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STEP 4: After Firing Operations
DIAMOND GRINDING - Post firing
machining may be required to achieve tight tolerances, and surface finishes.
At this stage ceramic can only be machined with diamonds, so tooling can be
costly. Standard machine shop equipment can be modified with diamond plated or
impregnated wheels, drills and assorted tools, as well as necessary recirculating
and filtered coolant systems.
GLAZING - One of the reasons that parts
are glazed is to make it easy to remove unwanted residue. For instance, spark
plugs are glazed to reduce areas of potential arcing in high voltage environments.
This process involves dipping, brushing or spraying a glass coating onto the surface
of the fired ceramic. The glazed ceramic must then be fired to 1500 °F - 2700 °F
to sinter the glazed coating.
CLEANING - Most fired alumina ceramics can
become dirty through handling, machining or inspecting. These oils, dirts and metal
marks can be removed using a variety of techniques. Ultrasonic cleaning in mildly acidic
or basic solutions at elevated temperatures is commonly done. STC also offers special
cleaning and packaging options which may be desirable for applications sensitive to
contamination.
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