Preparation of Ceramic Body Mixtures

1
Comminution
Reduction of lumps of raw materials downwards to small size
by series of crushing and grinding.

2
Blunging
• Breakdown of plastic raw materials.
• Clay minerals are stirred with water by using a mechanically driven
stirrer inside large tank until a homogeneous slip is produced.

3
Blunging

China clay and ball clay are blunged separately.

Then they are passed through a 100 mesh sieve in to a mixing
tank where the plastic and non plastic raw materials in the correct
proportions are mixed by continuous stirring.
The slip from the mixing tank is passed through a 120mesh sieve
and trough a magnetic separator.
Mixture is passed in to large tank known as main tank.

4
Aging

In main tank body mixture is aged for several days

5
Plastic raw materials Non-Plastic raw materials

Blunging Crushing

Grinding
100 mesh sieve

Mixing tank
120 mesh sieve

Magnetic separator

Main Tank
6
 De-watering
• After aging the body slip from the main tank is subjected to a
dewatering process.
• Dewatering helps to get rid of soluble salts.

7
Filter presses

• A filter press consists series of grooved metal plates/trays

which can be fitted together to make chambers.
• Each chamber is line with a canvas cloths clamed between
metal plates.

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Filter Press

• A very important part of the filter press is the tightening

mechanism.
Small filter presses – hand tightening systems
Large filter presses - hydraulic tightening systems

• Time of pressing varies according to the ultimate moisture

content desired.

11
Filter press cake

12
Filter press cake
Moisture content of the center of the filter cake is higher than
the exterior.

13
Pug mill

• A process of pugging or extrusion is carried out essentially

for the purpose of homogenizing moisture content and
elimination of entrapped air.
• Vacuum pug mill/de-airing pug mill help to achieve this
objectives.

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Pug mill

• Deairing pugmills remove air from clay by passing through a

vacuum while pugging.
• non-deairing pugmills simply consolidate and extrude the
clay without deairing

Ref:https://www.baileypottery.com/hand-building-clay-equipment/store-pugmills-and-mixers-by-type.html 15
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Pug mill

• The extrudate get from the pugmill is totally homogeneous

and without any air bubble.
• Can be directly use in plastic forming fabrication processes.

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Plastic raw materials Non-Plastic raw materials

Blunging Crushing

Grinding
100 mesh sieve

Mixing tank
120 mesh sieve

Magnetic separator

Main Tank - Aging

Filter press Pugging

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