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The PDF Manual.
Modified: November 19, 2016
Right-click here to download it.

Desktop Insight is now free!

Download it from the Files panel in your Insight-live.com account (it costs $15 for 6 months access). Current downloads only include the program file, starter recipe, materials, overrides data is built in. It functions as level 2, without need of a key. No features have been removed. It will never expire.

Do you really need Desktop Insight now that Insight-live is here?

No. Insight-live has a much broader scope and is far superior, it is the future (it still does the chemistry but is much more about data and access-from-anywhere). We still support desktop Insight for users who need to convert data for import to insight-live or who must work off-line.

Desktop Insight is About Glaze Chemistry

Insight FAQ

There is a direct relationship between the way ceramic glazes fire and their chemistry. Insight is a calculation tool anyone can use to learn and harness the power of glaze chemistry.

• Fix problems like crazing, blistering, pinholing, settling, gelling, clouding, leaching, crawling, marking, scratching, powdering.
• Substitute frits or incorporate better, cheaper materials, replace no-longer-available ones (all while maintaining the same chemistry).
• Adjust melting temperature, gloss, surface character, color.
• Identify weaknesses in glazes to avoid problems.
• Create and optimize base glazes to work with difficult colors or stains and for special effects dependent on opacification, crystallization or variegation.
• Create glazes from scratch and use your own native materials in the highest possible percentage.

Without glaze chemistry you'll never really have control and you could be a slave to your suppliers or the trafficing in recipes that never work.

A desktop application for Windows, Linux, Macintosh that you download and install.

• Insight is a classic glaze chemistry calculator
  It interactively converts recipes to formulas and back. The main Insight window shows side-by-side recipes and their formulas, you can make chemistry changes to one while comparing it with the other.
• Insight is also a library and a teacher
  It puts at your fingertips a huge amount of information to help you learn the principles of glaze chemistry and it teaches you how to adjust, fix and formulate glazes.
• It is a database
  You can store all your recipes, picture, material information where you can easily find it.
• It is a problem solver
  Using our videos, instructional and reference materials and our personal help you can solve problems like crazing, leaching, crawling, pinholing, blistering, etc.

Insight was first released in 1979 and has been used world wide since. It is an excellent teaching tool for demonstrating the principles of formula/analysis/unity, limit formulas, LOI, and material-oxide relationships.

Overwhelmed by glaze chemistry? Try starting here.

What People Have Said

"Things are good (actually...GREAT!). I like it! I even tried putting in pictures. Had never used that feature before. The open recipe layout is super, particularly the "more window". I know that part has been there for awhile, but I really like that part. The search button is working great, too."

"First off, thanks for all the work on Insight. It is so much faster and easier now! The online MDT structure is terrific."

"Thanks for the response and I will continue to learn. It appears that I need to set aside serious time to learn this. And as a chemist myself, I see the great value in it."

"I am a teacher with many years experience, I am pashionate about glaze calculations. You have done good work. Most people in the know care about and appreciate you."

"I love this site, this program...and I must say...in my 30 plus years in this field I have met only a few very very authentic people...you are definitely one of them. My hat is off to you for working and improving this software and really caring that it works for people!"

"I am up and running with the latest version - easy install- love it."

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