Mini workshop for the production of ceramic tiles: how to open a business? Production of ceramic tiles in Yekaterinburg.

14.06.2019

The production of ceramic tiles has been known to mankind since ancient times. Already the ancient Greeks and Etruscans produced something similar, burning clay plates on fires. According to scientists, in the 5th-3rd centuries BC, representatives of the Trypillian civilization built houses on the basis of wooden frames on which clay fragments were deposited. After that, fires were lit around the structure, and the material hardened. The final processing consisted in applying colorful drawings, many of which have survived to this day.

Nowadays, the manufacture of ceramic tiles is a complex technical process, the main elements of which, however, are similar to the techniques used many centuries ago.

The technological scheme for the production of ceramic tiles consists of the following steps:

Raw material preparation

First, a mixture is prepared, which may include the following components: clay components (necessary for the plasticity of the mass), quartz ingredients (form the "skeleton" of the tile), carbonate and feldspar additives, which give the tile the structure of a vitreous sample.

Mass preparation

At this stage, the components are crushed, sieved, weighed and mixed in the required proportions by means of a ball mill. The mixture is moistened in the desired percentage.

Product molding

Here one of three possible methods is used: pressing, extruding, casting. The manufacture of ceramic tiles by pressing assumes that the element (the moisture content of the raw material is not more than seven percent) is compressed by a special stamp on both sides with a pressure of about 200-400 kilograms per square centimeter (the most common production method).

Extruded samples are obtained using an extruder, which draws the clay mixture (the moisture content of the original mass is about 15-20 percent) into a tape, which is then cut into fragments (considered a very progressive method). Least of all, cast versions are produced when the mass is poured into molds. This method is bad because the final product is obtained in different thicknesses and sizes.

Drying

After molding, raw clay products are preliminarily dried at a temperature of about 100 C.

Burning

The resulting tiles are fired at a temperature of 900 - 1300 degrees Celsius.

A few decades ago, equipment for the production of ceramic tiles at this stage was represented only by tunnel kilns.

In them, the products moved inside a kind of tube, where they first slowly heated up, starting from 60 C, and then cooled down. The process could take up to 24 hours. Today, fast firing kilns are used almost everywhere, where the tile is processed at the desired temperature in 40-60 minutes.

Ceramic tile kiln

This completes the technology for the production of ceramic tiles of unglazed articles (red gres, cotto, clinker, gress-porcellotanno). It is cooled, sorted, packed and sent to stores.

How are glazed ceramic tiles made?

If it is planned to produce single-fired products (clinker, light or red tiles), then after drying, pre-prepared enamels are applied to the tiles, the enameling process is carried out and the material is fired.

Feeding tiles for the second firing

For double-fired tiles (majolica, faience, cottoforte), the drying step is followed by a preliminary firing of the base. Next, enamels are applied to the surface, and the products go through the stage of repeated heat treatment.

Normative documents

The production of ceramic tiles is regulated by a number of legislative acts. In general, there are standards for floor products and for articles that are used in the interior design of walls.

floor tiles

Ceramic tiles (GOST 6787 2001) are produced for floor coverings. It can be basic and curb, while the dimensions of the curb articles must correspond to the dimensions of the main ones. GOST allows the production of square, multifaceted, rectangular and figured products. Standard coordinating dimensions square tiles can reach from 150x150 to 500x500 mm, and rectangular - from 200x150 to 500x300.

The thickness of the tiles is determined by each manufacturer individually, but it should not be less than 7.5 mm. In addition to the coordination ones, there are nominal sizes that are smaller than the coordination ones by the width of the seam (from 2 to 5 mm).

For buyers of ceramic tiles (GOST), it may be interesting to know what the conditional images mean. So the marking PNG 300x300 (297x297x8.5) GOST 6787 2001 indicates that the tile is intended for flooring, unglazed with coordination dimensions of 300x300 and nominal - 297x297, with a thickness of 8.5 mm.

The product is manufactured in accordance with the relevant GOST, and must have the manufacturer's trademark on the mounting surface.

wall tiles

If the store offers you ceramic tiles (GOST 6141 91), then you need to remember that these articles are intended for wall cladding. They are curly, rectangular and square.

A distinctive feature of products manufactured under these standards is that there are models with various roundings (blockages), as well as models for finishing corners, cornices, etc.

The symbols here will tell a non-professional about little - only the type of tile, its color and a reference to GOST are indicated. For example: type 50 white GOST 6141 91.

Please note that ceramic tiles (GOST) of these articles are not intended for areas subjected to high and low temperatures, aggressive environments, mechanical stress or groundwater. This is directly stated in GOST, so if someone assures you otherwise, do not believe it.

Manufacturing Assumptions

According to the above GOSTs, minimal defects are allowed in the production of ceramic tiles.

For example, a floor tile may have a cut not longer than 10 mm, and at the same time, it should not have glaze waviness, smelting, or a fuzzy pattern noticeable from a distance of one meter.

On top quality wall tiles, punctures, “flies” or decor violations are allowed that are not visible from a distance of one meter. On products of the second grade, small chips, spots, bubbles, waviness, depressions, gaps on colored tiles (along the edges) are allowed. The presence of such shortcomings affects the price of the product, which can be bought much cheaper if these shortcomings are not significant for the design.

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Introduction

Basic properties of building materials

Introduction

1. Product range

2. Technological part

2.1 Raw materials and semi-finished products

2.2 Choice of production method

2.3 Technological scheme for the production of ceramic tiles

2.4 Description of the technological scheme

2.5 Selection of the main technological and transport equipment

2.6 New in the technology of production of finishing materials and products

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Due to the huge volume of reconstruction of old and construction of new buildings, a wide variety of building materials and products is required.

Introduction of new production technologies finishing works it is necessary to start with a serious and detailed study of them by bachelor students in the production of building materials, products and structures.

Special relevance of data guidelines caused by the training of specialists to perform an ever-increasing volume of repair and construction works and a significant number of objects carried out on the principle of free spaces (without finishing the premises). According to an independent assessment, 60% of the country's housing stock has wear and tear of more than 40% and, therefore, requires modernization and overhaul engineering systems with subsequent finishing of the premises at the modern level.

Finishing work is the final cycle of construction work, on the implementation of which an opinion is created and an assessment is given to the completed construction object.

Preparation of the base of surfaces for finishing remains an important and responsible stage of finishing work. To a greater extent, the durability and quality of the finish itself depends directly on the quality of the base and not even so much on the finishing materials themselves. Knowledge modern technologies works and high qualification of performers also ensure the achievement of a high quality result of finishing work.

The introduction of structures with decorative ready-made coatings, excluding finishing. These are designs of various types of suspended, hemmed, stretch ceilings, prefabricated office partitions and large-sized sheet materials with prefabricated coatings.

Main execution task term paper- a reasonable choice of the method of production of a certain finishing material. The solution of this problem is preceded by the choice of the main material, raw material or semi-finished product, the development of a technological scheme of production, the choice of the main technological equipment.

Coursework is independent work student and must contain elements of new and original solutions to a given technological process in the production of finishing materials.

Topics of term papers are assigned in accordance with the practical tasks of the industry and must have industrial and scientific value.

The main topics of the course work are related to the development of modern methods for the production of finishing materials, with a variety of painting compositions, decorative plasters, wallpaper, ceramic tiles, facing panels, etc., new technologies for mechanized application of dry mixes, a variety of each type of finish, etc.

For the production of finishing materials, there are many technological redistributions. Therefore, the possible topics of the work are not limited to instructions, but can be supplemented at the request of the student or the decision of the supervisor.

The presented materials can serve as a basis for the study and practical use of new technologies and building materials, in an important matter - improving comfort, environmental friendliness and modern design of residential and public buildings.

Coursework allows you to consolidate and deepen knowledge in the discipline "Finishing materials" and is a confirmation that the student is able to apply the acquired knowledge in solving a specific problem.

Basic properties of building materials

Density a quantity equal to the ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it is called; expressed in kilograms per cubic meter(kg / m 3).

True Density - the limit of the ratio of mass to volume of a body or substance, without taking into account the voids and pores in them.

Bulk density -- the ratio of the mass of granular materials, materials in the form of a powder to the entire volume they occupy, including the space between particles.

Average density - a physical quantity determined by the ratio of the mass of a body or substance to the entire volume occupied by them, including the voids and pores in them.

Relative density -- the ratio of the density of a body or substance to the density of a standard substance under certain physical conditions.

Porosity -- the ratio of the pore volume to the external volume (dimension) of the material. It is expressed as a percentage.

Porosity determines the basic properties of materials: strength, frost resistance, gas permeability, water permeability, etc.

Water absorption - the ability of the material to absorb and retain water. Water absorption is determined by the difference in the mass of a material sample in a water-saturated and absolutely dry state and is expressed as a percentage of the mass of dry material.

Water absorption by volume B is equal to the mass of water absorbed by the sample when it is saturated, divided by the volume of the sample.

The water absorption of the material by volume is less than 100%, and the water absorption by mass of very porous materials is more than 100%.

The ratio of the strength of a material saturated with water to its dry strength is called softening factor . The numerical value of this coefficient ranges from 0 to 1.

With a softening coefficient of more than 0.8 construction material is considered waterproof, with a coefficient of less than 0.7 - non-waterproof, and it is recommended to use it in wetted structures and structures with high humidity.

Moisture return - the ability of the material to give moisture when changing environment. Moisture yield is characterized by the rate of drying of the material per day at a relative humidity of 60% and a temperature of 20 °C.

Humidity material in percent is determined by the moisture content related to the mass of the material in a dry state.

Water permeability - the ability of the material to pass water under pressure. Water permeability is characterized by the amount of water that has passed through 1 cm 2 of the surface of the material in 1 hour at constant pressure. The degree of water permeability of the material depends on its density and structure.

Adhesion - the ability of a material to adhere to the surface of another body. Quantitatively, it is characterized by the specific work expended on the separation of bodies. Adhesion -- important property paint and varnish polymer coatings, anti-corrosion compounds, waterproofing and roofing emulsions and suspensions, etc.

Frost resistance -- the ability of a material in a state saturated with water to withstand repeated alternating freezing and thawing without visible signs of destruction and a decrease in strength.

Frost resistance is characterized by the number of sustained freezing cycles, determined by a decrease in the strength of the material by no more than 25% and a weight loss by no more than 5%.

The frost resistance of the material is checked by repeated freezing of samples at a temperature of -15...-20 °C and subsequent thawing in water at a temperature of 20...25 °C.

Thermal conductivity - the ability of a material to transfer heat through its thickness from one surface to the opposite due to the temperature difference.

Heat capacity - the property of a material to absorb heat when heated and give it away when cooled; characterized by a heat capacity coefficient equal to the amount of heat in joules required to heat 1 kg of material by 1 °C. The heat capacity per unit mass is called the specific heat capacity. The heat capacity of the material allows you to maintain the heat resistance of buildings.

Gas permeability - the ability of the material to pass gas or air through the thickness. The volume of gas passing through a layer of material is directly proportional to the wall area, gas flow time, pressure difference and inversely proportional to the wall thickness.

Sound transmission - the property of the material to transmit air and shock sounds. Enclosing structures of buildings are evaluated by soundproofing ability: a quantitative measure - decibel (dB). The soundproofing of the walls is characterized. an indicator of permeability from air sound, and interfloor ceilings - an indicator of sound insulation from air and shock sounds. For residential buildings, the sound insulation index from airborne sound of inter-apartment walls and interfloor ceilings must be at least 1 decibel, and the sound insulation index from impact noise of interfloor ceilings must be 0 (zero) decibel.

fire resistance - the property of the material to withstand prolonged exposure to high temperatures under load (without softening or deforming).

fire resistance - the property of a material to resist the action of fire during a fire for a certain time. It depends on the combustibility of the material, that is, on its ability to ignite and burn. According to the degree of combustibility, materials are divided into combustible, slow-burning and fireproof.

elasticity a solid body is called its property to spontaneously restore its original shape and size after the termination of the external force.

Plasticity a solid body is called its property to change shape or size under the action of external forces without collapsing; moreover, after the termination of the force, the body cannot spontaneously restore its size and shape, and some residual deformation remains in the body, called plastic deformation.

fragility of a solid body is called its ability to collapse without the formation of noticeable residual deformations.

strength a solid is the ability of a material to resist fracture under the action of stresses arising from a load or other factors.

The strength of the material is estimated by the tensile strength.

The tensile strength is the stress corresponding to the load that causes the destruction of the material sample:

where P razr is the load that causes the destruction of the sample,

F -- area,

M is the bending moment,

W is the moment of resistance.

Chemical resistance. The level of resistance of the material under the action of aggressive media - harmful gases, acids, alkalis and their solutions is called the chemical resistance of the material. The destruction of the material under the action of various reagents, moisture and gases is called corrosion. In industrial conditions, many building materials are operated under the influence of aggressive liquids and gases. In Central Asia, basically all buildings and structures are built on a saline base, which also acts aggressively on materials and leads to their destruction.

Most building materials are not resistant to acid, alkali and salt environments. Natural stone materials (limestone, granite, dolomite, etc.) are destroyed under the influence of acid. And materials from bituminous compositions, high-strength ceramic materials(plates, pipes, etc.), polymer materials are resistant to aggressive media.

To determine the resistance of materials, a special chamber of aggressive media is used, and the samples are stored under these conditions for a certain time, then the results are compared with the reference ones.

Technological properties. The ability to change the state of the material in the process of their production is characterized by technological properties.

The technological properties of building materials include crushability, sawnability, grindability, nailability, etc.

Aesthetic properties. The sensory perception of architectural forms is associated with the aesthetic properties of building materials, which include color, shape, texture, texture, etc. These properties have importance for visual perception of the facade and the general appearance of the building.

Color - one of the properties of the objects of the material world, perceived as a conscious visual sensation. Each material has a certain color, which is perceived by sight.

White color consists of a complex of various colors. This essence was first revealed in 1666 by Isaac Newton using a special device. He noticed different spectra on a white screen, which are called Newton's spectra. There are 7 colors in the spectrum. They are arranged in the following sequence: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet.

The color of building materials is divided into achromatic and chromatic. Achromatic color consists of black, white and their mixture (gray). The remaining colors of the spectrum and their mixing with black and white are chromatic. A person can distinguish 300 achromatic and about 10,000 chromatic colors. Each chromatic color has 3 properties: hue, lightness and saturation.

Color tone characterized by the wavelength of radiation in nanometers: violet - 380-430, blue - 430-470, cyan - 470-510, green - 510-560, yellow - 560-590, orange - 590-620, red - 620-760. On the border areas are perceived mixed colors- yellow-orange, red-orange, etc.

Lightness - a dimensionless quantity used in lighting engineering that quantitatively characterizes the difference between the visual sensations caused by two adjacent monochrome surfaces. The lightness of a material can be understood as the relative brightness of its surface.

The degree of difference between a chromatic color and an achromatic color of the same lightness is called color saturation. Saturation characterizes the level, the strength of the expressiveness of a color tone; in the human mind, it is associated with the amount of pigment in paints.

Texture - the visible structure of the surface of the material. According to the nature of the surface of the material, two groups of textures are distinguished: embossed and smooth.

Texture - these are natural patterns on the surface of wood, natural stones, etc.

In finishing materials, texture and texture are determined by comparison with the standard.

Introduction

Ceramics (dr. Greek kEsbmpt - clay) - products from inorganic, non-metallic materials (for example, clay) and their mixtures with mineral additives, manufactured under the influence of high temperature with subsequent cooling.

In a narrow sense, the word ceramics refers to clay that has been fired. but modern usage of this term extends its meaning to include all inorganic non-metallic materials. Ceramic materials may have a transparent or partially transparent structure, may originate from glass. The earliest pottery was used as pottery made of clay or its mixtures with other materials. At present, ceramics is used as an industrial material (machine building, instrument making, aviation industry, etc.), as a building material, as an art material, as a material widely used in medicine and science. In the 20th century, new ceramic materials were created for use in the semiconductor industry and other fields.

Today, ceramic tiles have taken their rightful place not only in the design of bathrooms and kitchens, but can already be found in the design of any room. Modern manufacturers began to produce a huge variety of ceramic tiles of different shades of colors, shapes, textures and sizes, which gives unlimited possibilities in creating a unique style.

The builders got at their disposal the most diverse in size, shape, texture and color engobed, glazed, decorative mosaic tiles for facing walls and rolls, sanitary ware, new types of tiles, profile architectural inserts, three-dimensional sculptural art ceramics, etc.

Manufacturing methods:

1) Casting - the clay mass is poured into molds and fired. This is the most ancient way making tiles, but now it is not used: the edges of the tiles are uneven, and the tiles are not the same. This method is sometimes used in individual small factories, but such production is expensive.

2) Cutting - sawing natural stone(travertine or sandstone) on tiles. An even more expensive production method, which also has a low yield of tiles.

3) Extruding - stretching and cutting clay mass using a special machine.

4) Pressing - at the moment it is the most common and technologically advanced method of manufacturing ceramic tiles. Finished products are as durable as possible, and also have high aesthetic qualities. There are two main technologies for pressing ceramic coatings: bicottura and monocottura.

In modern ceramic technology, the following methods of decorating products of various purposes, shapes and sizes are used: a) glazing, b) engobing, c) coloring ceramic paints d) applying pre-made decorative images to the surface, e) staining with natural mineral dyes, f) two-layer molding, g) surface texturing.

Despite its venerable age, ceramics does not lose its attractiveness today. Facing with ceramic tiles continues to be one of the most convenient and practical ways to decorate rooms. Along with the decoration of the bathroom or kitchen, which is familiar to us, the trend of using ceramic tiles in the interior of residential premises - bedrooms and living rooms, - decoration of public buildings with ceramics and porcelain stoneware, is becoming more and more popular.

1. Product range

Ceramic tile is a flat, usually thin-walled glazed or unglazed product made from ceramic mass, used for exterior or interior wall cladding and wall panels and also for flooring.

Ceramic cladding glazed tiles are designed for cladding internal surfaces walls and partitions of medical and commercial premises, canteens and kitchens, sanitary facilities, domestic premises, etc.

For the manufacture of facing tiles, white-burning clays and kaolin, quartz sand, feldspar, pegmatite, marble and some other components are used. The production of these products is carried out according to the method of semi-dry pressing of masses prepared by the slip method. the technological process consists of the following operations: preparation of raw materials, preparation and dehydration of slip, preparation of press powder, pressing tiles, their drying, glazing and firing.

All tiles can be divided into several groups:

ceramic granite (porcelain stoneware);

· terracotta;

two-burning tiles;

single-fired tiles.

Tiles are classified according to the nature of the surface - into flat, relief-ornamented, textured; according to the type of glaze - transparent or deaf, shiny or matte, one-color or decorated with multi-color patterns; in shape - into square, rectangular and shaped; by the nature of the edges - with straight and rounded on one or several adjacent sides (with a blockage).

Currently, there are several main methods for the production of ceramic tiles:

pressing and then double firing (bicottura);

pressing and single firing (monocottura);

monoprose;

extrusion technology (cotto and clinker).

Pressing and then double firing (Bicottura) - enameled ceramic tiles are produced for indoor wall cladding. Enamel gives the ceramic tile shine and allows you to display the pattern of any design, and also protects the ceramic body of the tile from moisture penetration. The entire production cycle of this type of ceramic tiles takes place in two firing processes: the first to create the base, and the second to fix the enamel. The body of a ceramic tile (“cookie”) is obtained in this way: first, a moistened mass of red clay is pressed in special forms, then it is fired at a temperature of up to 1040 ° C.

Clinker tiles. Clinker tiles are sometimes simply called clinker, although real clinker is a facing brick, a very durable, non-absorbent refractory brick made of clay fired in a special way. Clinker belongs to the group of stone-ceramic materials, made from highly plastic clays. Since facade tiles perform the same functions as facing bricks - exterior finish buildings, and is also often made in the form of bricks (to imitate brickwork), then such a mixture of names is acceptable.

Another name is building clinker, clinker products. In general, clinker products are clay products fired to full sintering, usually in the form of a brick. The name "clinker" comes from the Dutch "klink", which means "clear ringing", as this is the sound that should be made when real clinker slabs are tapped against each other, which makes it possible to distinguish genuine ceramic tiles from tiles made of other materials. Clinker is also called a semi-finished product in the production of cement, which is a sintered mixture of limestone and clay (or slag).

Clinker belongs to the elite, high-quality finishing material. He received this recognition for high performance strength and durability. Clinker tiles have low porosity, high mechanical strength and resistance to abrasion and chemical agents, which makes them particularly suitable for indoor and outdoor floors, stairs, for cladding the exterior walls of buildings (plinths and facades), as well as for cladding swimming pools. Clinker tile is a fire-resistant material, therefore it is often used in the decoration of fireplaces, stoves. It is also used for paving roads, lining hydraulic structures, lining tanks in chemical industries.

Clinker is made from heterogeneous types of clay with the addition of dye oxides, fluxes and chamotte. Clinker tiles can be pressed or extruded.

Classification:

In accordance with GOST 6141-91, tiles are distinguished by the following features.

According to the shape of the tiles are divided into square, rectangular and curly.

The side faces of the tiles can be without a blockage or with a blockage.

The value of the blockage radius is not a rejection sign.

Also, products of fine building ceramics can be faience, porcelain and semi-porcelain. They differ from each other in the degree of sintering of the shard, strength, and water absorption.

The front surface of tiles and fittings can be smooth or embossed, one-color or multi-color (decorated by various methods).

Decoration of tiles can be carried out by seriography, spraying, applying glazes with different surface tension, etc.

Glaze can be shiny or matte, transparent or muted.

The symbolic designation of tiles in the technical documentation when ordering should consist of an indication of their type, color and designation of this standard.

Symbol example:

white square tiles without blockage, type 2:

Type 2 white GOST 6141-91

colored rectangular tiles with a blockage of four faces, type 33:

Type 33 colored GOST 6141-91

colored shaped corner pieces, type 38:

Type 38 colored GOST 6141-91

white curly tiles, type 50:

Type 50 white GOST 6141-91

2. Technological part

2.1 Raw materials and semi-finished products

Mixes are used as raw materials for the production of ceramic tiles. various materials, in particular:

1. clays and kaolin, which provide the plasticity of the wet mass necessary for molding tile blanks, ensuring sufficient strength of the semi-finished product in the dried state. But with an increase in their content in the mass, air and general shrinkage increases, therefore, the number of defects in production increases.

2. quartz sand, which forms the "skeleton" of a ceramic product, that is, it performs the structural function necessary in order to limit and control the dimensional changes of the product that are inevitable during drying and firing;

3. carbonate materials, depending on the nature of the action, are divided into fluxes (feldspars-aluminosilicates of sodium, potassium, calcium; pegmatite; dolomite, etc.) and lean (chamotte, quartz sand, etc.), due to which, during firing the desired viscosity is achieved, which provides a vitreous and dense structure of the finished product.

In addition to the main raw materials, the production uses additional ones introduced into the mass as electrolytes - soluble glass, caustic soda, surfactants of organic origin (Sulfite-alcohol bard, etc.); bleaching materials - cobalt sulfate, etc.

Glaze is a mixture of various minerals and compounds (frits, kaolin, sand, various oxides, coloring pigments), which are applied to the surface of the product and melted. According to the sintering temperature, the glaze is divided into refractory (1100-1350 ° C) and fusible (900-1100 ° C). The fusibility of the glaze depends on its constituent materials.

Refractory glazes are applied to the product in its raw form, i. without prior melting. They include: quartz, kaolin, clay, natural carbonates of divalent metals (dolomite, marble, etc.)

Low-melting glazes are pre-fused. Materials for fusing such glazes: quartz, feldspar, borax or boric acid, strontium carbonate, magnesite, dolomite, etc.

Upon subsequent cooling, the molten mass solidifies, forming glass, which gives the top layer of the tile special properties.

During slip preparation of the mass, the clay components are dissolved in water to a colloidal state, thinning and fluxes are dispersed to particles less than 0.06 mm. The refining of the components, their mixing and homogenization of the slip mass take place in an aqueous suspension, which creates the necessary conditions for subsequent technological processes - molding, drying and firing.

Grinding and coarse grinding of clay is carried out in crushing and grinding machines of primary crushing (rollers various designs, disintegrators, planers, runners); fine grinding and mixing of components - in ball mills. The duration of grinding clay and lean is different, therefore, first, harder lean ones are loaded with a small amount of clay (up to 7%), which are crushed for 3-5 hours to prevent separation of the suspension. Then the rest of the clay is introduced and grinding is continued for another 2--3 h.

For more efficient grinding of charge components, it is recommended to use strong surfactants that improve its rheological characteristics. These can be mono-, di- or trialkyl phosphate esters. They are added after supplying sufficient water during wet grinding.

Improving the technology of ceramic tiles in order to improve its quality is carried out at all stages of the process of its production - the selection and calculation of ceramic masses, the processing of raw materials, the preparation of slip and its dehydration when obtaining powder, pressing, drying, firing and decorating products.

To improve the structure of the shard, it is recommended to additionally introduce porcelain production waste into the composition for producing ceramic tiles.

It is proposed to use chamotte dust as lean components, since the properties of ceramic tiles with the addition of chamotte dust correspond to the regulated indicators. High-quality facing tiles are also proposed to be obtained using waste from gravity coal enrichment. Here, a feature of the technology is the preliminary roasting of the rock to burn out carbon and activate the clay component. The cost of such a tile is 40% lower than usual. Facing glazed tiles in this case has the following characteristics: water absorption 12-17%, bending strength 12-14 MPa, average density 1.9 g/cm 3 .

For the manufacture of facing tiles, solid residues of mine water are also used; in this case, the tiles may contain iron oxide in the amount of 7-20%.

name of raw materials	Unit


Clay Veselovskaya
Sand quartz
Feldspar
Liquid glass

Fitta frosting
Pigments - dyes

2.2 Choice of production method

At the factories of building ceramics, products are produced mainly in three ways: semi-dry pressing from powders with a moisture content of 5–7% (the main method), slip casting (clay suspension in water) with a moisture content of 30–33%, and plastic molding from masses with a moisture content of 14– -twenty%.

Building ceramic products are generally obtained in the process of technological processing of clay raw materials with mineral additives, molding products, drying and firing (heat treatment) to varying degrees of sintering, depending on the purpose of the product and the quality of clay raw materials.

Flow-conveyor lines (PKL) of ceramic tile production include a set of equipment, each unit of which is an independent unit in a single technology: semi-dry pressing presses, distributing and unloading devices for pressed semi-finished products before drying and firing, a slot dryer, glazing and decorating devices, high-speed firing kilns, installations for sorting and packing products.

The raw materials for ceramic tiles are the main components (clays, kaolins), thinning components to reduce shrinkage (quartz sands, natural and obtained by enriching kaolins), fluxes to lower the sintering temperature (natural - feldspars, nephelines, perlites and artificial - glass and slags) and additives (thinners, surfactants, mechanically activating, etc.).

Ceramic tiles for interior wall cladding are obtained mainly from red fusible, less often light refractory clays by semi-dry pressing of press powders with a moisture content of 6--7%, most often using slip

2.3 Technological scheme for the production of ceramic tiles

Figure 1 shows the algorithm for the production of tiles obtained by pressing in molds and further firing. In fact, each of the production stages for each type of tile has its own characteristics, which further determine the characteristics of the resulting material.

Figure 1. Algorithm for the production of tiles obtained by pressing in molds and further firing

Obtaining certain types of ceramic tiles primarily depends on the production technology. Figure 2 shows the main stages of various technological cycles and lists the main types of ceramic tiles that they allow to obtain.

Figure 2. Technological cycles for the production of various types of ceramic tiles

2.4 Description of the technological scheme

Raw material selection

Quartz sand, clay, feldspar and carbonate materials are used as raw materials for the base of the tile. The basis of ceramic glaze is frits - alloys of salts with glass. A glaze consisting only of frits has glossy surface and is used for double firing. To create matte glazes, quartz, metal oxides, kaolin, and coloring pigments can be added to frits.

Preparing the mixture

There are two technologies for preparing the mixture: wet and dry.

At wet technology raw ingredients are crushed and mixed in drum crushers in the presence of water. Crushers are huge drums rotating around an axis: grinding parts (stones or balls from a sintered mixture of aluminum oxide), hitting each other, crush the raw ingredients. As a result of grinding, an aqueous suspension of raw materials (slip) is obtained.

If it is necessary to press the mixture, the water is removed by the atomization process (countercurrent spraying of the slip with heated air with immediate evaporation of the water). As a result of this process, a mixture is obtained in the form of a powder, which contains 5-6% of the moisture necessary for high-quality pressing of the product.

If it is necessary to extrude the mixture, the residual moisture content of the mixture must be higher than the specified value: in this case, it is possible to remove water from the slip using a filter press.

With dry technology, raw ingredients are crushed in hammer mills and then moistened in special machines.

Grinding of the raw material is necessary to homogenize the mixture and extremely reduce its particle size, which facilitates the next firing process of the ceramic product.

Wet grinding technology is more expensive (requires a lot of energy to remove water) but gives much better results.

Single-fired, high-porosity and porcelain stoneware (gres) ceramic tiles are made from wet-grinded mixtures, while type ceramic tiles are made from dry-mixed mixtures. Clinker tiles and double-fired tiles can be produced in both ways.

The preparation of the mixture consists of several operations that provide a homogeneous material, the desired grain size and the water content necessary for subsequent molding. At this stage of production, a powder with a water content of 4-7% for compression molding or a mass with a water content of 15-20% for extruded tiles is obtained. In any case, there are three main operations at this stage - grinding, mixing - homogenization, moisturizing.

When preparing the powder for pressing, two technologies can be used: dry grinding raw materials, followed by bringing the moisture level to the desired values with the help of humidifiers and wet technology when the raw material is crushed in water, followed by drying of the slip by spraying. The choice of this or that technology depends on the type of mass and on the characteristics of the product itself.

molding

All modern methods of molding ceramic tiles, according to ISO standards, are divided into three groups. Group A - extrusion method (production of cotto tiles, clinker). Group B - pressing method (porcelain stoneware, monocottura, bicottura). Group C included all other methods (hand molding, glass mosaic casting).

The pressing method is the most widely used. During pressing, the powdered mixture is loaded into the molds of a hydraulic press, where it is compacted under high pressure (up to 500 kg/cm²) and acquires a certain strength. At this stage, the tile may be subjected to additional processing. So, to obtain prepolished porcelain stoneware, the surface of the tile is polished with soft brushes even before firing. With the help of molds, not only the geometric shapes and sizes of ceramic tiles are set, but also the texture of its surface.

Pressing or extrusion are two molding methods used in the production of ceramic tiles. Pressed ceramic tiles are made from a powder mixture that is compacted and molded under high pressure using a hydraulic press through molds.

Extruded ceramic tiles are made from a dough-like mass of raw materials and are formed by passing through a special extruder hole using a die-die, which provides the ceramic tiles with thickness and width. Next, the product is cut along the length with special knives (thin wire).

Most ceramic tiles are produced by pressing. During pressing, a powdery mass with a moisture content of 4-7% is compressed in two directions, usually under a pressure of about 200-400 kg/cm². Under pressure, the movement and partial deformation of the granules occurs, due to which even unfired tiles have the appropriate density and strength. Other types of products (fired products, clinker) are obtained mainly by extrusion, while the initial mass contains moisture from 15 to 20%, depending on the type of product. The strip exiting the extruder is then cut into appropriate dimensions.

Drying

During the drying process, moisture is removed from the product, which was necessary for molding. Its content is reduced to 0.2%. The process is carried out in dryers with hot air drying. Before entering the kiln, the ceramic tile passes through a drying chamber where hot air is supplied and where the ceramic tile loses the remaining moisture.

Drying plays an important role, since at this stage water is removed from the product, which is necessary for molding. Drying conditions are critical to product integrity, so the process is carefully controlled to avoid warping, cracking, or other defects. In the production of ceramic tiles, hot air dryers are by far the most common. Such an installation ensures the release of moisture to the surface of the product, its further evaporation and removal. The speed of the installation (the drying process lasts several tens of minutes) is ensured by good heat transfer, efficient ventilation and relatively high air temperature at which the drying is performed.

Glaze application

To date, there are several dozen ways to apply glazes to the surface of ceramic tiles. Glaze can be applied in the form of granules, pasty mass or spray suspension. The moment of application can occur in different ways: before firing, after firing and even during firing. To give the tiles a more aesthetic appearance, the glazing process can be used in conjunction with the application of various images. One of the most common methods of applying ornaments is called silk-screen printing, when drawings are applied using paints through a special mesh with holes of various sizes and frequencies. The more complex the drawing, the more grids are applied.

Glaze is a mixture of various minerals and compounds that are applied to the surface of a ceramic tile and melted. Upon subsequent cooling, the molten mass solidifies, forming glass, which gives the top layer of the tile special properties. Glaze preparation consists in dosing various materials and grinding them in water. In this case, a suspension with a water content of 40-50% is obtained, ready for use. Glaze can be applied either to the fired surface (double firing) or to the dried surface as in single firing. Various types of equipment are used to apply the glaze (cone or spinneret machines, bucket or tubular dispensers, disc sprayers, airbrushes). They are fully included automated lines, which also includes machines for applying an ornament (silk-screen printing machines). Some types of ornamentation may be applied after the glaze has been fired; in this case further heat treatment (third firing) is required.

Burning

Then the tiles are fired, which can last from 40 to 120 minutes. The kiln is a closed conveyor with a length of 50 to 80 meters. By supplying gas through pipes for every 20 cm of the furnace, a certain temperature is maintained at each point. Thus, in the process of moving through the furnace, the product is fired at a temperature of 200 to 1200°C.

Most important element tile firing process - development and compliance with the temperature curve. It is the correct construction of the temperature curve that is reflected in the most important technical indicators of the tile in the future. As soon as the batch of raw materials changes, the temperature curve must be developed anew. Therefore, it is very important for a tile manufacturer to have a permanent supplier of raw materials. And, therefore, only those manufacturers who have a long history of production are able to provide consistent quality. For each type of tile, an individual temperature regime. different and Maximum temperature firing for different materials. For double-fired tiles - about 950°C, for single-fired tiles - up to 1180°C, for porcelain stoneware - up to 1300°C. In the process of firing at high temperatures, the tile loses moisture and decreases in size (shrinks). The shrinkage value increases with the firing temperature and can vary from 0% (for double-fired tiles) to 8% (for porcelain stoneware). Those. to obtain ceramic granite with a size of 300 * 300, the size of the mold should be 324 * 324.

Single firing(monocottura), when the glaze and base are fired together, is usually used to produce glazed floor tiles. The high firing temperature results in a well-sintered, durable biscuit, and provides the glaze with significant abrasion resistance. At this method production, it is impossible to obtain products of bright, saturated colors, since at high temperatures the coloring pigments burn out and fade. It has been observed that less bright glazed tiles are more resistant to surface abrasion.

Features of single firing, caliber

Monocottura, as well as its separate type Monoporosis, is an enameled ceramic tile designed both for wall cladding and for laying on the floor. It has a denser base made of white clay compared to bicottura, and therefore some of its types are frost-resistant.

The entire manufacturing process of monocottura takes place in one firing cycle. The prepared mixture, consisting of various light grades of clay with the addition of other natural ingredients, is moistened and mixed in special drums. Then it is dried in huge vertical silos and fed in the necessary portions onto a conveyor belt, followed by placement in a mold. There, with the help of a dispenser, there is a uniform distribution of the required amount of the mixture over the entire shape of the stamp. Modern presses used at the factory allow each tile to be pressed with a load of up to 500 kg/cm², evenly distributing the force over all surfaces.

At this stage, it is very important to note that the size of the tiles coming out from under the press is approximately 7-10% larger than the nominal size (this roughly corresponds to the moisture content in the batch after the press), that is, a tile that has a catalog size of 30x30 has yet Another size is approximately 32x32. Further, in the process of drying and final high-temperature firing, the tile, as it were, narrows, proportionally decreasing in linear dimensions. It must be understood that this is precisely what explains the presence of calibers assigned to tiles - in fact, the designation of its actual size. This is due to the fact that it is impossible to provide for this decrease in the firing process with an accuracy of a millimeter, it depends on many factors. Therefore, in the future, at the final stage, the tiles are sorted according to the actual size (caliber), which in turn has small tolerances, according to ISO standards. ceramic tile equipment raw materials

After leaving the press, the tiles are sent to a special final drying chamber, and then to the area where enamel is applied to the not yet fired tiles, which, after firing, protects the body of the tile and gives the appearance conceived by the designer.

After applying the enamel, the tile is fed into a furnace up to 100 m long. Gradually heating up there to a temperature of up to 1200 ° C, and then gradually cooling down, the tile goes through the same single firing, as a result of which the base acquires exceptional hardness and the enamel is fixed on it, forming a strong single whole. The whole firing process is strictly controlled by computers at every phase of the furnace. After leaving the furnace, the tile comes to the area for flaw detection and calibration, and then visual control of the tonality. Then it is sorted into batches, packed, labeled and delivered to the warehouse finished products.

Tests at the flaw detection section consist in the fact that each tile falls on the so-called rails located along the edges of the tile and a roller is rolled in the center, acting on the tile with a certain load. If the tile has a defect, then it does not withstand the load and breaks, automatically not falling into further tests. Enamel surface defects are checked visually, at the same time as determining the tonality of the tile.

Properties of monocottura resulting from the technology of its production

The main differences between monocottura and bicottura are as follows:

? a thicker and more durable tile base, made exclusively from light clay;

? higher density as a result of using a more powerful press, and a higher firing temperature, and as a result, the presence of frost-resistant series (water absorption< 3%);

? stronger wear-resistant enamel, most often matte.

Scope, formats

Single firing tiles are produced in the formats 15.25x15.25, 16.5x16.5, 20x20 30.5x30.5 33.3x33.3 15.25x30.5 16.5x33.3. For most series, skirting boards and steps are produced in the appropriate sizes.

In many cases, monocottura tiles are offered as floor tiles for most bicottura series, thus complementing them. It can also be offered as separate series with wall decors and recommended for use on walls and floors.

There is also a special subtype of monocottura produced in 10x10 format. Tiles of this format are intended, as a rule, for facing the "apron" in the kitchen. They have a reduced thickness (approximately 6 mm) and a large number of different decors. Since this tile is mainly used in the interior, it does not have all the advantages of monocottura, but it is nevertheless stronger than bicottura and can be used as flooring in private interiors.

Monoporosis, raw material difference, properties and scope

A separate type of single-fired tile is monoporosis. This type of tile is produced by pressing and then simultaneously firing the body of the tile and the applied glaze. In this, it is completely similar to monocottura. But due to the use of several other components in the preparation of the batch, the physical properties, and, accordingly, the scope of this tile, are significantly different, and are closer to bicottura tiles.

In the production of traditional high-density single-fired tiles (monocottura and porcelain stoneware), clays with a high content of iron oxide are used, and feldspar-based fluxes are used to speed up the sintering process and give strength. In the production of monoporosa, a fundamentally different clay is used - with a high content of carbonates. During firing, as a result of chemical processes, a rather porous white mass is formed, with high water absorption (up to 15%). The strength of such a tile is noticeably less than the strength of a conventional monocottura, so the base has a thickness of 12 mm. Naturally, such tiles can only be used indoors.

This technology makes it possible to bake large-format slabs practically perfect sizes, which, after additional machining edges, can be laid with minimal seams. In the production of bicottura, where the base itself is made from red clays, the light enamel must be thick enough so as not to lose color. In monoporosis, the white base allows you to apply a thin layer of light enamel, realizing expensive graphic and chromatic effects. Decors are made both in the traditional way - by drawing a pattern on tiles, and by cutting with water under high pressure on special equipment: in this way you can get a very beautiful prefabricated decor, using, among other things, pieces of natural stone.

The white porous base and a thin layer of enamel require special rules for working with monoporous tiles: for laying it is necessary to use a white adhesive, it is necessary to rub the seams very carefully, trying not to damage the enamel. The surface for laying large format tiles must be perfectly flat.

bicottura

Double firing (bicottura) is used to produce glazed wall tiles.

The entire production cycle of this type of tiles takes place in two firing processes: the first - to create the base, and the second - to fix the enamel.

The body of the tile, the so-called base or "cookie", is obtained by pressing a moistened mass of red or white clay in special forms, followed by firing at a temperature of up to 1040 ° C. This tile is considered quite porous, with a water absorption rate of up to 10%. The thickness of the base, as a rule, is 5-7 mm, it is inferior in strength to all other types of tiles. The above properties determine its exclusively interior use for wall cladding.

The creation of "cookies" is a separate production cycle, after which the tiles undergo control of planimetry and dimensions. If the tiles do not meet the specified parameters, they are removed from the conveyor and sent for processing. To the second phase of firing - to fix the enamel, only pre-selected high-quality tiles are allowed.

The enamel covering the double-fired tiles is either glossy or matt. It does not have high surface strength as it is not expected that this tile used for wall cladding will be subjected to mechanical and abrasive loads.

The exception is some series that are recommended by the manufacturer and as floor. Naturally, they can only be laid on the floor in the bathrooms of private apartments and in no case in public places. At the same time, bicottura enamel is quite resistant to the effects of household detergents used to clean ceramics, as well as cosmetics and hygiene products that may come into contact with the tile surface in bathrooms.

Enamel application

Enamel painted in various colors, applied different ways. The main one, the so-called. roller - using the RottoColor machine - a large round drum coated with special material. The drum, rolling, applies liquid enamel, and since the length of its circumference is much greater than the length of the tile, 3-4 tiles are processed in one revolution, and the axial displacement of this drum is also often used. All this is necessary in order to make a larger number of tiles with a non-repeating pattern, while maintaining the selected design and color of this series.

Since the process of applying enamel does not affect the geometry of the tile in any way, these parameters are no longer controlled after the end of production, but are checked only for surface defects.

Bicottura properties and scope, formats

The main formats (in centimeters) currently accepted for production are: 20x20 20x25, 25x25, 25x33.3, 25x45, 12.5x45.

Bicottura is usually made in collections consisting of several colors that are combined with each other and with a large number of decors.

...

Production process

1. Extraction of raw materials- the first stage, originating in quarries, where components with a strictly defined chemical composition are extracted to the surface. The behavior of raw materials during pressing and firing, as well as the properties of finished products, depend on the composition. From the mining sites, the clay is sent to factories, where it is sorted into containers.

2. Preparing the mixture- clay materials that form the basis of ceramic tiles are mixed with the rest of the components in a certain proportion. Then they are pre-grinded to the desired size, crushed, mixed and moistened. To create a ceramic mass, several methods have been developed, each of which is used for different types of raw materials and types of future products:

Semi-dry - clay passes through a crusher and dryer, then it is crushed and goes to molding;
Plastic - after the crusher, the clay material is mixed with additives in the clay mixer, as a result, a plastic homogeneous mass is obtained, which is subsequently subjected to heat treatment;
Wet - the primary components are crushed and mixed with a large volume of water (no more than 60%), the resulting homogeneous mass is sent to the tanks.

As a result, the mixture is prepared for shaping the body of the tile (or “biscuit”, so named because of the external resemblance to the dough product of the same name).

3. molding which is carried out by pressing or extrusion.

Pressing involves squeezing a powdery mass under high pressure. Small particles of the mixture move and are partially deformed, due to which the hardness and strength of the tile is significantly increased;
For molding ceramic tiles by extrusion, a special installation is designed - an extruder. The mass is pressed through the hole that defines the shape of the tile profile. Unlike pressing, extrusion allows the production of tiles of any configuration, since in the "liquid phase" the mixture is squeezed out of the molds and cut off. Products obtained by this method may be thicker than pressed, be concave or convex. This is how corner clinker elements are made.

4. Drying- an integral part of the production process. Its purpose is to completely remove moisture from the product. The process is strictly controlled to prevent deformation of products during drying. For this, special installations are designed that treat the surface of ceramics with hot dry air. During drying, the tile "shrinks", that is, it slightly decreases in size. The amount of "shrinkage" cannot be accurately calculated, so finished products may differ slightly from each other in size, even within the same batch.

5. Applying enamel or glaze- it is a decorative protective coating, transparent, colorless or colored. Enamel owes its color to additives various salts and oxides. So, blue color give cobalt salts, green - chromium salts, red - iron salts. Glazed tile consists of two layers: the base (lower) and, in fact, the glaze (upper). This layer provides additional protection of the base from external influences, as it has increased hardness, heat resistance and moisture resistance.

There are dozens of methods for applying glaze to tiles - in the form of granules, by spraying and rolling a pasty mixture. The process is carried out using drums, before, after or during firing. At the same time, various images can be applied. There are technologies in which each individual element of the tile has its own unique pattern, while maintaining the overall style of the series.

6. Burning- only after it the tile becomes usable. The kiln is a tunnel in which products move on conveyors. The firing temperature ranges from 900 to 1300 degrees, depending on the material and manufacturing technology. After processing, the tile cools and turns into a stone-like mass of high strength.

7. Sorting- during this process, damaged elements are rejected, tiles of different varieties are separated and grouped. Modern production lines equipped with special devices, which check the tile for defects by exerting a mechanical load on it.

It is important to note that for different types of ceramic tiles, the stages of its production can vary significantly.

Decorative tiles are used for interior and exterior decoration. The production of ceramic tiles dates back to ancient times and peoples, including the Egyptians, Babylonians, Assyrians. For example, the step pyramid for Pharaoh Djoser, built in ancient Egypt around 2600 BC. , contains colorful tiles.

Later, ceramic tiles were made in almost every major European country. By the beginning of the 20th century, tiles began to be produced on an industrial scale. The invention of the tunnel kiln around 1910 led to the automation of production.

Obtaining raw materials for the production of ceramic tiles

The raw material used to form the tiles consists of clay minerals mined from the earth's crust. Natural minerals are added, such as feldspar, which is used to lower the firing temperature, and chemical additives necessary for the molding process. Minerals are often pre-enriched before being sent to the ceramic factory.

The starting materials are crushed and classified according to particle size. Primary crushers are used to reduce large lumps of material. There are various types of crushers that allow you to get the material of the desired classification at the output.

The first step in the production of ceramic tiles is the mixing of the ingredients. Water is then added and the ingredients are wet ground or ground in a ball mill. If wet grinding is used, excess water is removed using a filter press followed by spray drying. The resulting powder is then pressed into tiles of the desired shape. Shaping is carried out by compressive movements between steel plates or by rotational movements between steel cones.

Secondary crushing reduces small pieces with particles. Often, a hammer mill and a Muller mill are used for these purposes. The latter uses steel discs in a shallow rotating pan, while the hammer mill uses fast moving steel hammers to crush the material. Shaft or cone type crushers are also used.

The third particle size is required to produce high quality tiles. Drum mills are used in combination with other methods. One of the most common types of such mills is ball mills, which consist of large rotating cylinders partially filled with spherical grinding bodies.

Screens are used to separate particles within a certain size range. They work in an inclined position and mechanically vibrate or electromechanically improve material flow. Screens are classified according to the number of holes per linear inch of screen surface. The higher this number, the smaller the hole size.

Glaze is a glass material designed to melt on the surface of the tile during the firing process, securely fixed to the surface of the tile during cooling. Glazes are used to provide moisture resistance and decoration, as they can be colored or given special textures.

Production of ceramic tiles: technology

After the raw materials are processed, several steps must be followed to obtain the finished product. These steps include dosing, mixing and grinding, spray drying, shaping, drying, glazing and firing. Many of these steps are now carried out using automated equipment.

Dosing

For many ceramic products, including tiles, quality is determined by the quantity and type of raw material. The raw material also determines the body color of the tile, which can be red or white color, depending on the amount of iron-containing raw materials used. Thus, it is important to mix the correct amounts of ingredients in order to achieve the desired properties. Calculations are made that take into account the physical and chemical properties of the raw material composition. After the appropriate weight of each raw material is determined, the ingredients are mixed.

Mixing and grinding

After the ingredients are weighed, they enter the mixer. Sometimes it is necessary to add water to improve blending with a multi-ingredient batch and also to achieve a fine grind. This process is called wet grinding and is often done using a ball mill. The result is a water-filled mixture called a slurry. After heavy loads, water is removed from the slurry using a filter press (which removes 40-50 percent moisture) followed by dry grinding.

Spray drying

Involves pumping a slurry into an atomizer consisting of a rapidly rotating disc or nozzle. Air currents free small particles from moisture. Raw materials can also be obtained by dry grinding followed by granulation. For this, granulating machines have been created.

Formation

Most often, ceramic tiles are formed by dry pressing. In this method, a free flowing powder containing an organic binder or low interest moisture comes from the bunker to the shaped press. The material is compressed in the cavity by steel plungers and then ejected at the bottom of the plunger. Automated presses are used with working pressures over 2500 tons.

Wetting agents are also used to produce particularly thin tiles. Extrusion plus stamping allows the production of tiles of irregular shape, small thickness, which makes it better and more economical. The plastic mass is compacted in a special high-pressure cylinder and squeezed out of the cylinder in small portions. These portions are stamped using hydraulic or pneumatic presses.

The second method is as follows: extruded portions are compressed between two halves of a rigid mold set on hydraulic press. The shaped part is pressed against the top half of the mold by vacuum to release the bottom half. Then, by forcing air through the upper half, the upper part is released. Excess material is removed for reuse.

Another process, called pressure glazing, has been developed recently. This process combines glazing and shaping at the same time. Applying the glaze (in spray-dried powder form) directly into the body tile powder-filled matrix. The benefits include the elimination of glazing errors as well as the reduction of waste glazing material (so-called sludge) that is produced in the conventional way.

Drying

Ceramic tiles generally need to be dried (at high relative humidity) after curing, especially if a wet process is used. Drying, which can take several days, removes water at a slow enough pace to prevent shrinkage cracks. Continuous or tunnel dryers are used, which are heated by gas or oil, infrared lamps or microwave energy. Infrared drying works best for thin tiles, while microwave drying works best for thick tiles. Another method, pulse drying, uses pulses of hot air flowing across the material.

Glazing

Crushed glazes are applied using one of the available methods. In a centrifugal or disking glazer, the glaze is fed through a rotating disk that spreads the glaze onto the tile. In the waterfall method, a stream of glaze falls onto the tile as it passes down the conveyor underneath. Sometimes the icing is simply sprayed on. There is also screen printing. In this process, the glaze is forced through a sieve with a rubber squeegee or other device.

Dry glazing involves the application of powders, crushed frits (glass materials), and granular glazes to a wet tile surface. After firing, glaze particles fuse with each other, forming a durable surface similar to granite.

Burning

After glazing, the tile is subjected to firing, which strengthens it and gives it the desired porosity. After forming, the blanks are dried slowly (over several days), at high humidity, to prevent cracking and shrinkage. Glaze is then applied and the tiles are then fired in a kiln or kiln. While some tiles require a two-stage firing process, wet ground tiles are only fired once, at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more. After firing, the tiles are packed and sent to the warehouse.

Kilns used for firing tiles.

Tiles produced by dry grinding instead of wet grinding usually require a two-step process. In this case, the tile goes through a low-temperature firing called soup firing before being glazed. This step removes volatiles from the material, most or all of the shrinkage. After that, firing and glazing are carried out simultaneously. Both firing processes take place in a tunnel or continuous furnace, which consists of a chamber through which the workpieces slowly move along the conveyor on refractory fibrous belts constructed from materials resistant to high temperatures, or in special containers. The firing in a tunnel kiln can take two to three days, at about 2372 degrees Fahrenheit (1300 degrees Celsius).

For tiles that only need to be fired once - usually tiles that are wet molded - cutter rollers are used. These furnaces move billets on a roller conveyor and require no additional equipment. The firing in the roller kiln can last 60 minutes, the firing temperature is about 2102 degrees Fahrenheit (1150 degrees Celsius) or more.

After firing and testing, the ceramic tiles are ready, they are packed and shipped.

Environmental friendliness

A huge number of pollutants are generated during various stages of production; these emissions must be controlled according to standards. Among harmful substances, formed during the production of tiles, are fluorine and lead compounds, which are formed during firing and glazing. Lead compounds have been greatly reduced with recent development, unleaded or low lead glazes. Fluoride emissions are collected in scrubbers, devices that basically spray water to remove harmful pollutants. This can also be controlled by dry processes: lime-coated fabric filters. This lime can be processed as source material for future tiles.

The industrial production of ceramic tiles also generates wastewater from milling, glazing and spray drying. Waste from the production of tiles is also returned to the process of preparing raw materials for reuse.

Quality control

Most ceramic tile manufacturers now use statistical process control (SPC) methods for every step of the manufacturing process. Many also work closely with their raw material suppliers to ensure that the raw materials they receive meet the requirements. Statistical process control consists of charts that are used to control various processing parameters such as particle size, milling time, drying temperature and time, pressing pressure, post-pressing dimensions, density, firing temperature and time, and others. These graphs help to identify problems with the equipment, improve its efficiency.

The final product must meet certain requirements in terms of physical and chemical properties. These properties are determined using standard tests. characteristics determined include mechanical strength, abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, water absorption, dimensional stability, frost resistance and coefficient of linear thermal expansion. More recently, the slip resistance parameter has been added, which can be determined by measuring the coefficient of friction.

prospects

In order to maintain market growth, ceramic tile manufacturers will focus on the development and promotion of new models with different strength and performance characteristics. Particular attention is now being paid to large-sized, durable, granite, polished models. High strength is achieved due to the special composition of raw materials, new glazing technologies, and production on advanced equipment. Automation in the production of ceramic tiles will play a leading role in increasing production, reducing costs and improving quality. In addition, changes in the production technology of ceramic tiles, caused by environmental and energy resource issues, will continue.

Ceramic tile is a popular building material used in the finishing of the "wet zone" in housing (kitchen and bathrooms) and industrial premises. A wide range of products of domestic and foreign production is presented on the Russian market, but the goods available for sale do not satisfy all demand. More and more tiles are required by construction companies and private clients. According to studies, Russians love to make repairs in their houses and apartments. Over the past 5 years, 83% of the country's citizens have been doing this.

The business sphere is open to new participants - entrepreneurs have good chances to occupy a market niche and establish permanent production. In this article, we will present a business plan for opening a mini-factory, the main task of which will be the manufacture of ceramic tiles. We will also present an approximate calculation of the payback period of the project, talk about important nuances Affairs.

Brief market analysis in Russia

In recent years, the volume of production of ceramic tiles has increased markedly: from 2012 to 2016. this figure increased from 156.1 million sq. m to 167.6 million sq. m. The fastest production grew in 2013 - by 6.1%.

In 2017, 163.8 million sq. m - there is a noticeable drop. This is due to a decrease in demand from end-users. The decrease in buying activity is due to the crisis in Russian economy. The production of wall tiles grew the most - by 7.8% (74.7 million sq. m.). Production of floor tiles fell by 2.9% (89.1 million sqm).

Economists predict that in the period 2018-2021. the production of this material will grow by 1-3.7% annually. In 2021, production volumes will reach 181.7 million square meters. m

Types of ceramic tiles

Ceramic tiles are classified according to several criteria:

raw materials: cotto, porcelain stoneware, clinker, brooms;
production technology: the amount of firing, surface glazing;
molding method: manually, by casting, pressing, extrusion;
type of texture: porosity, the presence of a mosaic, stone inserts, the effect of artificial aging;
purpose: for kitchen and floor, bathroom, pool, fireplace.

You can produce tiles of several types at once. Products should be made more attractive to customers - apply unique drawings, use high-quality templates, molds.

You also need to choose the size of the products. The most popular (in cm): 20x20, 20x30, 20x40, 33x33, 40x40.

How to open a tile production

The main item of expenditure in organizing a business is equipment. Raw materials form the basis of monthly expenses.

Table 1. Start-up costs for a ceramic tile business.

The calculations are relevant for a city with a population of up to 1 million people. Additional costs include utility bills, advertising, redecorating premises.

Documentation and business registration

First you need to choose the organizational form of the business. If you plan to further expand the range and production volumes, it is better to choose LLC ( entity). This form is more difficult to design and record, but it will allow you to cooperate with large construction companies, wholesale and retail networks of a federal scale. Otherwise, you can work as an individual entrepreneur (individual entrepreneur).

When registering a business, the OKVED code 26.3 "Production of ceramic tiles and slabs" is indicated.

The requirements of GOSTs are imposed on the product:

GOST 27180-2001 - ceramic tiles;
GOST 6887-90 - floor tiles;
GOST 6141-91 - facing tiles for interior walls;
GOST 13996-93 - facade ceramic tiles.

Therefore, to start production, you will need to obtain certificates of conformity.

Ceramic tile production technology

The raw material is mixed. Clay, sand and other materials in powder form in the right proportions are added to the concrete mixer, diluted with water and mixed into a homogeneous mass.
The mixture is poured into molds and further processed depending on the specific method:
- the pressing method involves molding with high pressure (about 400 kg / cm2);
- during casting, the wet mass is distributed over the molds;
- in the extrusion method, a mass having the consistency of dough is fed onto the machine's tape. The machine cuts the tiles to the specified dimensions.
Glazing. A thin glassy mixture of minerals is applied to the surface, which gives desired color and markedly improves strength.
Sections of the tape are passed through the oven. Roasting takes place at a temperature of 900-1300 ° C.
The finished product is checked, the marriage is eliminated (with cracks, chips, deformations).

room

A small ceramic tile factory should consist of a work shop, warehouses for storing raw materials and finished products, staff rooms, a bathroom, and an administrative room.

Taking into account the dimensions modern equipment need to pick up production room not less than 100 sq. m with all necessary communications: electricity and water supply, sewerage, ventilation, heating.

In the workshop where the equipment is installed, it is necessary to maintain the temperature and humidity at optimal levels. The room should be spacious, with ceilings not lower than 5 m.

To get started, you need to obtain permission from the Fire Inspectorate on compliance with the necessary requirements.

A mini-factory is best organized in the industrial area of the city or on the outskirts of the village.

Raw material

There are 2 groups of materials needed to create ceramic tiles.

The first group - raw materials for the basis of the product. These are refractory clay and kaolin. Kaolin, otherwise called white clay, consists of the mineral kaolinite, which gives the product high strength. Quartz sands are also used - they are needed for the effect of reducing shrinkage, creating a frame. Another material is the so-called floodplains (feldspar, slag, etc.)

The second group includes additional raw materials: glaze, surfactants, plasticizers, thinners necessary to impart viscosity, a dense vitreous structure.

Raw materials can be purchased both domestically and imported. Russian raw materials are cheaper, but worse in quality compared to raw materials from European manufacturers.

Equipment for the production of ceramic tiles

For the production of goods on an industrial scale, the following equipment will be required:

concrete mixer;
vibrating machine;
tunnel oven;
drawing camera.

All components of the composition are mixed in a concrete mixer. The mixture is homogeneous and of high quality. Then it enters the vibrating machine, which removes air bubbles from the mixture - this increases the strength of the finished product. In the oven, the mixture molded in templates is processed at high temperature, all excess moisture is removed. After the product, they enter a special chamber, where the machine applies programmed patterns to the surface. Modern machines use various techniques when painting - drawings of any complexity can be applied to the surface.

Staff

A ceramic tile business does not require a large workforce. The equipment has a high degree of automation. The employee can only exercise control.

2 employees will be required to monitor the supply of raw materials and the continuity of the production process. The workshop also needs 1 master technologist, who will be the production manager. His tasks are to control the condition of the equipment, organize the technological process, check the quality and accept the finished product.

The plant also needs 1 handyman (minimum). He will be engaged in loading and unloading operations, work in warehouses.

You will also need a logistics driver (to take with your car), a sales manager and an accountant (to hire through outsourcing).

Sales and promotion

You can sell ceramic tiles wholesale and retail:

construction and repair and construction companies;
to construction markets, wholesale and retail chain stores;
directly to private buyers (through the opening of their store).

It is necessary to conclude long-term supply contracts with companies, which will allow stabilizing the production and financial performance of the business.

It is useful to create your own website with a description of products and a commercial offer, use methods of promotion on the Internet. Order advertising in newspapers and specialized magazines, distribute leaflets near the points of sale of goods. It is useful to visit various exhibitions where you can find potential consumers and conclude large contracts.

If you have enough initial funds, open your store so that customers can see "live" what exactly you offer.

Calculations of profitability and payback of tile production

The size of the initial investment is 3.47 million rubles.

Standard working hours - 22 days a month, 8 hours per shift. During this time, it is possible to produce about 5 thousand square meters. m tiles.

At the price of 1 sq. m at 400 rubles. You can earn 2 million rubles per month.

The cost of a monthly batch is 1.3 million rubles. Accordingly, the amount of net revenue per month will be 700 thousand rubles. In this case, the business will pay off and go to zero in 5 months.

It must be remembered that these are ideal conditions - if all manufactured goods are sold in a month. On the initial stage business development, you need to be prepared for the fact that a large number of tiles will remain in warehouses. But if at least half of the manufactured products are sold per month, the payback period will be 10 months.

Table 2. Economic rationale for a business idea.

Based on economic calculations, a ceramic tile business can pay for itself in a reasonable amount of time, freeing up additional funds for reinvestment and expansion.

Of course, this is possible only with proper organization of the case. Distribution networks are recommended to be financially stimulated so that the product is in the best positions and attracts the "look" of the buyer. You also need to consider measures to stimulate demand - promotions and other offers. Keep in mind that tiles are a seasonal product. It "leaves" well in the warm season - plan the production of ceramic tiles with this in mind.

Mini workshop for the production of ceramic tiles: how to open a business? Production of ceramic tiles in Yekaterinburg.

Raw material preparation

Mass preparation

Product molding

Drying

Burning

How are glazed ceramic tiles made?

Normative documents

floor tiles

wall tiles

Manufacturing Assumptions

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2.3 Technological scheme for the production of ceramic tiles

Figure 1 shows the algorithm for the production of tiles obtained by pressing in molds and further firing. In fact, each of the production stages for each type of tile has its own characteristics, which further determine the characteristics of the resulting material.

Figure 1. Algorithm for the production of tiles obtained by pressing in molds and further firing

Obtaining certain types of ceramic tiles primarily depends on the production technology. Figure 2 shows the main stages of various technological cycles and lists the main types of ceramic tiles that they allow to obtain.

Figure 2. Technological cycles for the production of various types of ceramic tiles

2.4 Description of the technological scheme

Raw material selection

Preparing the mixture

There are two technologies for preparing the mixture: wet and dry.

If it is necessary to extrude the mixture, the residual moisture content of the mixture must be higher than the specified value: in this case, it is possible to remove water from the slip using a filter press.

With dry technology, raw ingredients are crushed in hammer mills and then moistened in special machines.

Grinding of the raw material is necessary to homogenize the mixture and extremely reduce its particle size, which facilitates the next firing process of the ceramic product.

Wet grinding technology is more expensive (requires a lot of energy to remove water) but gives much better results.

Single-fired, high-porosity and porcelain stoneware (gres) ceramic tiles are made from wet-grinded mixtures, while type ceramic tiles are made from dry-mixed mixtures. Clinker tiles and double-fired tiles can be produced in both ways.

molding

Pressing or extrusion are two molding methods used in the production of ceramic tiles. Pressed ceramic tiles are made from a powder mixture that is compacted and molded under high pressure using a hydraulic press through molds.

Extruded ceramic tiles are made from a dough-like mass of raw materials and are formed by passing through a special extruder hole using a die-die, which provides the ceramic tiles with thickness and width. Next, the product is cut along the length with special knives (thin wire).

Drying

Glaze application

Burning

Features of single firing, caliber

Monocottura, as well as its separate type Monoporosis, is an enameled ceramic tile designed both for wall cladding and for laying on the floor. It has a denser base made of white clay compared to bicottura, and therefore some of its types are frost-resistant.

After leaving the press, the tiles are sent to a special final drying chamber, and then to the area where enamel is applied to the not yet fired tiles, which, after firing, protects the body of the tile and gives the appearance conceived by the designer.

Properties of monocottura resulting from the technology of its production

The main differences between monocottura and bicottura are as follows:

? a thicker and more durable tile base, made exclusively from light clay;

? higher density as a result of using a more powerful press, and a higher firing temperature, and as a result, the presence of frost-resistant series (water absorption< 3%);

? stronger wear-resistant enamel, most often matte.

Scope, formats

Single firing tiles are produced in the formats 15.25x15.25, 16.5x16.5, 20x20 30.5x30.5 33.3x33.3 15.25x30.5 16.5x33.3. For most series, skirting boards and steps are produced in the appropriate sizes.

In many cases, monocottura tiles are offered as floor tiles for most bicottura series, thus complementing them. It can also be offered as separate series with wall decors and recommended for use on walls and floors.

Monoporosis, raw material difference, properties and scope

bicottura

Double firing (bicottura) is used to produce glazed wall tiles.

The entire production cycle of this type of tiles takes place in two firing processes: the first - to create the base, and the second - to fix the enamel.

The enamel covering the double-fired tiles is either glossy or matt. It does not have high surface strength as it is not expected that this tile used for wall cladding will be subjected to mechanical and abrasive loads.

Enamel application

Since the process of applying enamel does not affect the geometry of the tile in any way, these parameters are no longer controlled after the end of production, but are checked only for surface defects.

Bicottura properties and scope, formats

The main formats (in centimeters) currently accepted for production are: 20x20 20x25, 25x25, 25x33.3, 25x45, 12.5x45.

Bicottura is usually made in collections consisting of several colors that are combined with each other and with a large number of decors.

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room

Raw material

Equipment for the production of ceramic tiles

Staff

Sales and promotion

Calculations of profitability and payback of tile production