Profession production potter

Production potters process and form clay, by hand or by using the wheel, into end-products pottery, stoneware products, earthenware products and porcelain. They introduce the already shaped clay into kilns, heating them at a high temperature in order to remove all the water from the clay.

Personality Type

• Artistic / Realistic
• Realistic / Conventional

Knowledge

• Ceramics glazes

  The characteristics, compounds and application of different glaze type such as raw or frit glazes.

• Materials in porcelain manufacturing

  Characteristics and properties of the different raw materials such as china clay, ball clay, alumina, flint and feldspar used for the production of household ware and decorative items.

• Quality standards

  The national and international requirements, specifications and guidelines to ensure that products, services and processes are of good quality and fit for purpose.

• Materials used in stoneware manufacturing

  Characteristics and properties of the different materials used in the production of the vitreous ceramic made of stoneware clay, or in some cases of non-refractory fire-clay.

• Types of pottery material

  Types of clays and mud and their appearance, properties, reaction to fire, etc.

Skills

• Manage different ceramic firing techniques

  Manage different ceramic firing or baking techniques according to selected clay, the expect strength of the object, and enamel colours.

• Inspect quality of products

  Use various techniques to ensure the product quality is respecting the quality standards and specifications. Oversee defects, packaging and sendbacks of products to different production departments.

• Shape clay

  Shape clay by pressing thumbs into the center of revolving clay while revolving wheels in order to obtain as end-products ware such as vases and pitchers.

• Manage different pottery materials

  Manage different recipes of clay and mud according to the genre (such as china) or the expected strength, look, colour, tradition or innovation in the creative process.

• Ensure equipment availability

  Ensure that the necessary equipment is provided, ready and available for use before start of procedures.

• Apply glaze coating

  Dip the products into a specific glaze coating that will make them waterproof and fix the decorative patterns and colours after the firing process.

• Polish clay products

  Use abrasives to smoothen the surface of clay products such as sculptures, dolls and models working with sanding papers, manual or power tools.

• Operate a ceramics kiln

  Manage the temperature of a kiln to achieve the expected results according to the type of clay such as biscuit stoneware or porcelain. Manage sintering and enamels colours.

• Paint decorative designs

  Apply designs in paint, using paint sprayers, paintbrushes or spray cans.

• Use abrasive wheel

  Use the specific abrasive wheel or the step in the finishing process according to the type of stone or workpiece.

• Prepare balls of clay

  Prepare the balls of clay so that they are according to specifications of each end-product and position the balls in the center of the wheel.

Optional knowledge and skills

Source: Sisyphus ODB