Miguel Ten

Miguel Ten is Technical Application Manager Ceramics for Borregaard. He holds a degree in chemistry from the University of Zaragoza specializing in organic chemistry. He has been working in the ceramics sector since 1997. Mainly focused in decorative and heavy clay industries, but has also been closely related to refractories and additives businesses. He has written some articles for technical magazines like "Ceramic World Review", "Brick World Review", "Técnica Cerámica" and "Cerámica Información". Send Mail

Recent posts

Cellulosic compounds as rheology modifiers

By Miguel Ten 25-Oct-2019 15:33:36

Cellulosic compounds are not new into the Ceramic Industry. They have been used in ceramic bodies for a long time.

In ancient cultures, straw could be used to bring porosity to clay, easing water entrance and hence increasing its workability. It would also provide some air entrance, helping in the drying process, that would take place in the open air. This is useful in hand-made products and in low-automated processes.

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Temaer: Structural, Plasticity, Clay additives, extrusion

Tools to avoid issues with ceramic tiles

By Miguel Ten 23-May-2019 15:30:00

Ceramic tiles may present some issues during their manufacturing process. Most of them do not have an origin in the process itself, but in the raw materials used in the production line. A proper control in the raw materials and in the process will minimize the potential risks of producing second class materials.

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Temaer: Decorative, optimization, Tools

Decorative Ceramics - how much can we save?

By Miguel Ten 18-Apr-2019 08:30:00

In a competitive market like we have in ceramics in the last years, globalized, with common solutions to the standard production issues, differentiation in costs is the only way to remain competitive. So, how much could we save? 

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Temaer: Decorative, case study, optimization, cost reduction

Kilns in Decorative Ceramics

By Miguel Ten 28-Mar-2019 07:00:00

Decorative ceramics are characterized by fast firing cycles with values below 30 minutes in some countries. Of course this is not the standard value, but it gives an idea of how well adapted these kilns are to fast firing. At the same time, being one of the main polluting points in decorative ceramics manufacturing process, lots of efforts have been dedicated in order to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as some other highly pollutants (NOx, HCl, HF, heavy metals, Sox, VOCs, among others).

The next challenge in the horizon will be automation, though a lot of improvements have been done in order to bring self-regulation and high optimization of the full firing process.

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Temaer: Decorative, optimization, kilns

How to perfectly match nature? Inkjet Technology

By Miguel Ten 14-Feb-2019 09:01:00

Decoration in ceramics has experienced a number of changes in the last decades. We have seen some hand-made decoration replaced by automated systems when higher production rates were demanded. Flat screens evolved to automated rotating screens, allowing higher production rates and better application results. With an intermediate solution based on gravure silicon rollers, most of the factories today are using inkjet technology.

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Temaer: Decorative, ceramic trends, printing

Cersaie & Tecnargilla 2018

By Miguel Ten 18-Oct-2018 07:15:00

The last week of September you could visit two of the most exciting Ceramic exhibitions in the world. This year, we visited both Cersaie and Tecnargilla and we could appreciate some interesting trends in the clay and the decorative tile market.

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Temaer: Decorative, events, cersaie

Bentonite in my formula: How to dry faster?

By Miguel Ten 14-Jun-2018 07:00:00

For many years, bentonite has been introduced in ceramic bodies to enhance plasticity in an economic way. However, its use in ceramics is not only bringing advantages but also some inconveniences related to its ability to increase plasticity. Its layer structure is responsible for these properties.

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Temaer: Decorative, bentonite, raw materials, Drying

How to improve low plasticity ceramics

By Miguel Ten 15-Mar-2018 07:30:00

New aesthetics aligned with new technical requirements in the extrusion of ceramic bodies are demanding a new approach when it comes to additives’ requirements. In the past, lubrication and proper rheology were highly appreciated, but today there are other properties that should be taken into consideration if defects such as cracks, laminations, scumming, etc. can’t appear along the process, mainly due to the higher technical requirements of the raw materials.

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Temaer: Structural, Plasticity, extrusion

CEVISAMA 2018: Best edition ever

By Miguel Ten 22-Feb-2018 07:30:00

It has been agreed by a lot of people that this edition has been the best so far, at least along this century. Lots of new products, designs and all of them below a new sustainability umbrella that is the new flagship of the industry.

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Temaer: Decorative, cevisama

Bentonite Clays in ceramics: is there any alternative?

By Miguel Ten 09-Nov-2017 07:29:00

Bentonite  has been used in ceramics for many years due to the way it  performs in terms of plasticity and workability. Nonetheless, there are some alternative approaches that may ease its replacement, as they show some undesirable side effects when introduced into formulations.

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Temaer: Decorative, bentonite

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A blog from BioKeram

BioKeram is a new range of products from Borregaard, the world's leading supplier of high performance biopolymers to the ceramics industry, with more than 50 years experience in the ceramics market. With this blog we aim to share our knowledge regarding ceramic process optimization.


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