Technical ceramics in industry and electrical heating—versatile, robust, efficient
Ceramic materials play a key role in many industrial applications. Their outstanding properties—excellent wear resistance, high rigidity, corrosion resistance and low weight—make them ideal for components in conveyor systems, bearings or precision machinery. Porous ceramics made of aluminum oxide, silicon carbide or zirconium oxide are used as filter elements and flow restrictors in liquid and gaseous media—from nano- to ultrafiltration with a defined pore structure, for example, in the chemical, environmental technology or pharmaceutical sector. They offer a long service life, good cleanability, and thermal and chemical resistance.
Ceramics are also widely used in the field of electrical heating: in industrial and domestic heating systems—for example, in tool heaters, dryers, stoves, kettles or ovens. Ceramic insulators, heating element carriers or thermally stable crucibles act as the basis for safe, efficient heat transfer and temperature control, often well in excess of 1,200 °C. Ceramics enable optimum electrical insulation with a compact design and long service life. The combination of temperature and thermal shock resistance, electrical insulation and mechanical stability makes them the preferred material in energy-efficient systems.
Technical ceramics thus open up new ways to achieve improved performance, resource efficiency and reliability—both in industrial plant engineering and in everyday appliances.
Versatile function carriers: ceramics in industry and electrical heating technology
Technical ceramics have established themselves both in general industry and in electrical heating technology as a high-performance material with a wide range of applications. Whether in chemical process engineering, plant engineering, the energy industry or household appliances—wherever conventional materials reach their limits, ceramic solutions impress with their specific material properties: high rigidity, hardness, temperature and corrosion resistance, low weight and excellent electrical insulation.
In general industry, ceramic components are mainly used where there are high mechanical loads or abrasive media. These include, for example, guide and plain bearings, seals, valves or linings that have to withstand extreme stresses. Porous or dense ceramics are used as wear- and corrosion-resistant components, particularly in pump systems and dosing technology. Porous ceramics are also used as filters, flow restrictors or membranes in gaseous or liquid media—increasingly also in the chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, beverage and food production or environmental technology, where they are indispensable for separation or purification.
Another key area of application is electrical heating technology. Ceramic materials are used in industrial heating processes in the form of heating conductors, support elements or insulation, for example, in high-temperature furnaces, tool heaters, presses or drying systems. They impress here thanks to a combination of thermal shock resistance, electrical insulation capability and chemical stability. Ceramic materials are also increasingly being used for sensor technology in hot or aggressive environments.
In the private sector, technical ceramics in appliances such as kettles, ovens, coffee machines and hairdryers ensure safe and efficient heat transfer. Miniaturized ceramic-based heating elements offer fast heat-up times with a long service life—a clear advantage over conventional metal solutions. New applications are also aimed at integrating ceramic materials into energy-efficient heating systems, for example, in combination with renewable energies.
The development of innovative manufacturing processes—such as 3D printing of high-performance ceramics or multi-layer ceramic lamination—opens up additional design scope and contributes to miniaturization and functional integration. Increasingly, hybrid systems are being created in which ceramics not only function as passive materials but also actively contribute to process monitoring, temperature control or energy efficiency. The continuous further development of the materials and their processing means that technical ceramics can also be expected to open up new fields of application in industry and the home in the future.