Ceramics Industry Services
Lucideon partners with ceramic manufacturers and users - from traditional whitewares and tiles to advanced technical ceramics and refractories - to accelerate development, improve yield and quality, and support decarbonization across the value chain. Our origins in the British Ceramic Research Association give us a unique foundation of materials science and industrial know‑how that continues to underpin our consultancy and testing today.
We operate ISO 17025‑accredited laboratories, providing defensible, traceable data for product validation and compliance.
Through the co‑located AMRICC Centre we offer pilot‑scale processing and manufacturing development (e.g., milling, spray drying, tape casting, pressing, high‑temperature sintering) to bridge R&D and production.
We also help clients evaluate low‑carbon firing routes, including hydrogen-firing trials, to reduce energy use and emissions while maintaining product performance.
Areas of application
Alumina, zirconia, silicon carbide, ultra‑high temperature ceramics, transparent ceramics and scintillators - materials selection, formulation and processing to meet demanding mechanical, thermal and chemical requirements.
Bricks, monolithics, and castables - high‑temperature performance, corrosion/slag resistance and thermal shock behaviour for furnaces, kilns and energy‑intensive processes.
Tiles, sanitaryware, & tableware
Raw materials consistency, body/glaze fit, dimensional control, colour and surface quality - supporting production, reduced waste, and standards compliance.
Powder characterization, impurity control and additive optimization for forming and sintering.
Glazes, coatings & surface treatments
Adhesion, phase development, surface defect prevention, and chemical/abrasion resistance.
Ceramic additive manufacturing
Feedstock qualification, printing parameters, debinding / sintering schedules, and scaling to pilot production.
Sustainability & low‑carbon firing
Firing route evaluation (including hydrogen), energy and yield optimization.
Capabilities
Consultancy & process optimization
- Body/glaze design and fit, defect prevention, yield improvement
- Forming and drying control
- Sintering/firing schedule design, kiln mapping and energy optimization
- Root‑cause failure analysis
Materials development & formulation
- Raw material selection/substitution
- Slurry rheology
- Scale‑up via AMRICC pilot‑scale routes
Characterization & microstructure
- SEM/EDS, XRD phase analysis, porosity and grain size
- Fractography and defect identification
- Chemical composition, impurities and contamination
Mechanical & thermal performance
- Flexural strength & fracture toughness
- Thermal shock, thermal expansion, and conductivity
- High‑temperature mechanical testing
Quality, standards & compliance
- Programmes aligned to BS, EN, ISO, & ASTM test methods
Why work with Lucideon?
- End-to-end support:- from concept and feasibility through to manufacturing and post-market challenges
- Technical proximity - direct and regular contact with our technical experts during the entire project duration
- Consultative mindset - tailored solutions to your unique materials and process challenges
- Independent expertise - objective advice backed by rigorous testing for regulatory submission
- Proven industry experience - decades of supporting the ceramics industry
- Data packages - for customer / market qualification and supplier assurance
- ISO 17025‑accredited testing
About Lucideon
Lucideon is a world-leading materials development and technology commercialization organization. We help organizations innovate, optimize, and de-risk products through expert consultancy, applied research, and advanced testing.
With multidisciplinary teams and state-of-the-art facilities, we work across highly regulated industries to solve complex materials challenges and enable confident decision-making.
Testing & characterization
» Testing & characterization services for the ceramics industry
White Papers
Additive Manufacturing can provide innovative forming opportunities and can offer the potential of being able to be integrated alongside traditional methods
Drying is an important process in almost all industry sectors, including ceramics, pharmaceutical, food, chemical, construction and semiconductors
This white paper discusses milling options, their advantages and disadvantages, as well as focusing on how the milling process can help to control key characteristics to optimize the properties of end products in manufacturing processes
This white paper looks at applications and potential applications of ceramic materials in the aerospace and defense industry
This white paper introduces the most common methods for ceramic additive manufacturing
This white paper highlights some of the testing involved in ISO 13356 and discusses how recent and ongoing research into ceramic processing provides opportunities to meet product improvement challenges
Case Studies
IKEA wished to appoint a preferred consultant for ceramic product sourcing around the globe
Competitor analysis benchmarking study carried out by Lucideon
Scanning electron microscopy was used to identify the cause of a glaze pinhole fault in sanitaryware manufacture
Application of Lucideon's Flash Sintering Technology
Lucideon expertise helped a client with additive manufactured implants
A manufacturer of ceramic armor for military vehicles and personnel sought pressure-cast forming expertise
Frequently asked questions
What types of ceramics‑related industries and applications does Lucideon support?
Lucideon supports a wide range of ceramics applications across sectors including advanced ceramics, traditional ceramics, refractories, construction materials, aerospace, defence, healthcare, and energy. Our expertise spans materials development, testing, analysis, evaluation, and commercialization for both structural and functional ceramic products.
What services does Lucideon offer to the ceramics industry?
Lucideon provides a comprehensive suite of services tailored to ceramics, including:
- Materials development and optimization
- Testing and characterization (mechanical, chemical, thermal, microstructural)
- Failure analysis and product troubleshooting
- Process optimization and scale‑up
- Pilot‑scale trials and feasibility studies
- Assurance and certification support
What makes Lucideon a trusted partner for ceramic materials development?
Lucideon combines decades of materials science expertise with advanced laboratory and pilot‑scale facilities to accelerate the commercialization of ceramic technologies. Our cross‑industry insight enables us to apply learnings from sectors such as aerospace, energy, defence, and healthcare to deliver innovative, high‑performance ceramic solutions.
Does Lucideon offer specialized testing capabilities for ceramics?
Lucideon provides extensive testing and characterization services for ceramics, including:
- Thermal and physical property testing
- Extreme‑temperature mechanical testing
- Surface analysis and microstructural evaluation
- Durability, weathering, and performance testing
These capabilities support R&D, quality assurance, and compliance for both advanced and traditional ceramic products.
Are Lucideon's ceramic testing facilities accredited?
Lucideon holds ISO 17025 accreditation, ensuring that ceramic testing methods and results meet international standards for quality, accuracy, and reliability.
How does Lucideon help companies bring new ceramic technologies to market more quickly?
Lucideon accelerates ceramic technology development through:
- Rapid prototyping and pilot‑scale manufacturing
- Advanced characterization to verify performance
- Cross‑industry consultancy to overcome technical barriers
- Process optimization to move efficiently from lab to production
Our experts collaborate closely with clients to adapt novel ceramic technology platforms to specific products and applications.
What makes Lucideon's approach to ceramics unique compared with other providers?
Lucideon stands apart due to its combination of:
- Deep materials science expertise
- Cross‑sector technology transfer
- State‑of‑the‑art pilot and testing facilities
- Comprehensive consultancy across development, testing, and assurance
- A proven track record of solving complex ceramic materials challenges
This holistic approach enables clients to improve performance, profitability, and sustainability of ceramic products and processes.