With a range of styles and designs, ceramic tiles are able to add a unique touch to the interior of your house. How do ceramic tiles are made?
Dust pressing is the most well-known fabrication method, and giant hydraulic machines are used to press powdered materials. The tile has a dry strength, and warpage is decreased as it dries. Before firing, the tile can also be decorated with an engobe.
Manufacturing Process
In this poetically shot video produced by Ceramic District we see excavators collecting the natural raw materials for tile production before pouring them into huge hoppers. The clay minerals that are resulting and other additives are blended together, crushed and then incorporated into a powdered form ready to be used in the next step. With the help of research and innovation this material can be combined with other mineral additions in ways that reduce the amount of energy required in the firing process.
The material is then weighed and dosed prior to being milled to guarantee complete homogenization. The grinding process is able to be carried out either wet or dry, with a variety of milling equipment being employed including ball mills, muller or the hammer mills. The process of grinding can reduce the size of the material to a point that can be easily pressurized.
Once the powdered mix is created, it has to be kneaded in order toeliminate air and produce an even, dense consistency. This kneading is also essential for producing tiles with an even, smooth surface that resists scratching and staining.
The most popular method of fabrication is dust pressing, in which huge hydraulic presses press wet tile powder into tiles that could be as big as an meter square. The shrinkage caused by drying is removed which results in a straight and flat finished product. Glazes and engobes can be applied to these tiles before the final firing.
Glazed Tile Production
Clay minerals are the primary raw material that is used in the making of glazed ceramic tiles. Additional mineral additives from nature, such as feldspar for lowering the firing temperature may also be used (Ceramic Research Company). Clay is made up of a hydrous aluminium silicate, with a plasticity that allows it to be moulded and then shaped to the desired shape. Glaze and pigments are the primary raw materials that decide tile color, pattern and design.
The initial step in the making of the tile glazed is the grinding of raw materials. This is done using a roller mill or a muller. Both employs a rotational motion or a squeezing action between steel plates to break down massive lumps of material into smaller ones. The raw materials then undergoes drying to eliminate the moisture.
Once the body slip is dried, then the next thing to do is apply a glaze to the surface of the tile. The glaze is an insoluble mixture made of a glass-based derivative called frit, and dyes that are colored. The glaze is fused to the surface of the tile by an oven that is heated to high temperatures.
To ensure the uniformity and high quality of the glazed tiles they need to undergo several additional procedures. The tile should be polished until it attains a beautiful sheen. It must also be meticulously checked for imperfections prior to packaging.
Roller Kiln Tile Firing
The super-hero Peter Parker gets his powers from a radioactive spider, and the Green Lantern gets a ring from a dying star ceramic tile is powered by clay which is formed by firing, then glazed. Although different materials, manufacturing methods and techniques are employed to make different kinds of ceramic of ceramic tiles, they all share one common feature. It’s their porosity, also known as water absorption, on the unglazed back.
After a little dust pressing and a pre-firing process in large hydraulic presses, massive quantities of tiles are loaded into massive roller kilns. These new kilns are revolutionary due to their speedy firing process and eliminate warping caused by firing shrinkage. Kiln technology has enabled tile to move from only wall tiles to floor and wall tiles in homes, hotels, and commercial buildings.
The tile is then subjected to an extreme temperature treatment in the kiln. If the tile is to be glazed, it is put through a glaze process (step 4.). This involves applying an extremely thin coating of liquid glaze the tiles, and drying them again under high temperatures in a controlled atmosphere.
The kilns can be heated by natural electric, gas or oil. The temperature of the kiln may exceed 2,500°F, based on the fuel. The manufacturer may use conveyor belts for moving the tiles in the kiln, that will ensure the shape of the tile while it is being heated.
Clay Preparation for Tiles
Step 1 begins by mining clay minerals, and then transforming them into sand. Sands are then mixed with natural minerals like feldspar, which helps lower the temperature of firing and chemical additives for shaping. The resulting mix is ground or crushed to produce smaller lumps. You can use a mill, hammermill or muller to do this. Crushing is messy and difficult task since it involves the use of steel hammers, which could damage or even destroy the clay terra cotta.
The next stage in the manufacturing of ceramic tiles is to make sure that the clay is in the correct texture for making tiles. First, you must sketch and sketch out the shape of the tile. Drawings and templates will aid in making the process easier, especially when producing large-scale tiles for your home decor and artistic projects.
To remove air bubbles, the clay slabs need to be shaped and wedged into the desired dimensions. After the tiles have been shaped, they need to dry completely between the drywall sheets in order to avoid warpage. This is the most challenging aspect of the manufacturing process. Technicians fight a constant battle against pinholes. A single pinhole could ruin an entire production run. It gach the op tuong is important to keep the tiles flat during drying and while the kiln heats up.
Once the tiles are prepared, they can be painted. The glaze is poured or spray-applied onto the tiles. Glaze can be created using the glass-based derivatives, or dyes that are colored. Ceramic tiles are fired as the final phase of the process. The kiln is heated up to around 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.