Ceramic and Pottery Defects 1: Ceramic Processing Definitions

Defects in ceramics are of interest to potters andfiring followed by a high-temperature glost or
ceramic manufacturers because they are a majorgloss firing in the Porcelain Process.A
cause of financial loss. They are of interest tohigh-temperature firing followed by a low
collectors of ceramics because they may (or maytemperature glost or gloss firing in the China
not) reduce the value of an item. They are ofProcess.A single high-temperature glost or gloss
interest to users especially if they can causefire in the Stoneware Process.A single
damage or injury in use.I (being old and havinglower-temperature glost or gloss firing in the
nothing else to do) decided to tell you what ISemi-vitreous Process.We will cover this topic in
remember about ceramic defects. I worked in themore detail in Ceramic and Pottery Defects 5:
ceramic industry for a good part of my life.ToDefects Caused During Bisk Firing Operations.Glost
understand ceramic defects you should knowFiring: Firing of glazed bisk ware (see also
something about ceramic processing. If you are aabove).We will cover this topic in more detail in
potter or are involved in industrial ceramicCeramic and Pottery Defects 6: Defects Caused
manufacturing you know about ceramicDuring Glazing and Glost Firing Operations.Decal
processing. For those of you who are not familiarFiring: Firing a decal or decals on ware.We will
with ceramic processing here is the listing of thecover this topic in more detail in Ceramic and
ceramic processes we will discuss in this series ofPottery Defects 7: Defects Caused During
articles on ceramic defects:Batching andDecaling and Decal Firing.Enamel Firing: Firing an
Formulating:Selecting a composition for theenamel usually on decaled ware.We will cover this
ceramic and then choosing raw materials for thetopic in more detail in Ceramic and Pottery
batch.We will cover this topic in more detail inDefects 8: Defects Caused During Enameling and
Ceramic and Pottery Defects 2: Defects fromEnamel Firing.Gild Firing: Firing gold or other precious
Raw Materials and Batching Errors.Forming ormetal decorations.(Note: Now days, the decal may
Making: Shaping the part by slip casting, pressing,include enamel and gold so that a single firing can
hand forming, injection molding, roll forming,be used.)We will cover this topic in more detail in
jiggering, or any other of a number of waysCeramic and Pottery Defects 9: Defects Caused
available.We will cover this topic in more detail inDuring Gilding and Gild Firing.John T. Jones, Ph.D. (,
Ceramic and Pottery Defects 3: Defects froma retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of
Forming OperationsDrying: Controlled heating todetective & western novels, nonfiction (business,
dry the ware before firing (or just leaving it on ascientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former
shelf in Arizona).We will cover this topic in moreeditor of Ceramic Industry Magazine, Jones is
detail in Ceramic and Pottery Defects 4: DefectsExecutive Representative of International Wealth
Caused During Drying Operations.Bisque Firing (orSuccess. He calls himself "Taylor Jones, the hack
Bisk Firing) and Single Firing: A low-temperaturewriter.