Week 16 Day 3: Homer Laughlin

Homer Laughlin

Pyrometric Cones

Upon our visit to Homer Laughlin in Newell, WV which is the largest manufacture of the ceramic dinnerware within the United States, I noticed many great lessons just on the production of ceramics. The walk and the heat were immense with the temperature reaching almost 100 degrees and a walk within one building that is nearly a mile long.

Vitrifying is the process of gradually changing materials into a glass like substance. The ultimate goal of this process is to increase the harness and to make the product less porous. As the clay product goes through the kiln it is being vitrified to produce the qualities that are noticed in the dinnerware around the table. Homer Laughlin is wanting the product to have less than 5% of water before it actually enters the kiln. Upon our visit to the Museum of Glass in East Liverpool, OH I noticed this neat instrument known as pyrometric cones. These cones are used for determining the temperature within a kiln.

As you read through the articles that are listed answer the questions that go along with the post.

Websites

• Traditional Ceramics
• How Temperature Changes Clay

Questions

1. How does temperature effect the process of making pottery?
2. What type of kiln is used from the picture in Homer Laughlin's facility?
3. What is the purpose of sending the clay pottery through the kiln?
4. How does the kiln produce a product that is hard and also porous to water?

Another aspect that I noticed was the efficiency of the production line. As one piece of dinnerware was finished inspection from the kiln, another type of dinnerware was being prepared to be placed within a kiln. This would save the company many man hours by having multiple things go on at once.