Ceramic tiles manufacturing process by Ceratec - How it's made?

Summary

This video takes viewers through the intricate process of manufacturing ceramic tiles, highlighting the raw materials, mixing, forming, drying, glazing, and firing stages. It emphasizes the use of natural components such as clay, sand, and talc, and details the careful blending of these materials to form slurry, which is then atomized and pressed into tile shapes. The tiles are glazed for both aesthetic and practical purposes before being fired in a high-temperature kiln. The video also underscores the commitment to quality at each stage of production, ensuring that each tile meets rigorous standards for durability and design.

Takeaways

• 😀 Ceramic tile manufacturing has been a passion of the company since 1949, with a focus on quality control and delivery.
• 😀 The manufacturing process begins with raw materials like sand, clays, and minerals being quarried, refined, and stored before mixing.
• 😀 Raw materials are mixed in specific proportions and processed using conveyors, creating a slurry with ceramic pellets and water.
• 😀 The slurry is atomized into a fine powder by spraying it through a nozzle into a current of hot air, which rapidly dries it.
• 😀 Atomized powder is fed into a press where a large hydraulic force is applied to form the tile body.
• 😀 The tile body is dried further to remove moisture before entering the kiln, ensuring stability during the cooking process.
• 😀 Tiles are stored temporarily at different stages of production, allowing time for equipment maintenance and adjustments.
• 😀 Glazing and screening are important for both aesthetic beauty and practical purposes like water repellency and durability.
• 😀 Roller screens are used to apply design and color layer by layer, with multiple test runs verifying the quality of the finish.
• 😀 The glaze is applied to tiles by various methods, including spray, waterfall screening, or dry glazing, before being fired in a kiln.
• 😀 The kiln, which reaches temperatures as high as 1190°C, solidifies the glaze and removes all residual moisture from the tile.
• 😀 Finished tiles are inspected for quality, with each tile being sorted and boxed based on its specifications before shipment.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of At Sarch Ceramic Tile company?

The primary focus of At Sarch Ceramic Tile is the manufacturing, distribution, sales, quality control, and delivery of ceramic tiles, with a long history of industry leadership spanning over 60 years.

What raw materials are used in the production of ceramic tiles?

The raw materials used in ceramic tile production include sand, white clays, talc, feldspar, kaolin clays, calcite, and dolomite, which are quarried and refined before being used in the manufacturing process.

How are the raw materials mixed before becoming ceramic slurry?

The raw materials are mixed in specific proportions by weight, and this mixture is achieved by varying the speed of conveyors that feed a master conveyor. The mixture is then placed in a storage tank before being processed further.

What is the purpose of the atomizer in the manufacturing process?

The atomizer sprays the slurry into a large tank of hot air, where the slurry quickly dries and forms atomized powder, which is then used in the production of ceramic tiles.

How is the atomized powder used in tile production?

The atomized powder is released in measured quantities from a holding vat into a tray, which distributes it evenly into a mold. The powder is then compressed under high pressure to form a solid mass.

Why is moisture removed from the ceramic body before firing?

Moisture is removed from the ceramic body to prevent physical weaknesses or defects during the firing process in the kiln, ensuring that the final product is stable and homogeneous.

What role do glazing and screening play in tile production?

Glazing and screening serve both a practical and artistic purpose by providing aesthetic beauty, water repellency, durability, and hygienic properties to the tiles.

How is the glaze applied to the tile surface?

Glaze is applied to the surface of the tile using various methods such as spray, waterfall screening, or dry glazing, depending on the desired finish.

What is the function of the roller hearth kiln in tile production?

The roller hearth kiln is used to fire the glazed tiles at high temperatures, typically up to 1190°C, to solidify the glaze and remove any residual moisture in the ceramic body, effectively finishing the tiles.

How is quality controlled during the tile production process?

Quality control is ensured through both mechanical and human inspection. Finished tiles are checked for imperfections, caliber, shade, and overall quality before being sorted, boxed, and labeled according to specifications.