Tile troubleshooting
How can expert troubleshooting help me streamline my ceramic tile production?
High-quality tile manufacturing requires precise control over mineral behavior at every stage. We help you resolve complex issues to take your results to new levels of performance.
How can glaze and engobe rheology be adjusted for optimal application in tile production?
Glaze rheology must be adjusted for your specific application device — bell, double disc or airless spraygun. If the glaze viscosity or yield value is too high, it prevents proper application and can stop pumps from working.
- The solution: Adjust water and additive content or switch to specialized liquid kaolins to maintain slip density while improving flowability.
- Glaze kaolins: Kaoshine CNL80 (UK), Kaoshine RC 70 or Kaoshine RC 75 (Brazil), and Kaoshine ID33 (Indonesia).
- Engobe ball clays: Hywite Superb (UK).
How to prevent glaze sedimentation and residue during tile production?
Glaze is mostly composed of frit and kaolin. During preparation and storage, the glaze can sediment depending on the kaolin used, creating a settled cake at the bottom of the tank that is difficult to stir back into the suspension.
- For glaze suspensions: These issues are resolved by using the appropriate kaolin, such as Grolleg (UK) or Kaolinor 1C and Kerbrient (France).
- For low residue: If the quantity of residue on sieves is too high during engobe preparation, switch to low-residue ball clays like Hymod HSM-E or Hyplas Prime (UK).
How to precisely control the drying time of glazes and engobes?
For tiles manufacturing, drying time must be adjusted to ensure a matte surface before the following application. If drying is too fast, holes appear in the layer; if it is too slow, ink definition is lost during decoration.
- To increase drying time (glaze): Use Hymod HSM-E or Hyplas 64 (UK), Old mine #4 (US), FMT (France), or Grolleg (UK).
- To reduce drying time (glaze): Use Whiteplas N11 (Thailand), Hywite Premium (UK/Egypt), Certiwhite (India), Kaoshine CNL 80 (UK), Kaoshine RC70 (UK), or Allen G (USA).
FAQ
Our troubleshooting service helps eliminate defects such as low gloss, low opacity, bubbles, pinholes, dimples, black spots, crazing, peeling and waviness.
Sedimentation depends on the kaolin used during preparation. The right mineral selection ensures the settled cake can be easily stirred back into the suspension.
High viscosity or high yield value can prevent the glaze from being applied correctly by the spraygun or bell and may stop the pumps from functioning.
Ceramics
Imerys supplies high-performance mineral solutions used in ceramic manufacturing across sanitaryware, tableware, tiles and technical ceramics. Our portfolio of kaolin, ball clay, feldspar, wollastonite and talc supports ceramic body formulation, glaze performance and firing stability. Ceramic producers across Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, North and South America rely on Imerys minerals to improve product strength, surface quality, whiteness and manufacturing efficiency.
