Maintenance fluids and ceramic digital printers: cleaner, stand-by fluid, and model fluid
Digital printing has transformed the ceramic industry, opening the door to highly sophisticated, versatile, and customizable designs.At the core of this shift are ceramic digital printers—advanced machines that use inkjet technology to precisely apply both functional and decorative materials.While the focus is often on inks and printing performance, there’s another category of fluids working quietly behind the scenes: maintenance fluids.Though they don't directly impact the final aesthetic result, they play a vital role in keeping printers running smoothly and extending their lifespan.In this episode, we explore three key types of maintenance fluids: cleaners, stand-by fluids, and model fluids—each essential for ensuring reliable and consistent digital printing performance.
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17:23
Temporary binders: functions and actions
In the world of ceramics, temporary binders play a crucial role in improving the cohesion and workability of slips.These substances, often polymer-based, act on a chemical level by creating bonds between particles, increasing the mechanical strength of the mixture.In this episode, we explore what they are, how they work, and why they are essential in modern ceramic processes.
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17:59
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17:59
Behind the scenes of innovation: exploring the challenges and methodology behind the development of chemical auxiliaries
This episode takes inspiration from the thesis work of the Head of Research at Zschimmer & Schwarz Ceramco. The goal is not to focus on the specific topic explored in that study (in this case, the well-known issue of the "black core"), but rather to highlight the research methodology and the meticulous, in-depth work that takes place every day in the laboratories of chemical companies serving the ceramic manufacturing industry.Although it begins in an academic context, the process described closely mirrors the structured, methodical approach followed by laboratory professionals in real-world industrial settings.
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Top glaze: what it is, what it is used for, and how to apply it
In the ceramic field, a “top glaze” refers to the glaze applied as the final layer onto the unfired ceramic substrate. This glaze can serve multiple functions, but it primarily protects the underlying decoration and imparts specific technical and aesthetic properties to the surface.This episode focuses on this particular class of glazes, taking a closer look at the key functions and rheological characteristics (among others) that the suspension must exhibit, depending on the chosen application method and the type of ceramic product being manufactured.
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17:11
Chimic-A.I. – Chemistry Through the Eyes of Artificial Intelligence. A Playful Experiment
After more than fifty episodes exploring topics of general interest—always through the lens of chemistry and ceramic production—we’ve decided to have some fun.We posed a few simple questions to artificial intelligence, asking it to write a short text about chemistry with complete freedom to choose the themes and highlights.The result? Amusing, sometimes absurd—mostly accurate, but not always.As we know, Large Language Models (the technology behind AI’s ability to understand and generate text) can produce content that sounds convincing and is often correct, yet it’s not immune to errors or even clichés. With so much information available online, inaccuracies are just a step away.That’s why it’s essential to keep in mind that this is, above all, an experiment—and, let’s not forget, just a bit of fun!
Aware of how complex the problems related to the world of chemistry applied to ceramic production processes can be, we want to share our knowledge with those who want to orient themselves or train for passion or profession.Through a simple and direct language, the podcast aims to be an educational space with a focus on products, applications and processes.The journey unfolds along the ceramic production lines.At each stage a topic.At each topic a critical issue.At each critical issue, when possible, a solution.
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