HANDLING AND STORING RAW MATERIALS TO PRODUCE UNIFORMITY IN A BODY1

Ceramic raw materials are usually heterogeneous mixtures rather than pure substances. Variations in composition are likely to occur in the materials as received at the plant both within individual carloads and between successive carloads of the same material. Such variations often cause trouble in plants making vitreous porcelain. The article describes ways of avoiding trouble, (a) by rendering each carload homogeneous as it is stored, (b) by withdrawing a material from several lots simultaneously to make the body; in withdrawing from several lots simultaneously, the process should preferably be continuous, one lot being finished as a new one is started, (d) and by keeping accurate records of the materials going into each production batch of body.