Cleaning up the Industrial Industry

Ceramics Fabrication: A Look At The Condensation Process

by Alfredo Harper

Ceramics are defined as an inorganic and nonmetallic material.  Ceramic engineering play an important role in numerous industries. They are incorporated and used in the production of electronics, medical grade equipment, and more. The different fabrication techniques of ceramics are responsible for varying properties. The final product goes through various processes in order to achieve its final consistency. If you like working with ceramics and you're a beginner, understanding the fabrication process that large companies use can help you determine whether the ceramics that are being used are high quality. In particular, this article will explore the condensation process.

What Is Condensation and Why Is It Important?

Condensation is the process of bringing all of the molecules and particles together by removing the liquid binder. This causes the ceramics to become more densely packed, which means that the material becomes:

  • Less porous. This will improve the substructure, as excess air is dispensed from the ceramics along with the liquid binder.
  • Stronger and more durable. As the molecules become more densely packed, the ceramics become stronger and can tolerate and withstand more impact without breaking.
  • Less likely to shrink as it goes through all of the other processes involved with the fabrication. If the material is less likely to shrink, you are more likely to achieve precise and accurate measurements with little discrepancies.
  • Lower firing range. This means that less energy and heat is required to fire the ceramics for it to reach their final product. This can improve the overall production efficiency, which can reduce the costs involved with producing the final product.

Condensation enhances the corrosion resistant properties of ceramics and ensures the final product remains stable and structurally strong for longer periods of time.

What Are The Techniques Involved with Condensation?

There are many ways that you can condense ceramics. They include:

  • Manual condensation. This involves using mild vibrations to pack the powder form of the ceramics onto an underlying frame before blotting away as much of the excess water as possible. The blotting process involves using a smoothing technique to bring excess water to the surface where it can be sucked up and removed. Another manual condensation technique involves packing additional dry porcelain powder onto the ceramics in attempt to draw water out of the ceramics. Manual condensation relies on the surface tension of water.
  • Ultrasonic condensation. Thanks to advancements in technology, you may not have to spend any time manually drawing the water out, and may be able to condense the ceramics by simply placing it in an ultrasonic machine, which basically relies on high frequency vibrations to draw water out of the ceramics before it dries.

Manual condensation techniques tend to be more time-consuming in comparison to ultrasonic condensation techniques. Ultrasonic condensation can reduce the fluid content of the ceramics and enhance the overall translucency for a more attractive final product. There are many portable ultrasonic machines that you can purchase for your home.

After the ceramics has been condensed, it will need to be dried in an open furnace that reaches 480 degrees Celsius to get as much of the remaining water out as possible. If the ceramics were properly condensed, it will dry within 5 to 8 minutes. Keep in mind that if the ceramics were not properly condensed, it will contain too high of a water content to be dried properly. The ceramics will end up crumbling or exploding.

Conclusion

Understanding the details of ceramics fabrication can help you make a better decision regarding the quality of the materials that you use. By using ceramics that have been properly fabricated, you will end up with a higher quality product that will not only last longer, but will also have a stronger structural integrity for higher durability. Keep in mind that there are many more processes involved with ceramic fabrications that need to also be taken into consideration to make an informed decision.

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