INDUSTRY PROFILE #11
SMALL
CERAMICS PLANT
Prepared By
Victor R. Palmeri
Reviewed By
Dwight R. Brown
Wallace C. Higgins
VITA
Published By
VOLUNTEERS IN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
1600 Wilson Boulevard,
Suite 500, Arlington, Virginia 22209 USA
Telephone: (703) 276-1800, Fax: (703) 243-1865
Telex 440192 VITAUI, Cable: VITAINC
Internet.
vita@gmuvax.gmu.edu, Bitnet vita@gmuvax
Small Ceramics Plant
ISBN: 0-86619-298-0
[C]1988, Volunteers in Technical Assistance
INDUSTRY PROFILES
Introduction
This Industry Profile is one of a series briefly describing
small or medium-sized industries. The
Profiles provide basic information for starting
manufacturing plants in developing nations.
Specifically, they provide general plant descriptions,
financial, and technical factors for their
operation, and sources of information and expertise. The
series is intended to be useful in
determining whether the industries described warrant further
inquiry either to rule out or to
decide upon investment. The underlying assumption of these
Profiles is that the individual
making use of them already has some knowledge and experience
in industrial development.
Dollar values are listed only for machinery and equipment
costs, and are primarily based on
equipment in the United States. The price does not include
shipping costs or import-export taxes,
which must be considered and will vary greatly from country
to country. No other investment
costs are included (such as land value, building rental,
labor, etc.) as those prices also vary.
These items are mentioned to provide the investor with a
general checklist of considerations for
setting up a business.
IMPORTANT
These profiles should not be substituted for feasibility
studies. Before an investment is made in
a plant, a feasibility study should be conducted. This may
require skilled economic and
engineering expertise. The following illustrates the range
of questions to which answers must
be obtained:
*
What is the extent of the present demand for
the product, and how is it now being
satisfied?
*
Will the estimated price and quality of the
product make it competitive?
*
What is the marketing and distribution plan
and to whom will the product be
sold?
*
How will the plant be financed?
*
Has a realistic time schedule for
construction, equipment, delivery, obtaining
materials
and supplies, training of personnel, and the start-up time for the plant
been
developed?
*
How are needed materials and supplies to be
procured and machinery and
equipment to
be maintained and repaired?
*
Are trained personnel available?
*
Do adequate transportation, storage, power,
communication, fuel, water, and
other
facilities exist?
*
What management controls for design,
production, quality control, and other
factors have
been included?
*
Will the industry complement or interfere
with development plans for the area?
*
What social, cultural, environmental, and
technological considerations must be
addressed
regarding manufacture and use of this product?
Fully documented information responding to these and many
other questions should be
determined before proceeding with implementation of an
industrial project.
Equipment Suppliers, Engineering Companies
The services of professional engineers are desirable in the
design of industrial plants even though
the proposed plant may be small. A correct design is one
that provides the greatest economy in
the investment of funds and establishes the basis of
operation that will be most profitable in the
beginning and will also be capable of expansion without
expensive alteration.
Professional engineers who specialize in industrial design
can be found be referring to the
published cards in various engineering magazines. They may
also be reached through their
national organizations.
Manufacturers of industrial equipment employ engineers
familiar with the design and installation
of their specialized products. These manufacturers are
usually willing to give prospective
customers the benefit of technical advice by those engineers
in determining the suitability of their
equipment in any proposed project.
VITA
Volunteers in Technical Assistance (VITA) is a private,
non-profit, volunteer organization
engaged in international development. Through its varied
activities and services, VITA fosters
self-sufficiency by promoting increased economic
productivity. Supported by a volunteer roster
of over 5,000 experts in a wide variety of fields, VITA is
able to provide high quality technical
information to requesters. This information is increasingly
conveyed through low-cost advanced
communication technologies, including terrestrial packet
radio and low-earth-orbiting satellite.
VITA also implements both long- and short-term projects to
promote enterprise development and
transfer technology.
SMALL CERAMICS PLANT
PREPARED BY: Victor
R. Palmeri
REVIEWED BY: Dwight
R. Brown
Wallace
C. Higgins
PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
1. The Product
The products are small ceramic wares such as ashtrays,
plates,
cigarette boxes, dishes, bowls, water containers, cups, etc.
2. The Facility
This profile describes a small plant operating with one
shift and
producing 16,000 pieces a year. It also describes a
medium-sized
plant running a single shift producing about 80,000 units a
year.
GENERAL EVALUATION
The investment and labor force required for this plant are
very
small. The objects are decorated with the application of
ceramic
colors, engobes, and stains, all of which can be purchased
initially
in the United States, England, France, or Germany, and
later fabricated by the potter. The local market in less
developed
areas will be limited because of the low average income of
the people. The market among tourists will depend to a large
extent on the degree to which the products have preserved
their
native characteristics in the process of factory production.
If a
distinctive style is preserved and an export market
established
through direct shipments abroad (not only through tourist
trade),
factory production may be economically feasible.
1. Outlook
A. Economic
Like all handicrafts, the economics will depend on the
quality
and originality of the product.
B. Technical
A person who has talent as an artist or inventor should have
no
serious problems in making ceramics. It will require some
persistence, however, and the availability of a small kiln
to
fire samples prior to production runs.
2. Manufacturing
Equipment Flexibility
The basic element of any ceramics shop is the kiln, which
can be
purchased new or used, or made by the potter following
expert
consultation. The kiln may be heated by firewood, which may
limit
its cost to only labor, refractories, and a steel grate. Or
it
may be heated electrically, which will require heat
resistant
wiring, temperature controls, and automatic switches. Heat
treat
metals and the talent of the ceramist are also critical.
Adequate ventilation of the kilns is necessary to help
eliminate
hazardous dust particles from the atmosphere, and masks
should be
worn by those in continuous contact with dust. If the
products
are food containers, facility for conducting safety tests
must be
readily available.
With some additional equipment, the product line could be
expanded to include building materials such as floor and
wall
tiles or sanitary ware suce as sinks, toilets, etc.
3. Knowledge Base
Talent is born, and aquiring ceramic knowledge will take
years.
But for the beginner, a few trial firings will be enough to
have
a basic idea of the process, particularly drying and firing
for a
specific types of clay.
4. Quality Control
The purchaser of an artwork or other original ceramic piece
will
tolerate small cracks and imperfections. Not so with dishes,
cups, and other goods for everyday use. These must be hard,
durable, and well glazed. Moreover, the products are
breakable
and care needs to be taken in packaging them for shipping.
5. Constraints and
Limitations
o
Uniform raw materials - this is absolutely
critical
o
Reliable fuel supply
o
Transport system
o
Ceramic compositions to prevent food
poisoning
MARKET ASPECTS
1. Users
Individuals, households, restaurants, and ceramic parts
manufacturers.
2. Suppliers
The potter must find a good local supply of ceramic clays.
Already
mixed ceramic bodies are expensive. To learn about the
available clays of a particular area, it is advisable to
contact
the geology or mining departments or ministries of the
region or
to ask local potters about the availability of ceramic
clays. Or
follow the rivers or streams and dig until strata of rather
uniform clay is found. Sometimes good clay deposits are
found far
away from rivers. Test for plasticity, shrinkage during
drying
and firing.
In addition to clays, the potter will need the following
minerals
in order to fabricate ceramic glazes and colors: feldspar,
silica
(sand, flint or quartz), borax, lead silicate, bentonite,
nepheline syenite, whiting (calcite), antimony oxide,
potassium
carbonate, sodium carbonate, iron oxides, chromium oxide,
nickel
oxide, tin oxide, copper oxide, and cobalt oxide. The latter
oxides are used as coloring agents in very small quantities
and
can be prepared following VITA reports on the subject. The
potter
should make sure that suppliers provide a material data
sheet
that describes the hazard potential of their products.
Packing
supplies could be a problem in a small town or rural area.
3. Sales Channels
and Methods
Plant would sell to jewelry and departmental stores, gift
shops,
supermarkets, and also to exporters for shipment abroad.
Ceramics
to be sold to jewelry stores must be of exceptional quality.
4. Geographic Extent
of Market
Distribution will depend on transportation facilities.
5. Competition
Domestic - Imported mass-produced products will often be
competitive.
Inexpensive locally-made handicraft items may also compete.
Export - The success of articles of this type in the export
market, particularly when not bought by tourists but
exported
directly, depends largely upon the quality of the products,
and
the extent to which they have preserved their native
characteristics
in the process of factory production.
6. Market Capacity
No specific population figure is necessary to support this
plant.
Level of income would be the major limitation on domestic
consumption. The plant would depend partly upon exports,
both
direct and indirect. Volume of tourist traffic, and their
relative price level will determine export demand. If the
price,
quality, and design are right, they can create their own
Local
market, replacing or supplmenting articles currently in use.
PRODUCTION AND PLANT REQUIREMENTS
Requirements
Annual
Output
16,000
80,000 pieces
60/day
300/day
1. Infrastructure,
Utilities Small Plant
Medium Plant
Land
1,000 sq.ft
500 sq. ft
Building
20' x 30'
50 ft x 60 ft
Power
16,000 kw-hr
80,000 kw-hr
Fuel
____________
_____________
Water
10 gal/day
300 gal/day
Other
____________
_____________
2. Major Equipment
& Machinery Small Plant
Medium
Plant
Tools &
Machinery
fire brick kilns
2
2
small metal
kiln 1
2
ball mill
2
3
jaw crusher
1
1
muller
1
1
molds, brushes,
knives
spatulas,
scrapers
sieves, sgraffito
knives
stilts for kilns,
2 spray 1
2
spray guns for
glazing
storage tanks
(liquid, 55 gal) 2
4
Support equipment & parts
benches & bins
*TOTAL ESTIMATED COSTS
of equipment & machinery only
$55,000
$90,000
*Based on $US 1987 prices. The costs provided are estimates
and
are given only to provide a general idea for machinery costs.
They are not intended to be used as absolute prices. Costs
still
need to be determined on a case by case basis.
3. Materials &
Supplies Small Plant
Medium Plant
16,000 units/yr
80,000 units/yr
60
units/yr 300 units/yr
Raw Materials
clay
100 lb/day
500 lb/day
glazes, various
types &
colors
10 gal/day
50 gal/day
decalcomanias
100/day
500/day
glaze stains &
underglaze
stains
0.25 lb/day
1.25 lb/day
overglaze
plaster
20 lb/day
100 lb/day
supplies
hand tools
maintenance &
repair parts
office supplies
Packaging
4. Labor
Small Plant
Medium Plant
Skilled
kiln firing
1
5
caster
1
5
wheel potter
1
5
batch
formula 2
10
Semiskilled
ware cleaner
2
10
ware glazer
2 10
raw material
preparation
1
3
Unskilled
clean-up
1
3
Indirect
Manager
1
2
bookkeeper
1
2
scheduling
1
2
plant
operator 1
2
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
All the machines and equipment needed for this plant can be
fabricated in a small machine shop by an experienced
mechanic,
including the kiln shell or frame. The ceramist can easily
install the brickwork in it, but must have some expertise in
electrical work in order to do the wiring. <see work
plant>
scpx6.gif (600x600)
Usually ball clays and China clays can be dried and crushed
to
walnut size or finer. When mixed with water, the clays will
break
down to a very fine particle size (minus 325 mesh). All
non-clay
materials (silica, feldspar, limestone, talc, etc.) should
be
ground to 200 mesh or finer. A ball mill can be used for
this.
Once the raw materials are in a useable size (200 mesh),
batch
the ceramic body ingredients by either of two methods:
weighing
on a scale, or using specific volumes for each ingredient.
For slip casting, the raw materials are mixed with water in
the
clay blungers.
Sodium silicate and soda ash are added to the
materials in the blunger to control specific gravity and
casting
properties. Body
scrap can be recycled in the clay blungers
along with new raw materials.
Ceramic body for the potter's wheel is made by using the
muller.
Dry raw materials are added to the muller. Water is added
until a
stiff workable mass is developed.
After the ware is removed from the plaster mold and the
potters'
wheel, it must be dried sufficiently to allow handling. The
cleaned greenware must be dried before decorating and
glazing and
the glazed ware must be dried before firing. Any moisture
left in
the glazed ware will cause the ware to crack and fall apart
during
the kiln firing process.
REFERENCES
Unless otherwise stated, these addresses are in the United
States.
1. Technical Manuals
& Textbooks
Pitman Publishing Ltd., 39 Parker St., London WC2B 5PB
publishes a series of books on ceramics under Ceramic
Skillbooks:
Kiln Building, Glazes, oriental Glazes, Pottery Science,
Working
with Porcelain, Saltglaze, clays, etc.
Green, D., Pottery, Materials, and Techniques: A Handbook of
Pottery Glazes, Watson Guptill Publications, 1515 Broadway,
New
York, New York 10036.
Kingery, W.D., Introduction to Ceramics, John Wiley &
Sons, New
York.
Newlson, G. C., Ceramics: A Potter's Handbook, Holt Rinehart
Winston Publishers, 383 Madison Ave., New York, New York
10017
Elements of Ceramics, Norton. Addison Wesley Press,
Cambridge,
Massachusetts.
Rhodes, D., Clays and Glazes for the Potter, Chilton Book
Co.,
Radnor, Pennsylvania.
2. Periodicals
Ceramic Industry
Bulletin American Ceramic Society
275 Washington St.
65 Ceramic Drive
Newton, Massachusetts 02158
Columbus, Ohio 43214 USA
Ceramica Y Cristal Argentina
Claycraft
F. Lacroze
London & Sheffield Publishing Co.
215 Buenos Aires 1426
Stamford House 65-66 Turnmill St.
Argentina
London EC1M 5RA England
Popular Ceramics
PO Box 6466
Glendale, California 92105 USA
3. Trade
Associations
Tile Council of America, Inc.
P. O. Box 326
Princeton, New Jersey 08542 USA
4. Equipment
Suppliers, Engineering Companies
Ceramic Glazes, Colors, etc.:
FERRO Corp., 4150 56th St., Cleveland, Ohio 44101 USA, plus
sales
offices and plants in many other
countries
Enamelnager, Ltd.
Hommel Company
28/8 Garight Rd.
Hope Street
Calcutta, India
Carnegie, Pennsylvania 15105 USA
Duncan Ceramic Products,
Blythe Mathey, Ltd.
PO Box 7827
195 Heart Lake Rd.
Fresno, California 93727 USA
South Brampton, Ontario
Canada
Kilns:
Harper, Inc., W. Drullar Sreet, Lancaster, New York 14086
USA
Alpine, Inc., 3051 Fujita St., Torrance, California 90505
USA
Aten, Inc., 5721 Odana Rd., Madison, Wisconsin 53719 USA
5. Directories
Ceramic Source 1986
Ceramic Industry Buyers Guide
American Ceramic Society
6. VITA Resources
Understanding the Small-Scale Clay Products Enterprise, by
Miska
Petersham.
Volunteers in Technical Assistance, Arlington,
Virginia, 1984.
Understanding Clay Recognition and Processing, by Miska
Petersham.
Volunteers in Technical Asistance, Arlington, Virginia,
1984.
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