Traditional manufacturing of ceramics used for ballistic impact protection is limited by long lead times, inability to fabricate complex geometries, and expensive components. Ceramic 3-D printing offers engineering-grade components in approximately 90% less time than traditional ceramics manufacturing. Typical turnaround can be days, instead of weeks, depending on the part's complexity. This enables faster time to market and allows for more iterations during the design process, resulting in a better end-product. Additionally, 3-D-printed parts can have a higher degree of complexity for weight reduction while saving on the cost of the part, because less material is required.

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (Adelphia, Md.) collaborated with HotEnd Works LLC (Oberlin, Ohio) to evaluate the feasibility of producing ceramic armor by 3-D printing. This report examines static and quasi-static parameters (including density, hardness, and fracture strength), semi-infinite penetration performance, and postimpact fracture profiles of 3-D-printed sintered alumina as compared with baseline performance of traditionally sintered alumina.