6. Glazing

The beautiful smooth surface of the porcelain objects appears when they are glazed and then fired. Porcelain glaze can be produced from the following raw materials: Feldspar, quartz, kaolin, wollastonite and aluminium oxide. These raw materials, which are white powders, are ground in a ball mill until they have the correct fineness for use in production as an aqueous emulsion.

When heated in the kiln, the glaze reacts and fuses with the porcelain clay until finally it covers the sintered porcelain with a transparent layer of glass. In the glazing process a glazing machine automatically dips collector plates and dinner-service plates in the liquid glaze. The porous, biscuit-fired porcelain objects then absorb an even layer of glaze.

Next, the plates are carried away on a sponge conveyor which removes the glaze from the foot so that they can be placed in the kiln without melting and sticking to it during firing. Cups are glazed by transporting them through a cascade of glaze which covers the outside. At the same time they are transported over a fountain of glaze, which covers the inside. Figurines and vases are dipped in glaze by hand.