Visual Tour

Welcome to our company. A view from the outside of Maranatha Ceramic Products. Please come in and take a visual tour of the production process.

     

Before production of any piece can commence, our master modeller first makes a model then a first working mould which makes the master moulds. The master moulds are then used to make the working moulds where production begins.
   
Slip casting is the common name given to the process of manufacturing ceramic or pottery artefacts from moulds. Slip is dry clay blunged in water and chemicals to produce clay slurry. After blunging the slip is sifted to remove any impurities and then it is stored in large holding tanks ready for circulation to the casting bay.

     

The liquid slip (clay) is then pumped through the piping system which runs throughout the casting department to make it easier for our casters to fill the working moulds
   
The working moulds made out of plaster of paris which is porous, absorbs the water content from the slip (clay) and starts to form a skin of clay on the contact surface of the mould. Approximately 20 min after filling the moulds (depending on weather conditions) the excess clay is poured out of the mould.

    

Once the piece in the mould has dried sufficiently to withstand its own weight, the working moulds are opened and the pieces are taken out.
    

The seams, which result from the join lines in the moulds, are fettled off.
     
And then the product is lightly sponged to leave a smooth finish.

    

The products that are still brittle are now packed into the furnace which reaches a temperature of 1065 C. In this process a chemical reaction takes place which results in the hardening of the pieces
        

Once the products are hardened, it is easier to handle so the eyes, nose and toes can be hand painted on the animals, and flowers are hand painted on the vases as per customer specifications.

     
The products are then repacked into the furnaces where a temperature of 1080 c is reached to melt the glaze leaving a thin glass-like coating on the product.

    

Some of our products do not get glazed; instead they are directed to a specialized department where paint techniques are done leaving a more exclusive product.
    

Thank you for taking this time to take a visual tour of Maranatha Ceramic Products production process. We are committed to producing quality products for our clients and look forward to meeting you and entering in a mutually profitable business relationship.