Stereolithography-based ceramic additive manufacturing enables the fabrication of intricate monolithic components; however, geometric design freedom remains limited by green-body fragility and sintering-induced deformation in overhanging geometries. To overcome these limitations, this study introduces a dual-mode green-state strategy where printed ceramic parts serve two roles: (1) bonding elements, printed separately and joined with UV-curable ceramic resin for co-sintered monolithic assemblies and (2) non-bonding support structures, positioned in dry contact beneath overhanging features to temporarily support them during sintering, preventing deformation. Mechanical performance of bonded joints are evaluated through four-point bending, Weibull analysis across three joint configurations, varying in mechanical interlock and stress distribution characteristics, and benchmarked against monolithic baselines. Monolithic samples exhibited the highest strength ((Formula presented.) MPa, (Formula presented.)). Among bonded geometries, face-edge joints (normal and aligned to build direction)—where a flat surface is bonded perpendicularly to the edge of another segment retained the highest strength at 60.6% of monolithic baselines ((Formula presented.) MPa, (Formula presented.)). Nonbonding support structures, placed in dry contact beneath overhanging features, exhibited synchronous shrinkage during sintering reducing distortion from 1 mm to below measurement resolution, addressing critical barriers in ceramic AM. © 2025 The Author(s). International Journal of Applied Ceramic Technology published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Ceramics Society.
