Ask a manufacturer for a kiln quote before you have settled on a firing temperature, and you will probably get a polite question back. At CDS Group, the temperature range is one of the first things our engineers want to know, because it shapes almost every other decision about an industrial kiln.
It is tempting to pick a kiln by its headline maximum. A better approach is to work backwards from what you are firing. Bricks and tiles sit in a different place on the scale from whiteware or technical ceramics, and each material has a firing curve it needs to follow to reach the right strength and finish.
Tunnel kilns suit continuous, high-volume production and typically cover 650°C up to 1650°C. Batch kilns stretch a little further, reaching 1750°C, which makes them useful for lower volumes and for manufacturers who switch between products often. Shuttle, rotary, fixed hearth, and lift up hood designs all sit within the batch family, so the same temperature ceiling can be delivered in several different formats.
Specifying a kiln well above your real operating temperature adds cost and can make energy use harder to control. Specifying too low is the more painful mistake, because it caps the products you can offer later. A sensible middle path is to size the range around your current work plus the next product you realistically expect to add.
A kiln that reaches 1500°C but runs several degrees hotter at one end will give you inconsistent ware. Ask how temperature uniformity is achieved and how it is controlled. PLC control makes operation simpler and more repeatable, and the choice between gas and electric firing will also influence how precisely you can hold a set point.
If you are weighing up an industrial kiln for a new line or a replacement, CDS Group would be glad to talk through your firing requirements. Call us on 01782 336666 or email info@cds-group.co.uk, or use the contact us page to get started.