger in compression than in tension; avoid designs that put a thin section in bending. 2. Round your internal corners. Sharp internal corners concentrate stress and crack during firing. 3. Allow for shrinkage. Every part shrinks roughly 17–20% linearly between pressing and firing, so the drawing dimensions are the fired dimensions — we handle the compensation.
Documentation with every custom order
- Feasible-tolerance confirmation in the quotation
- Material certificate stating the alumina grade and batch
- First-article dimensional inspection report with the sample batch
- Batch test report — density, porosity, hardness, wear loss — with the production lot
- EN 10204 3.1 certificate on request
Send your drawing
Use the form below, or email files directly to info@alucera.com. Up to 10 MB per submission; zip multiple files or send the rest by email afterwards.
Not sure whether your part can be made in ceramic?
Send the drawing anyway. A manufacturability assessment costs you nothing and usually comes back the same day.
Send us your drawing — get a quotation with a firm lead time
PDF, DWG, STEP, IGES or a photo with the critical dimensions marked. Engineering review within one working day.