Lithoz showcases ceramic AM in serial production at Formnext

If there’s any moment to show off AM products and printed parts, it’s Formnext, the leading global event for industrial additive manufacturing—taking place this November in Frankfurt. For the ceramic AM subsegment, events like Formnext are particularly important, as they enable companies to exhibit and showcase what the technology is capable of and how it has evolved from an R&D technology into a scalable, industrial process for serial production applications. 

Austrian company Lithoz, the pioneer of Lithography-based Ceramic Manufacturing (LCM), has played a central role in the industrialization of ceramic AM and is understandably eager to demonstrate its advanced capabilities at the upcoming trade show. From myriad applications in highly demanding industries like the aerospace, semiconductor and medical segments, to its Ceramic 3D Factory network, to a live demonstration of its CeraFab S320, Lithoz is showing the manufacturing world first hand that ceramic AM—as an industrially viable, series production solution—is here. 

In this article, we’re giving readers an exclusive preview of what Lithoz will be showcasing at Formnext 2025 (Hall 11.1, stand C35), from a selection of complex casting cores to an award-winning ceramic 3D printed component for a HiFi system.

Casting cores for single-crystal turbine blades

Lithoz will be bringing 46 3D printed ceramic casting cores of various sizes to Formnext 2025, all 3D printed on a single CeraFab S320 build platform. Casting cores for the production of single-crystal turbine blades are becoming a critical application for ceramic AM, as they enable aerospace OEMs to shorten development times and integrate complex cooling channels that meet the requirements of next-generation aircraft engine turbine blades. The proof is in the pudding: just last month Safran Aircraft Engines Gennevilliers acquired three CeraFab System S65 printers for its facility near Paris, which will be used in the serial production of complex casting cores. 

The casting cores on show at Formnext showcase how ceramic AM can open up possibilities in aerospace through the realization of geometries and structures (including thin walls and complex cooling channels) impossible to produce using conventional production methods. This results in single-crystal turbine blades that are cooled more effectively and can thus run at higher temperatures, translating to greater fuel efficiency and fewer emissions.   

15” Atomic Layer Deposition ring

Lithoz is also interested in demonstrating its capabilities in the semiconductor industry, where production systems require a high level of precision and reliability. To this end, it will be presenting an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) ring with a 15-inch (380 mm) diameter. The large component, made up of six identical segments, was designed by Plasway, a German specialist in plasma processes, and manufactured by ceramic manufacturer Alumina Systems using a CeraFab machine. 

The part was designed to replace a metal ALD ring and introduces a range of benefits including an uptime increase from one to nine months, tripled production output thanks to optimized flow paths, and streamlined stock management. The 3D printed ring, used in an Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) reactor in the production of semiconductors, also integrates a thin-walled structure for minimized weight and has demonstrated consistent gas flow and pressure.

Aluminum nitride cooling plates

Another series of parts Lithoz will present at Formnext in the semiconductor sphere are cooling plates made from highly in-demand aluminum nitride (AIN). These next-generation cooling plates integrate LCM-enabled features, like integrated channel networks with gyroids or lattices, that improve thermal management in compact semiconductor systems. Thermal control is vital to the performance of devices powered by semiconductors in industries like automotive, healthcare and telecommunications, however traditional cooling plates can fall short when it comes to efficiency. Notably, as devices become more compact, so too do cooling plates, which also influences their performance. By leveraging Lithoz’s ceramic AM process, these cooling plates can achieve more efficient heat transfer and more compact form factors, not only improving the performance of semiconductors, but also enhancing the sustainability of chip production.

AM-enabled design is only part of the picture when it comes to the cooling plates: aluminum nitride also plays a key role. The material offers a combination of excellent thermal conductivity (150-260 W/mk), electrical insulation, thermal stability and chemical resistance, all of which make for durable cooling plates that can withstand harsh conditions. This material has also found other applications in thermal management, including a 3D printed ceramic heat exchanger that Lithoz is developing for hydrogen-electric propulsion systems for aircraft in the megawatt class as part of the TRIATHLON project consortium.

Ceramic earmolds for hearing aids

For the first time, Lithoz will be displaying serially produced 3D printed ceramic earmolds (also known as otoplastics) at Formnext. The earmolds, printed on CeraFab S65 Medical platforms by German contract manufacturer CADdent, are designed by Swiss otoplastics specialist OC GmbH. Lithoz first revealed this series production application for its technology in September 2025, showcasing—yet again—LCM’s potential for manufacturing patient-customized medical devices at scale. 

The earmolds themselves are printed from biocompatible alumina-toughened zirconia (ATZ) and benefit from LCM’s design freedom and accuracy, with wall thicknesses below 1 mm, dimensional tolerances less than ± 50 μm and fine inner channels optimized for sound transmission. The result is otoplastics for hearing aids that have superior acoustic precision, durability, wear resistance and comfort.

Jurij Belik, CEO of OC GmbH, commented on the impact of LCM in otoplastics, saying: “These technical achievements demonstrate the distinct advantages that ceramics offer for otoplastics. Unlike polymers or titanium, ceramic earmolds offer long-term biocompatibility alongside superior durability and wear resistance. ATZ’s acoustic neutrality ensures uncompromised sound quality, and the material’s aesthetic properties allow for customisable, high-value designs.”

Thales Voro turntable zirconia cartridge 

Any audiophiles attending Formnext won’t want to miss this next application: Thales Voro, the world’s first monoblock moving-coil (MC) cartridge encapsulated by a fully 3D printed ceramic housing. Lithoz will be showcasing this small but highly innovative wear component, which was designed by HiFiction AG, a Swiss maker of high-end-audio equipment, and manufactured by Steinbach AG using a Lithoz printer. 

The part itself, which we covered in depth recently, integrates a Voronoi web structure with extremely fine features (with walls less than 1 mm in thickness) and has been optimized for weight reduction and sound resonance. Printed from zirconia, the part required no supports or post-processing, which would have been difficult if not impossible given its small size (17.70 x 21.90 x 11.45 mm). Thales Voro is an exclusive component designed for HiFiction’s X-quisite VORO and is made in small series (15 housings can be printed in a single production run), with a retail cost of about EUR 8,000. Notably, the component won the iF Design Award 2025. Visitors can see the impressive component in an exclusive display at Steinbach’s booth directly across from Lithoz’s.

Lithoz at the forefront

It is no coincidence that Lithoz will be bringing with it to Formnext a number of production applications from a variety of industries: each of these printed parts represents the state of ceramic AM and its maturation into an industrial process for high-value parts. 

In addition to these applications, Lithoz will also conduct a demonstration of its CeraFab S320, a ceramic 3D printer engineered for the serial production of mid-sized parts, and highlighting its Ceramic 3D Factory, a global network of service providers that leverage LCM and are essential to the proliferation of industrial ceramic AM.