Kilns are essential to the creation of ceramic goods and articles; this course examines the role of kilns and firing processes, ranging from small lab kilns to some of the largest kilns that have ever existed. Firings are often carried out in air but even from ancient times the concept of firing in inert or reducing atmospheres has been known. All atmosphere types (and none – vacuum firing) will be considered.

The idea of a ceramics factory on Mars has generated a lot of interest recently as NASA considers setting up production facilities on Mars so that products will not have to be transported from Earth: while somewhat esoteric, this body of research holds many lessons for those of us who will remain on Planet Earth.

An important consideration for all ceramics factories is energy consumption – how can this be minimised? This important subject will also be considered and the merits of intermittent (batch) or continuous kilns examined.

Participants will explore how atmospheric conditions influence ceramic reactions during firing, affect material properties, and impact product quality. The course examines the practical considerations of gas firing in air, inert atmosphere processing, and reducing atmospheres using fuels such as hydrogen, methane, and coke. Emerging challenges and opportunities in advanced ceramic manufacturing, will also be discussed.

Ideal for professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of thermal processing, this course combines scientific principles with practical industrial applications to help participants optimise ceramic firing processes and improve manufacturing outcomes.

This live online course will be delivered on 10 December 2026, from 2pm to 5pm (UK time).