Do You Know The Production Process Of Ceramic Mugs?

You only see the exquisite appearance of porcelain, but not the hardships behind the workers. You are amazed at the perfection of porcelain, but don't know the exquisite process. You lament the high price of porcelain, but can't appreciate the sweat that goes into the 72 processes of making ceramics. Now I will briefly introduce to you how stone and soil are turned into exquisite 20 ounce ceramic coffee mugs.

Porcelain stone, kaolin, quartz stone, etc. are the best raw materials for firing porcelain. For thousands of years, many fine ceramics have evolved from this humble porcelain clay. The first step in making porcelain is to make clay into usable porcelain clay.

After having high-quality porcelain clay, make the corresponding mold.
The mold is usually made of plaster and is used to shape the basic shape of the ceramic cup. The precision and design of the mold directly determine the shape and size of the ceramic cup, so this step requires a high level of craftsmanship and meticulous design. The mold can be reused, thereby improving production efficiency.

Once the mold is completed, the next step is to pour the blank into the mold for molding.
There are two types of molding, one is grouting and the other is rolling.
Slip molding Slip molding, also known as casting molding, is based on the physical property of porous gypsum molds that can absorb water. The ceramic powder is mixed into a fluid slurry and then injected into a porous mold (mainly a gypsum mold). After the water is absorbed by the mold, a uniform mud layer with a certain thickness is formed. During the dehydration and drying process, a blank with a certain strength is formed. This method is called slip molding.
Rolling molding Rolling molding is a new process developed from spinning, that is, the mold knife for spinning is improved to a rotating rolling head. During molding, the rolling head and the model are rotated in the same direction at a certain speed around their own axes. Due to the rotation of the rolling head, the mud in the model is rolled and extended into a blank.
During the molding process, it is necessary to ensure that the blank evenly fills every detail of the mold to avoid bubbles or cracks in the mug body.

Some ceramic cups have complex designs and may include multiple parts such as a handle and a base. In this case, the parts need to be assembled manually or mechanically after being formed. The assembly process requires craftsmen to align the parts precisely and ensure that the joints are strong and seamless.

After assembly, the surface of the ceramic cup usually has some rough spots or seams that need to be polished. Polishing is to use fine sandpaper or other tools to grind the cup body to remove surface unevenness and flaws. This process needs to be done carefully to avoid damaging the shape of the cup body and lay a smooth foundation for subsequent processes.

After polishing, the ceramic cup needs to be fired for the first time, which is called bisque firing. This step is carried out in a kiln at a lower temperature (usually between 900-1000 degrees Celsius) to remove moisture and organic matter from the blank and make the cup harder. The surface of the ceramic cup after bisque firing presents a matte white color, which is ready for the subsequent glazing process.

Glazing is to apply a layer of glassy glaze on the surface of the ceramic cup after unglazing. The glaze can provide gloss and color to the ceramic cup and increase its durability.
Glazing is divided into external glaze and internal glaze. Some ceramic cups are glazed all over, some are glazed partially, some are glazed once, and some are glazed several times. After glazing, they are completely different, smooth and bright.
The thickness and uniformity of the glaze layer will directly affect the beauty and quality of the final product.

After glazing, the ceramic cup needs to be fired for the second time, which is glaze firing. The firing temperature is usually higher than that of bisque firing, reaching 1200-1300 degrees Celsius. The glaze melts at high temperature and combines with the body to form a smooth and hard surface. Glaze firing is the most critical step in the entire production process. The control of temperature and the grasp of firing time are directly related to the final effect of the ceramic cup.

After the glaze firing is completed, a smooth glaze layer has been formed on the surface of the ceramic cup. At this time, if the customer requires a pattern decoration, such as a logo, we will transfer the pre-designed pattern to the surface of the cup through decal paper.
The ceramic cup after decal needs to be dried for a period of time to fix the pattern.

The ceramic cup after decal needs to be fired for the last time, which is called decal firing. The key to this process is temperature, which is restricted by the color of the decal paper and the material of the ceramic cup. That is to say, different colors need to be baked at different temperatures, so that better products can be made. The baking temperature should just make the glaze on the ceramic cup begin to melt. At this time, the ceramic colorant on the decal paper will penetrate into the glaze. When the product cools down, the color and the ceramic cup become one, so that the ceramic cup will not fade.

After all the firing processes are completed, the ceramic cups enter the inspection stage. The inspectors will carefully inspect the appearance and functionality of each ceramic cup, including checking whether there are cracks, bubbles, color differences and other problems on the cup body. Qualified products will enter the next stage, while unqualified products will be picked out for rework or processing.

Packaging should not only protect the ceramic mug from damage during transportation, but also take into account aesthetics and brand image. Usually, the ceramic mug will be placed in a special foam or paper protective material, and then packed in a paper box or gift box with a brand logo.
The packaging methods of our ceramic mugs can be customized, such as gift box packaging, PVC packaging, white box packaging, etc.

The last step is delivery, which is to send the packaged ceramic cups to the customers.