As energy costs increase and production demands accelerate, kiln operators are always searching for ways to reduce the weight of kiln furniture — the structures that hold ceramic ware while it is being fired in the kiln.

Light kiln furniture translates into short firing cycles, increased fuel savings and low kiln emissions. With traditional kiln furniture, much of the energy in the firing process can go toward firing the refractories rather than the ware. The savings are particularly dramatic for the production of delicate items such as bone china, where the refractory-to-ware ratio is relatively high. However, lightweight kiln furniture also saves energy in other applications: more robust pottery, artware and dishes; whiteware and sanitaryware items such as basins, sinks and bathtubs; and even heavy industrial ceramics such as high-voltage electrical insulators.

Source: Saint-Gobain

Here are four steps that manufacturers can take to reduce the weight of their kiln furniture:

Take Advantage of New Materials

Most manufacturers have already made the switch to silicon carbide (SiC), which offers a dramatic weight reduction compared to conventional cordierite products. Even more advanced SiC-based materials are now available, such as nitride-bonded SiC (NSiC). These advanced materials are thinner, lighter and stronger than traditional SiC; for example, an NSiC shelf can offer weight savings of 60% versus SiC. Newer materials also feature longer service life with improved oxidation resistance, thermal shock performance and creep.

Reduce Weight Further with Perforated Slabs, Batts and Setters

These can reduce the weight by more than 10% compared to non-perforated structures with the same thickness. Perforated slabs and setters also enable better airflow, resulting in faster firing cycles.

Maximize the Use of the Available Space

Manufacturers optimize kiln throughput with furniture that is custom-engineered around both the ware and the kiln. Designs with fitted outlines minimize the refractory-to-ware ratio for highest efficiency. Saint-Gobain uses the proprietary KilnWorks® software to help develop customized kiln furniture for a given application.

Use a High-Strength Material

Kiln furniture systems made from materials such as Saint-Gobain’s Lo-Mass® are thinner, lighter and significantly stronger than traditional kiln furniture, allowing designers to reduce the size of furniture, especially for heavy industrial products such as HV insulators. This results in greater kiln capacity and reduced firing cycles.

Manufacturers can benefit in several ways by reducing the weight of kiln furniture. Saint-Gobain offers a large selection of lightweight refractory and kiln furniture products for consumer and industrial applications, employing advanced materials such as SiSiC and NSiC, high-purity alumina, high-alumina mullite, mullite and zirconia.

For tableware, sanitaryware and porcelain, Lo-Mass® kiln furniture offers customizable and flexible components with high strength, light weight and high thermal conductivity. Kiln furniture for artware and pottery includes Advancer® kiln shelves: only 5/16 in thick, but 19% stronger and 50% lighter than conventional shelving.

Contact Saint-Gobain Performance Ceramics & Refractories for more information on the full range of solutions.