Episodes

  • Melting materials and ceramic production: what they are and what they are for

    Melting materials and ceramic production: what they are and what they are for
    Jun 9 2025
    Melting materials used in ceramics, often in glazes and digital glues, are capable of lowering the melting point of a material or compound, thus accelerating the sintering process.

    This action, which occurs through the breaking of the molecular structure of the compound (in our case, silica) by certain ions, affects several factors and must be carefully calibrated each time to achieve the desired result.

    Some of the areas influenced by this process include the grit application, the glossy or matte finish of the surface, interaction with colors, and energy savings.

    How do these materials (such as sodium, potassium, zinc, calcium, boron, etc.) work within the suspensions they are added to, and how does this action reflect on the final ceramic material?
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    18 mins
  • Ceramic production and digital processes: productivity, challenges, and preventive actions

    Ceramic production and digital processes: productivity, challenges, and preventive actions
    May 26 2025
    Industrial productivity is a top priority for any manufacturing enterprise, regardless of its field of operation.

    The ceramic industry, too, must adhere to rules and parameters that enhance productivity while avoiding any form of waste.

    However, process interruptions—representing the most extreme scenarios—can be triggered by numerous factors and can occur at various stages along the production line.

    Even the digital printing process, including all the micro-processes that occur immediately before and after the printer, can be prone to issues that, in the most severe cases, lead to machine downtime.

    This discussion explores some of the most representative critical scenarios related to the topic, providing an overview of preventive actions that can be implemented to mitigate such risks.
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    18 mins
  • Reverse Osmosis: problems and solutions in water treatment

    Reverse Osmosis: problems and solutions in water treatment
    May 12 2025
    Water is one of the most widely used natural resources in numerous applications and across various sectors of industrial production.

    For example, process water forms the basis of different production phases and ensures their proper development.

    However, not all waters are the same.

    Depending on its source, water can have very different properties, which may make it suitable or unsuitable for a specific process.

    In general, water quality is often a necessary precondition.

    For this reason, there are various processes capable of purifying water efficiently and, most importantly, safely.

    One of the most widespread and commonly used methods is reverse osmosis.
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    15 mins
  • Suspending agents: nature, function, and chemical-physical principles

    Suspending agents: nature, function, and chemical-physical principles
    Apr 28 2025
    Suspending agents belong to a broad category of additives whose primary purpose is to provide ceramic suspensions (slips, glazes, engobes, or frits) with good internal stability, counteracting potential sedimentation phenomena.

    Available in both liquid and solid forms, these products act within the suspension to ensure the right balance.

    There are various mechanisms that can be employed to properly maintain the solid phase of the mixture in suspension.

    Among these, the most significant are about viscosity, electrostatic repulsion, and concentration (solid/liquid ratio).

    This episode, after reviewing the properties of suspending agents, focuses on these three main tools, delving into the reasons and mechanisms behind each, also considering the application systems through which suspensions are deposited onto the ceramic substrate—a detail that can significantly influence the type of suspending agent to be used.
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    20 mins
  • Complexing agents and ceramic production: what they are and how they work

    Complexing agents and ceramic production: what they are and how they work
    Apr 14 2025
    Complexing agents are capable of catching multivalent cations present in suspension to prevent them from negatively affecting the ceramic process.

    They are responsible for one of the main mechanisms underlying the deflocculation process: complexation.

    Complexing agents (or chelating agents) are chemicals that bind to specific ions (such as calcium, magnesium, iron, etc.), forming stable complexes.

    This property allows them to "sequester" metals, making them less reactive or preventing their precipitation in solutions.

    These are simplified and very short descriptions of this particular category of additives.

    The episode takes a closer look at the mechanisms enacted by these substances within the ceramic production process, highlighting their functions, benefits, and sometimes, risks.
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    15 mins
  • Relief surfaces and ceramic production (3D effects): methods and techniques

    Relief surfaces and ceramic production (3D effects): methods and techniques
    Mar 31 2025
    The topic of non-planar surfaces, which develop on multiple micro-levels and are sometimes improperly identified as 3D surfaces, plays a crucial role in giving ceramic surfaces not only a more natural appearance but also a broader and more extensive expressive potential.

    This is not a new requirement: it took its first steps with the help of traditional technologies, but it has found new momentum with the arrival of the latest digital techniques.

    The episode offers an overview of the main methodologies currently used to achieve textured surfaces, delving into the chemical mechanisms that occur on the surface and contribute to producing the desired effects.
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    18 mins
  • Preparatory stages of the digital printing process: from files to ceramic support

    Preparatory stages of the digital printing process: from files to ceramic support
    Mar 17 2025
    In the previous episode (#45) we discussed the technical aspects of digital printing systems in relation to ceramic bricks.

    This second part looks at the necessary preparatory work for the printing phase, going through the various steps involved in preparing a print file.

    Regardless of the media on which you will work.

    Some key words: standardized lighting, colorimeter, spectrophotometer, linearization, chart...
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    19 mins
  • Digital printing: opportunities and challEnges in heavy clay ceramics

    Digital printing: opportunities and challEnges in heavy clay ceramics
    Mar 3 2025
    At present, in the heavy clay industry, products are decorated mainly by applying engobe with the aid of scattered granules or by means of reduction effects created by the firing process.

    These techniques are suitable to produce traditional products for the existing market.

    What added value does digital printing offer in this field?
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    19 mins
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