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Industrial porcelain enamel
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Industrial porcelain enamel
Industrial porcelain enamel (also known as glass lining, glass-lined steel, or glass fused to steel) is the use of porcelain enamel (also known as vitreous enamel) for industrial, rather than artistic, applications. Porcelain enamel, a thin layer of ceramic or glass applied to a substrate of metal, is used to protect surfaces from chemical attack and physical damage, modify the structural characteristics of the substrate, and improve the appearance of the product.
Enamel has been used for art and decoration since the period of Ancient Egypt, and for industry since the Industrial Revolution. It is most commonly used in the production of cookware, home appliances, bathroom fixtures, water heaters, and scientific laboratory equipment.
The most essential characteristic of porcelain enamel, from an industrial perspective, is its resistance to corrosion. Mild steel is used in almost every industry and a vast array of products; porcelain enamel is a very economical way of protecting this, and other chemically vulnerable materials, from corrosion. It can also produce extraordinarily smooth, glossy finishes in a wide array of colours; these colours will not fade when exposed to UV light, unlike paint. Being a fired ceramic, porcelain enamel is also highly heat-resistant; this allows it to be used in high-temperature applications where an organic anti-corrosion coating or galvanization may be impractical or even dangerous (see Metal fume fever).
Porcelain enamel also sees less frequent employment of some of its other properties; examples are its abrasion resistance, where it may perform better than many metals; its resistance to organic solvents, where it is entirely impervious; its resistance to thermal shock, where it can resist rapid cooling from temperatures 500°C and higher; and its longevity.
Porcelain enamel is used most often in the manufacture of products that will be expected to come under regular chemical attack or high heat, such as cookware, burners, and laboratory equipment. It is used in the production of many household goods and appliances, especially those used in the kitchen or bathroom area: pots, pans, cooktops, appliances, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, even walls, counters, and other surfaces.
Porcelain enamel is also used architecturally as a coating for wall panels. It may be used externally to provide weather resistance and desirable appearance, or internally to provide wear resistance; for example, on escalator side panels and tunnel walls. In recent years, agricultural silos have also been constructed with porcelain enamelled steel plates to protect the interior from corrosion and the exterior from weathering; this may indicate a future trend of coating all outdoor mild steel products in a weather-resistant porcelain enamel.
The application of industrial porcelain enamel is a complex process involving numerous technical steps. All enamelling processes involve the mixture and preparation of frit, the unfired enamel mixture; the preparation of the substrate; the application and firing; and then finishing processes. Most modern applications also involve two layers of enamel: a ground coat to bond to the substrate and a cover coat to provide the desired external properties.
Because frits are frequently mixed at higher temperatures than the firing process requires, most modern industrial enamellers do not mix their frits completely; instead, frit is most often purchased from dedicated frit producers in standard compositions, and any special ingredients are added before application and firing.
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Industrial porcelain enamel
Industrial porcelain enamel (also known as glass lining, glass-lined steel, or glass fused to steel) is the use of porcelain enamel (also known as vitreous enamel) for industrial, rather than artistic, applications. Porcelain enamel, a thin layer of ceramic or glass applied to a substrate of metal, is used to protect surfaces from chemical attack and physical damage, modify the structural characteristics of the substrate, and improve the appearance of the product.
Enamel has been used for art and decoration since the period of Ancient Egypt, and for industry since the Industrial Revolution. It is most commonly used in the production of cookware, home appliances, bathroom fixtures, water heaters, and scientific laboratory equipment.
The most essential characteristic of porcelain enamel, from an industrial perspective, is its resistance to corrosion. Mild steel is used in almost every industry and a vast array of products; porcelain enamel is a very economical way of protecting this, and other chemically vulnerable materials, from corrosion. It can also produce extraordinarily smooth, glossy finishes in a wide array of colours; these colours will not fade when exposed to UV light, unlike paint. Being a fired ceramic, porcelain enamel is also highly heat-resistant; this allows it to be used in high-temperature applications where an organic anti-corrosion coating or galvanization may be impractical or even dangerous (see Metal fume fever).
Porcelain enamel also sees less frequent employment of some of its other properties; examples are its abrasion resistance, where it may perform better than many metals; its resistance to organic solvents, where it is entirely impervious; its resistance to thermal shock, where it can resist rapid cooling from temperatures 500°C and higher; and its longevity.
Porcelain enamel is used most often in the manufacture of products that will be expected to come under regular chemical attack or high heat, such as cookware, burners, and laboratory equipment. It is used in the production of many household goods and appliances, especially those used in the kitchen or bathroom area: pots, pans, cooktops, appliances, sinks, toilets, bathtubs, even walls, counters, and other surfaces.
Porcelain enamel is also used architecturally as a coating for wall panels. It may be used externally to provide weather resistance and desirable appearance, or internally to provide wear resistance; for example, on escalator side panels and tunnel walls. In recent years, agricultural silos have also been constructed with porcelain enamelled steel plates to protect the interior from corrosion and the exterior from weathering; this may indicate a future trend of coating all outdoor mild steel products in a weather-resistant porcelain enamel.
The application of industrial porcelain enamel is a complex process involving numerous technical steps. All enamelling processes involve the mixture and preparation of frit, the unfired enamel mixture; the preparation of the substrate; the application and firing; and then finishing processes. Most modern applications also involve two layers of enamel: a ground coat to bond to the substrate and a cover coat to provide the desired external properties.
Because frits are frequently mixed at higher temperatures than the firing process requires, most modern industrial enamellers do not mix their frits completely; instead, frit is most often purchased from dedicated frit producers in standard compositions, and any special ingredients are added before application and firing.