Innovations and trends at CERAMITEC 2006

CERAMITEC 2006 is the trade fair with the greatest variety of suppliers and sectors for the ceramics industry: from raw materials to processing, forming and the firing process right down to packing. This the 10th International Trade Fair for Machinery, Equipment, Plant, Processes and Raw Materials for CERAMICS and POWDER METALLURGY takes place on 16 - 19 May 2006 at the New Munich Trade Fair Centre.

However different the requirements may be for individual suppliers in the ceramics industry – whether they present products for end consumers in the tableware and sanitary area or new developments in high-tech ceramics – the most important innovations aim at attaining outstanding product characteristics, flexible and efficient manufacturing possibilities and energy saving. “CERAMITEC has always been the most important and also the most successful fair for LAEIS. The increased orientation of this fair towards innovative products, technical innovations and forward-looking technologies is the main reason why LAEIS is taking part”, says LAEIS director Karl A. P. Eping.

Raw materials and additives:
improved product and production characteristics, reproducible qualities
Some examples of the products presented in this wide area:
• Clays with special, improved characteristics in terms of rheology, plasticity and piece formation for tableware and sanitary ceramics. Ready-to-use ceramic bodies for special applications such as spray-dried granulates for high-tech ceramics, or fine chamotted, plastic masses for vessels and tableware in new colour combinations. Chamottes which actively improve the production and product characteristics of the ceramics.
• High-quality ceramic powders such as nitrides, carbides, borides and silicides and special alloys and raw materials for high-tech ceramics, for instance subsieve and finely ground SiC powder for sinterted, recrystallised, nitride-bound and silicon-infiltrated SiC.
• Oxides as individual components or complex metal oxide compounds for electroceramics, ion-conducting membranes, bioceramics, coatings, ceramic components and refractory products.
• New developments in the area of binders and additives containing phosphate or silicate, inorganic structural materials and phosphate-based nanomaterials.

Marketing trends – as well as statutory regulations – influence the colour and surface style of ceramic products

Among the exhibits at CERAMITEC are:
• Mineral suspensions for the attractive and resistant colouring of bricks, roof tiles and floor tiles and which offer advantages in the processing.
• Lead-free surface refinements and colours, e.g. for tableware producers to use in onglaze and inglaze decoration as well as for the tile and brick industry.
• Invisible coating systems derived from nanotechnology with water- and oil-repellent properties which are simply applied to the surface, thus protecting against dirtying.
Adapted solutions for processing, forming, finishing

• Newly developed system solutions in spraying technology for powders with individual binder systems to meet requirements of cost efficiency, controllable product quality on a large scale and – not least – the increasing requirements of environmental protection.
• High-efficiency ceramics is becoming more and more precise, with special high-quality combinations of materials but with small volumes. Particularly for this type of high-tech ceramics, new micromachinery has been developed in the area of fine grinding and mixing. On exhibition is a screw-type extruding machine for large throughputs of up to 120t/h for the multiple-hole extruding of thin-walled hollow ware.
• On show are advancements in presses with greater force of pressure and several pressing levels: technologically new is a hydraulic 2,000t press which attains a high level of precision, even under vacuum. The special advantage is that some products which could only be manufactured on isostatic presses or by slip casting can now be produced in one single operation without extra finishing work. Also presented are small hydraulic presses with a new machine concept for the area of technical ceramics.

Machine manufacturers develop for special product designs of their customers. In sanitary ceramics, these developments are mainly large, heavy items while oval or angular forms are the trend in the tableware industry

• On offer are pressure-casting units with automatic handling, with mould mounting surfaces of 2,000mm x 2,000mm as well as pressure-casting machines which form cups complete with handles.

• Exhibited in the final processing area are robots with a 3D image processing system as well as diamond wet-grinding machines with integrated surface grinding for non-circular articles.

Innovations in the area of thermoprocessing plant: one of the key subjects at the fair is the cost explosion in the energy sector
• Time and energy saving with improved drying systems. Producers of drying plant demonstrate that great savings in energy consumption are possible through structural alterations in the heating of the dryers. One exhibitor presents innovative drying methods with highly flexible climate control which can be employed regardless of the mass. These were developed specially for soot particle filters and catalytic converters. In addition, there are flash dryers for structural ceramic items with which drying times can be reduced by 50 - 80 per cent. The subject of microwave drying too with particularly short drying times is relevant now as ever.

Advancements in kiln technology and interesting automation systems aim at attaining low energy consumption, flexible production processes and maximum values in the quality of the goods fired

• New developments of “lightweight” firing aids which facilitate more efficient firing in the high-temperature area too are of decisive importance. Particularly thin firing aids to a maximum of 2mm, e.g. for the manufacture of electronic components, and also particularly large beams, props and rollers up to 4.20m long allow especially large and efficient firing units to be designed. Many plant constructors are exhibiting kilns of large dimensions for both continuous and periodic firing processes.

• Presented at CERAMITEC in the area of structural ceramics for the first time are tunnel kilns in lengths of up to 150m and charge widths to 5.5m with atmosphere regulation for the outgassing area, which prevents reduction discolouring in the body. In addition, the company concerned offers special process engineering to obtain deliberately generated and reproducible reduction and reoxidation effects in the body. Likewise for structural ceramics and as a flexible alternative to tunnel kilns: trolley kilns in sizes of up to 350m3 and charge widths to 5.6m.

• Roller kilns are far more reasonable than tunnel kilns in terms of energy.
Innovative constructions for various applications are to be seen at CERAMITEC. On show is a roller kiln for tableware manufacture with a special degassing zone, which results in an increase in quality and productivity. This kiln is offered in a length of up to 150m and a width to 3m, also for applications in the high-temperature area to 1,650°C. A high level of flexibility for large production units in the manufacturing of technical ceramic products is offered by a roller kiln for up to 1,630°C with a charge width of approx. 2m as well as integrated thermal secondary firing. Special advantages: the low energy consumption and automated loading and unloading.




• Also for technical ceramics, there is a kiln with a combination of pusher plate and roller drive and a special H2/N2/Ar protective atmosphere. This is an outstanding alternative for larger production units. With a charge width of up to 1.8m and a firing temperature to 1,200°C, this kiln with its special design offers great construction lengths and the possibility of running different speeds within the kiln. Pusher plate kiln with integrated hot press: for the manufacturer, this kiln is an exhibition highlight because it combines very different technologies which until now were only possible in chamber kilns.
Flexible and efficient production with automation solutions
• To increase flexibility in the manufacture of tableware, an integrated, interconnected automation solution from forming right down to grinding is on exhibition at CERAMITEC. The idea behind this is the employment of smaller production units as an interlocking system.
For sanitary ceramics, a newly developed firing and charging system is being presented. To produce large numbers of items efficiently and in high quality, the cross section of the kiln was enlarged and – as an innovation in the sanitary industry – multilayer loading of the kiln car was developed for tunnel kilns. Compared to conventional tunnel kilns, the firing capacity can be increased by 50 - 80%. This concept was made possible by innovative developments, for instance in firing and control technology and by using a gantry robot for loading and unloading the kiln cars.

Further product innovations at www.ceramitec.de in the sections “Exhibitor-Trade Fair Highlights” and “CFI Ceramitec News”.



About CERAMITEC
CERAMITEC, 10th International Trade Fair for Machinery, Equipment, Plant, Processes and Raw Materials for CERAMICS and POWDER METALLURGY, will take place on the grounds of the New Munich Trade Fair Centre from 16 to 19 May 2006. CERAMITEC has developed into the world’s leading trade fair for the ceramic industry since its premiere in 1974. The comprehensive supporting programme provides an ideal overview of current trends and innovations in the ceramic market.

Messe München International (MMI)
Messe München International (MMI) is one of the world’s leading trade-fair organizations with approximately 40 trade fairs for investment goods, consumer goods and new technologies. More than 30,000 exhibitors from more than 100 countries, and over two million visitors from more than 200 countries take part each year in the trade fairs in Munich. In addition, MMI organizes trade fairs in Asia, Russia, the Middle East and South America. With four subsidiaries abroad and 62 foreign representatives covering 86 countries, MMI has a truly global network.

Press contact:
Petra Gagel, Press Officer
Marketing & Communications, Capital Goods
Phone: +49 89 / 9 49-20244, Fax: +49 89 / 9 49-20249
E-mail: petra.gagel@messe-muenchen.de
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This release was published on openPR.