Setters

Setters are special items of kiln furniture which, in the ceramic tableware industry, are shaped (generally on their upper surface) to conform with the undersurface of plates and dishes and which serve to support the ware and maintain its shape in the kiln during firing.

IPS Ceramics manufactures an extensive range of Profile Setters for the support of Bone China tableware during the biscuit firing as well as base setters and bedding setters for supporting Earthenware and Stoneware. We also produce cup rings to maintain the roundness of the rim of cups and small holloware.

If our customers have a new design, from a sample of the fired or clay (green) shape, or alternatively a detailed drawing, together with the contraction dry to fired, we can check our comprehensive database to try and match against an existing setter. Alternatively, we can design a brand new profile bespoke to the customer’s design.

All our profiles have to pass strict quality control checks to ensure that the customer receives a product that will produce high quality straight plates and dishes.

Fast Tracking

A most important point in this area is that here at IPS Ceramics we have the technology to produce samples of profile setters much quicker than would be the case if we had to make a new die or samples from an existing die.

This is achieved in a dedicated Rapid Prototyping room, adjoining our Design Office. This is equipped with a super-fast Roland CNC Router and it uses our special lightweight, machinable ceramic material to take AutoCAD (or similar) design files and rout and deliver a prototype setter anywhere in the world within 48 hours.

This has the advantage that the customer can check the line of the profile by firing his product on the sample before approving a new die. Also, modifications can be made – including routing another prototype and retesting – before manufacturing a new die, which is a relatively expensive process.

This not only saves a great deal of money over the traditional technique – involving speculative die-making – but also represents a quantum leap in lead times. Something which used to take anything between 12 and 16 weeks can now be resolved in a matter of days.

This facility is also used to supply fully machined products for small quantities to avoid die charges. This IPS Ceramics facility is the only one of its kind in the world in this industry.