How TILES are Made

Summary

This video explores the production process of modern floor tiles, showcasing two factories specializing in ceramic and porcelain tiles. Raw materials are mined, crushed, and ground into fine particles, mixed with water and additives. Porcelain tiles involve the addition of andesite and extrusion, while ceramics are pressed into shape. Both undergo drying, printing, and glazing before being fired in a kiln at high temperatures. The process concludes with quality checks and sorting, highlighting the factories' 24/7 operation and the use of advanced automation for efficiency in the South African market.

Takeaways

• 🛠️ Modern floor tiles are crafted in various shapes and sizes to customize the personality of a room.
• 🏭 Two primary types of tiles are mentioned: ceramic and porcelain, both made from a mixture of different clays and sand.
• ⛏️ Raw materials for tiles are sourced from quarries and then processed in factories.
• 🔨 The initial stage of tile production involves crushing and milling the raw materials into fine particles.
• 💧 Water and other additives are mixed with the ground materials to form a suitable mixture for tile creation.
• 🌐 At the Vitro factory, porcelain tiles are made with the addition of andesite, and the clay is processed using a screen feeder and extrusion machine.
• 🔄 The Pegasus factory's process for ceramic tiles involves pressing the fine powder mix into tile shapes.
• 🔥 Both types of tiles undergo a drying process to strengthen them before further treatment.
• 🖨️ Tiles are prepared for printing with a primer coating, followed by either screen printing or modern inkjet printing techniques.
• 🔧 A protective glaze is applied, which becomes transparent after the firing process in a kiln.
• ♨️ Tiles are fired in a kiln at high temperatures to bake the clay and other materials, followed by a cooling process to prevent warping or cracking.
• 🔍 Quality control checks for strength, size, and precision, with tiles sorted into different quality grades by a computerized system.
• 🤖 Automation and robotics, such as laser-guided forklifts, are used to maintain high efficiency in the production process.
• 🏡 Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are designed for durability and aesthetics in various home settings, responding to modern design demands.
• 🌏 The factories cater to both local South African and international markets with their high-quality floor tiles.

Q & A

What are the two main types of modern floor tiles mentioned in the script?

The two main types of modern floor tiles mentioned in the script are ceramic tiles and porcelain tiles.

What materials are used to make both ceramic and porcelain tiles?

Both ceramic and porcelain tiles are made from a mixture of different clays and sand, with the addition of cement in the form of andesite for porcelain tiles.

How are the raw materials for tiles initially processed?

The raw materials are mined in a quarry and then put into a crusher machine to break up the larger pieces. They are then sent to huge milling machines where they are ground to very tiny particles and mixed with water and other additives.

What is the purpose of the screen feeder in the production of porcelain tiles?

The screen feeder, which is like a cheese grater, presses chunks of the clay through holes at the bottom, preparing the clay for extrusion.

What is the extrusion process in tile production?

The extrusion process involves a vacuum removing all air from the clay mix and a large screw pressing the clay through a metal die, punching out a sheet of material that will form the tiles.

How do the factories produce tiles of different sizes?

Tiles are cut to size after the extrusion process, and both porcelain and ceramic tiles can be produced up to 600 millimeters square.

What is the purpose of the drying process in tile production?

The drying process removes some of the moisture from the material, making the clay more supple and giving the tile more strength.

What are the two methods of printing used on the tiles?

The two methods of printing used on the tiles are screen printing, where different colors are applied through a screen, and inkjet printing, which can print any design entered into the computer.

What is the role of the glaze in the production of tiles?

A protective top coating of glaze is sprayed onto each tile, which turns white shortly after coming out of the spray tunnel but becomes transparent during the firing process in the kiln.

What happens during the firing process in the kiln?

During the firing process, the tiles are first dried at a low temperature to remove water. Then, the temperature is raised to 1185 degrees Celsius to bake the clay and other materials in the body of the tile.

How do the factories ensure the quality and precision of the tiles?

Each tile passes tests of strength, size, and geometrical precision, and a computer sorts each tile into its own quality grading, with A-grade tiles and V-grade tiles being sorted automatically at high speed.

How do the factories maintain high efficiency without the need for breaks?

The factories utilize highly automated processes and robotic forklifts guided by a system of lasers reflected around the factory, ensuring efficient movement of boxes of tiles to the next stage of production.

Outlines

00:00

🏭 The Manufacturing Process of Floor Tiles

The script delves into the manufacturing process of modern floor tiles, highlighting the production at two distinct factories specializing in ceramic and porcelain tiles. Both types begin with raw materials sourced from quarries, undergoing a series of processes including crushing, milling, mixing with water and additives, and extrusion for porcelain tiles or pressing for ceramics. The tiles are then cut, dried to increase strength, and undergo a detailed decoration process involving screen printing or inkjet printing. A protective glaze is applied before the tiles enter a kiln for firing, where they are subjected to high temperatures to harden. The process concludes with quality checks and sorting, ensuring the tiles meet the required standards before being packaged and shipped. The factories operate around the clock, emphasizing the importance of automation and machinery to maintain efficiency.

05:00

🤖 Automation and Efficiency in Tile Production

This paragraph focuses on the significance of quality machinery and personnel in maintaining the high production standards of tile factories, which operate 24/7 without breaks. Automation is key to this efficiency, with the introduction of robotic forklifts that use laser guidance systems to move boxes of tiles efficiently through the production stages. The narrative also touches on the modernization of home design techniques and the role of these factories in producing tiles that cater to both the South African and international markets, showcasing the latest production techniques to ensure a tough and attractive finish for residential spaces.

Keywords

💡Floor Tiles

Floor tiles are the subject of the video, referring to the hard, flat surfaces used to cover floors in various settings. They come in various shapes and sizes and are integral to the aesthetic and functional design of a room. In the script, floor tiles are described as having a distinctive personality that affects the feel of the room, highlighting their importance in interior design.

💡Ceramic Tiles

Ceramic tiles are a type of floor tile made from clay and other materials, shaped and hardened through a process that includes firing at high temperatures. The script mentions that ceramic tiles are produced differently from porcelain tiles, emphasizing the variety in tile manufacturing processes.

💡Porcelain Tiles

Porcelain tiles are another type of floor tile, known for their durability and typically made from finer materials, including cement in the form of andesite, as mentioned in the script. They are distinguished from ceramic tiles by their production process and material composition.

💡Raw Materials

Raw materials in the context of the video refer to the initial substances used to make floor tiles, such as different clays and sand. The script describes how these materials are mined and processed, underlining the foundational role they play in tile production.

💡Milling Machines

Milling machines are used to grind the raw materials into very fine particles. They are a crucial part of the tile production process, as the script explains, ensuring that the clay and sand are prepared correctly for the next stages of tile manufacturing.

💡Extrusion

Extrusion is the process by which clay is forced through a die to create a continuous sheet of material, which is then cut into tiles. The script describes this process in detail for the production of porcelain tiles, emphasizing its importance in shaping the tile material.

💡Drying Process

The drying process is a critical step in tile production where moisture is removed from the clay, making it more supple and strong. The script explains that this process occurs before the tiles are printed and glazed, indicating its role in preparing the tiles for further processing.

💡Screen Printing

Screen printing is a method of printing where a mesh is used to transfer ink onto a surface, except in areas made impermeable to the ink by a blocking stencil. The script mentions screen printing as one of the methods used to apply patterns to the tiles, showcasing the diversity in tile decoration techniques.

💡Inkjet Printing

Inkjet printing is a modern technique used in the script to apply designs to tiles. It allows for greater flexibility and precision in tile decoration, as any design entered into the computer can be printed onto the tiles, reflecting advancements in tile manufacturing technology.

💡Glaze

Glaze is a thin layer of glass-like material applied to the surface of tiles to provide a protective coating and enhance the appearance. The script describes the application of a top coating of glaze to each tile, which initially turns white but becomes transparent after the firing process.

💡Firing

Firing is the process of heating the tiles to very high temperatures in a kiln to harden and bake the clay and other materials. The script explains that the tiles are first dried at low temperatures and then subjected to high temperatures to complete the firing process, which is essential for the final tile quality.

💡Quality Grading

Quality grading is the process of sorting tiles based on their quality, as described in the script. Grade A tiles are grouped together, while lower grade tiles are sorted separately. This process is crucial for ensuring that only the highest quality tiles reach the market, reflecting the factories' commitment to quality control.

💡Automation

Automation in the context of the video refers to the use of machinery and technology to perform tasks without human intervention, such as robotic forklifts and computer-guided systems. The script highlights the importance of automation in maintaining high efficiency and preventing breakdowns in the tile production process.

Highlights

Modern floor tiles come in various shapes and sizes to personalize a room's feel.

Two types of tiles are discussed: ceramic and porcelain tiles, both made from clay and sand.

Raw materials for tiles are sourced from quarries and processed in factories.

Clay and sand are ground into fine particles and mixed with water and additives for tile production.

Porcelain tiles include andesite cement in their mixture and use a screen feeder for extrusion.

The extrusion process involves pressing clay through a metal die to form tile sheets.

Ceramic tiles are produced by pressing a fine powder mix into tile shapes.

Factories use 800 to 900 tons of raw materials daily and produce tiles up to 600 millimeters square.

Drying process strengthens the tiles by removing moisture.

Tiles are prepared for printing with a primer coating in a spray tank.

Printing methods include screen printing and modern inkjet printing for customized designs.

A protective glaze coating is applied and becomes transparent after the firing process.

Tiles are fired in a kiln at temperatures up to 1185 degrees Celsius to bake the materials.

A cooling section in the kiln prevents warping or cracking due to thermal shock.

Tiles undergo quality checks for strength, size, and precision before grading.

High-speed sorting machines automatically categorize tiles into different quality grades.

Factories operate 24/7 with automated processes to maintain high efficiency.

Laser-guided robotic forklifts efficiently move tiles to the next production stage.

Ceramic and porcelain tiles provide a durable and attractive finish for various home spaces.

Factories utilize the latest production techniques for the South African and international markets.

Transcripts

modern floor tiles are available in many

different shapes and sizes to give a

very distinctive personality to the feel

of the room today we're going into two

factories to have a look at the way that

floor tiles are made there are two types

of tiles ceramic tiles and porcelain

tiles both are made from a mixture of

different clays and sand the raw

materials are mined in a quarry and come

into the factory in a very rough form

they're put into a crusher machine which

breaks up the larger pieces the raw

materials are sent by conveyor to huge

milling machines the clay and sand are

ground to very tiny particles and mixed

with water and other additives to create

a mixture that is suitable for making

floor tiles in the vitro factory they

produce porcelain tiles to make

porcelain tiles cement in the form of

andesite is added to the mixture which

is fit to a screen feeder this machine

is very much like a cheese grater a

rotating screw inside the machine

presses chunks of the clay through holes

at the bottom of the feeder the clay is

fed to the extrusion machine inside the

machine a vacuum removes all air from

the clay mix and a large screw presses

the clay through a metal die and a sheet

of material that will form the tiles is

punched out of the machine this process

is known as extrusion

the tiles are cut to size and moved on

the line to the next stage of production

next door to the vitro factory is the

Pegasus factory which produces ceramic

tiles ceramic tiles are produced

slightly differently the raw materials

are milled to very fine powder mixed

with water and the mix is pressed into

the shape of a tile each factory uses

800 to 900 tons of raw materials per day

and produces tiles up to 600 millimeters

square both porcelain and ceramic tiles

are passed through a drying process to

remove some of the moisture from the

material the clay is quite supple as it

goes into the dryer the drying process

gives the tile more strength the patent

mana tile is printed onto the surface to

prepare them for printing both porcelain

and ceramic tiles passed through a spray

tank which sprays a primer coating onto

each tile printing is done in two ways a

screen printing method is used on some

of the lines here we can clearly see the

different colors being applied to the

tiles as they pass through the screen

printing section of the production line

a second method utilizes a very modern

inkjet printing machine to apply the

pattern to the tile this machine will

print any design that is entered into

the computer onto the tiles a protective

top coating of glaze is sprayed onto

each tile this turns white shortly after

it comes out of the spray tunnel but

will become transparent as the time

passes through the firing process in a

kiln the kiln is a long tunnel heated by

gas heaters through which each tile

passes in a process known as firing in

the first section of the kiln the tile

is dried at low temperature to remove

water from the clay if the tiles were

subjected to very high temperatures in

this first phase the water in the tiles

turned to steam and many of the tiles

would explode once the tile has been

dried sufficiently the temperature in

the kiln is raised to one thousand one

hundred and eighty five degrees

centigrade this is where the tile is

fired to bake the Clay's and other

materials that are in the body of the

tile a cooling section at the end of the

tunnel cools the tiles at a uniform rate

before they come out of the kiln this is

done to prevent warping or cracking of

the tile if there was suddenly exposed

to the cool air temperature outside the

kiln while they were very hot the tiles

may walk or crack which is caused by

thermal shock each tower passes tests of

strength size and geometrical precision

and the towers moving to the stacking

machine here the computer sorts each

tile into its own quality grading a

grade tiles will be put together and V

grade tiles will be automatically sorted

into a different stack at very high

speed these factories can each produce

up to half a million tiles every day and

are open for 24 hours a day seven days a

week so quality machinery and personnel

are important to prevent breakdowns

processes are becoming highly automated

in South African factories to maintain

efficiency at a high level without the

need to stop for breaks

this robotic forklift uses a system of

lasers that are reflected around the

factory by special panels these laser

guided vehicles move the boxes of tiles

to the next stage of production very

efficiently in this large factory both

ceramic and porcelain floor tiles

provide a tough and attractive finish to

bathrooms kitchens and the rest of the

home

modern home design techniques have

called for modern tile design these

factories utilize the latest production

techniques to produce quality floor

tiles for the South African and

international markets