Ceramics Industry

CERAMIC INDUSTRY
Ceramics comprise all engineering materials that are chemically inorganic, except
metals and alloys and are usually rendered serviceable through high temperature
processing.
Ceramics are widely known because of its durability and flexibility to form different
products. It is usually made from clay, feldspar and silica.
HISTORY of CERAMICS
-26000 BC : Early man discovers that the clay or the mud combined with the mammoth fat
and bone that is composed of bone ash and loess is moldable, thus, created the first
ceramic art.
-6000 BC : Ceramic firing was first introduced in Ancient Greece. This also started the
Greek pottery called pithari. These pots were used for storage and for burial purposes.
-600 AD : Chinese created the first ceramic composite, the porcelain. It is made by
firing clay with feldspar and quartz. This starts the porcelain industry in the world.
-1870 : Refractory materials are introduced during the Industrial Period. These materials
can resist high temperatures since it is usually made from lime and magnesium oxide.
-1889 : The American Ceramic Society was founded by Elmer E. Gorton, Samuel
Geijsbeak and Colonel Edward Orton Jr. They aim to develop and improve the ceramic
industry in the world.
-1960: A new field called fiber optics opens with the discovery of the laser and the
observation that its light will travel through glass.
-1987: Scientists discovered superconducting ceramic oxide. These ceramic

superconductors is applied to integrated circuits of high speed computers.
-1992: Certain ceramics known as “smart materials” are introduced. This applies to smart
sensors that react to variable surface conditions.
RAW MATERIALS
1. Clay- Clay are more or less impure hydrated aluminum silicates that have resulted
from the weathering of igneous rock.
K2O·Al2O3·6SiO2 + CO2 + 2H2O → K2CO3 + Al2O3·2SiO2·2H2O + 4SiO2

2. Feldspar- Feldspar are aluminosilicates that contain sodium (Na), potassium (K), or
calcium (Ca). Feldspars act as fluxing agents to reduce the melting temperatures of the
aluminosilicate phases.
3. Flint- The role or silica is that of a filler, used to impart “green” (that is, unfired)
strength to the shaped object and to maintain that shape during firing. It also improves
final properties.
CERAMIC INDUSTRY
-Ceramic Tiles
-Whitewares
-Structural Clay Products
-Specialized Ceramic Products
-Refractories
CERAMIC TILES
Ceramic tile is a manufactured piece of hard-wearing material used for interior and
exterior decoration. It belongs to a class of ceramics known as whitewares.
CLASSIFICATION OF CERAMIC TILES
In Terms of Raw Materials
1. Red-body Ceramic Tiles- Tiles made from clay that acquire a color that ranges from
yellow to intense red brown.
2. White-body Ceramic Tiles- Tiles made from clay that contain no coloring oxides in
their composition and acquire a white color.
3. Porous Ceramic Tiles- Dependent on the carbonate content in the clay composition and
on the forming and firing process.
In Terms of Forming Method
1. Extruded Ceramic Tiles (A)- Tiles obtained from molding in which a plastic paste is
pressed through a die called extruder. The resulting tile have grooves in the back and then
need to be mechanically separated.
2. Pressed Tiles (B)- Tiles made using the forming method based on a clay composition in
powder form and with a low moisture content. Mechanical pressing of this gives rise to the
pressed product.
In Terms of Glaze Application
1. Glazed Tile (GL)- This refers to the ceramic tiles whose fair face is coated by one or
more glazes.
2. Unglazed Tile (UGL)- This refeers to the tiles whose fair face is not coated either wholly
or in part, by any glaze. Examples are terracotta tile and porcelain tile.
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
1. Preparation of Raw Materials
a. Size Reduction
The raw materials must be pulverized and classified according to particle size.
-Primary Crushing:
Used to reduce large lumps of material by using gyratory crusher.
-Secondary Crushing:
Reduces smaller lumps to particles. A hammer mill uses rapidly moving

steel hammers to pulverize the material.
-Tertiary Crushing
b. Batching
Batch calculations are thus required, which must take into consideration both
physical and chemical properties of raw materials because it determines the body
composition of the tile.
2. Forming Process
a1. DRY METHOD:
The clay and other constituents are mixed by using a shell mixer or a ribbon
mixer.
a2. WET METHOD:
The clay and other constituents are milled in water in ball mills. The
resulting suspension is called slurry.
Spray Drying- The excess water is removed using spray dryer consisting of a
rapidly rotating disk or nozzle. The slurry is heated by a rising hot air column
forming granules.
b. Drying- Continuous or tunnel driers are used that are heated using gas or oil,
infrared or microwave.
c. Glazing- The milled glazes are then applied using bell/ waterfall method. A
stream of glaze falls onto the tile as it passes on a conveyor underneath.
d. Firing- This process removes the volatiles from the material and most or all of
the shrinkage. Roller Kilns are used if the tile is prepared by wet milling. These
kilns move the wares on a roller conveyor. Firing times in roller kilns can be as low
as 60 minutes with firing temperatures around 1150C.
3. Finishing Process
a. Sorting and Packaging
TILE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES in the PHILIPPINES
1. Lepanto Ceramics Incorporated
Address: Makiling, Calamba City, Laguna
2. Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Incorporated
Address: Brgy. San Antonio, Santo Tomas, Batangas
3. Formosa Ceramic Tiles Manufacturing Corporation
Address: Quezon Road, Brgy. San Isidro, San Simon, Pampanga

4. Eurotiles Superior Ceramic Tiles
Address: L. Sumulong Memorial Cir. San Jose St., Antipolo, Rizal.
5. Kalayaan Tiles Corporation
Address: 51 Kalayaan St. Quezon City, Metro Manila

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CERAMIC INDUSTRY

-1987: Scientists discovered superconducting ceramic oxide. These ceramic

K2O·Al2O3·6SiO2 + CO2 + 2H2O → K2CO3 + Al2O3·2SiO2·2H2O + 4SiO2

-Structural Clay Products

-Specialized Ceramic Products

CLASSIFICATION OF CERAMIC TILES

In Terms of Raw Materials

In Terms of Glaze Application

1. Preparation of Raw Materials

Used to reduce large lumps of material by using gyratory crusher.

Reduces smaller lumps to particles. A hammer mill uses rapidly moving

a1. DRY METHOD:

a2. WET METHOD:

a. Sorting and Packaging

TILE MANUFACTURING COMPANIES in the PHILIPPINES

1. Lepanto Ceramics Incorporated

Address: Makiling, Calamba City, Laguna

2. Mariwasa Siam Ceramics Incorporated

Address: Brgy. San Antonio, Santo Tomas, Batangas

3. Formosa Ceramic Tiles Manufacturing Corporation

Address: Quezon Road, Brgy. San Isidro, San Simon, Pampanga

Address: L. Sumulong Memorial Cir. San Jose St., Antipolo, Rizal.

5. Kalayaan Tiles Corporation

Address: 51 Kalayaan St. Quezon City, Metro Manila

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