They use the same basic techniques as potters. But they work at astonishing speed, use novel tools and hybrid workflows.

This picture has its own page with more detail, click here to see it.
While some sectors of modern ceramic manufacturing are highly automated, crockery and holloware production relies heavily on skilled workers who execute the same fundamentals as studio potters. And they use equipment a studio potter can make. But the speed and cooperation at which they work is astonishing. Consider:
-Foam and sponge belts: To finish unfired surfaces and wipe glaze from feet.
-Spinning sponge tables for rim and edge dry finishing.
-Rheology Control: Glaze slurry rheology (specific gravity, thixotropy, fluidity) is adapted to each situation. Workers dip, spin, and extract pieces in seconds without runs, drips, or extended drying pauses.
-Custom Tooling: Instead of standard shop tongs or studio brushes, workers use single-point holding tools, custom wire dipping tongs, and painting and stamping sponges.
-Traditional Jiggering: Workers turn large masses of soft clay into cups and bowls in seconds, or they feed stiff clay into semi-automatic machines.
-Handle Preparation: Workers use custom plaster holders and specialized blade cutters to shear slip-cast handles to match vessel contours.
-Fountain & Dip Glazing: Workers glaze interiors and rims simultaneously.
-Direct Screen Printing: Workers drape a silk screen directly around pieces and scrape ink through via a hand rubber scraper.
Tap/click the typecode link below for the videos.
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DU8FQ19lAD5
Factory workers slip-cast, glaze, decorate and fire mugs |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVPM4MQCH-Y
Factory workers underglazijg and glazing bone dry plates The special dipping frame, application of colour as an underglaze, slurry rheology and very fast dip are a key to making this possible. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DVNHOuiDObu
Factory workers making cuerda seca terracotta tile |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZyeQTdTXQy
Factory worker bowl jiggering every 4 seconds A jiggerman takes molds from a continuous drier, jiggers the bowl from stiff clay using an automatic machine, puts them back in the drier. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DauX6nxsBXJ
Factory worker skillfully applies black band on rims of mugs |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaB9ut2SrA7
Skilled factory worker applies full side decal to coffee cups |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dab4fz9SWhz
Skilled factory worker applies slip-cast handles to leather hard mugs |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DaDF8mrEQEj
Banding and striping using sponge brushes by skilled factory workers |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DannZTAPWte
Factory worker fountain and dip glazing bowls. Fountain-glazing the insides of bowls while glazing the rim also. Dip-glazing the outsides in a different color. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Db6gU0fCuMZ
Factory worker glazing bone-dry plates by spinning, sponging and dipping The plates appear to be heated and the glaze is likely high-specific gravity because it dries incredibly fast. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/184hsfnGRs
Factory worker glazing a bisque fired mug with a single point tool |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FfzUaLsev
Factory worker dip-glazing using a special tool It is a small bowl with an intricate wax resistant design. The dipping tongue doubles as the holder for drying. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZUv9ZikQ-7
Factory worker finishing bone dry mug with spinning sponge, glazing lip using modified sieve |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1FFFTP31rW
Factory worker using wire dipping tongs to apply very thin glaze on bisque ware. The factory slurry is very watery and requires continuous stirring. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1DjFuEd4Bj
A factory worker dip-glazes a large platter. A clever tong tool that does not disturb any surfaces. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdOnoqZR633
Factory worker rapidly applying decals |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdYutNSTb4W
Factory workers using novel handle preparation cutters in factory Custom plaster holders and specialized blade cutters shear slip-cast handles to exact vessel contours instantly, bypassing hand-trimming. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdSzyTBvFRO
Factory worker quickly applying full decal to outside of mug |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/933851113104115
Factory worker thick layer glazing a bowl at a factory Note the careful extraction so the gelled thixotropic glaze stays in place. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2382825802126730
Factory worker fountain/rim glazing mugs at a factory |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1943286709697381
Factory worker using traditional heavy jigger machine to make each cup in seconds. He turns a large pile of super soft clay into jiggered cups, one after another. His jigger wheel has a plaster head. Molds fit perfectly. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1084612477351344
Factory worker dip-glazes mugs A skilled worker uses a custom dipping tong to thick-layer the outsides and thin-layer the insides. Notice how thixotropic the glaze is. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1555758769633769
Factory worker dip-glazes bone china plates She does one every two seconds. Notice how watery the glaze is, she is applying a very thin layer of transparent. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1088672237167140
Factory worker uses traditional jigger machine to make each bowl in seconds. He turns a large pile of super soft clay into jiggered bowls, one after another. Notice how he deliberately puts in too much clay but catches the excess efficiently for the next piece. Also notice the inner, likely 3d printed liner, on the plaster wheel head, enabling them to precisely fit it to the molds. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/2146510669231542
Factory worker dip-glazes large bisque casseroles in thixotropic glaze Notice the special dipping tong. And the glaze has been tuned to have the rheology needed to not over-thicken. This enables the worker to grab the already-dried first extracted portion of the rim to stabilize the piece as it is pulled completely out of the slurry. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1101766352415440
Factory worker double-layer glazes outside of vase She does the second dip immediately after the first one. A small board is attached to the rim to prevent the outer darker glaze from going inside, she knocks it off as she quickly carries the flared-footed vase to the second drum of white glaze. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdYHCPgyt6z
Factory worker and machine dip-glazing mugs |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ddd9ih8Fd2w
Factory worker dip-glazes a plate, by hand, preglazing the holding spot |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dbm8lasyodt
Factory worker silk screens design on to mug by ink scraping The video shows every process of glazing the mugs, but this is the most interesting. It isn't supposed to work: They drape the screen around the piece and scrape the ink through using a rubber scraper. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdoaiPoyqCi
Factory workers making bowls They round the flat jiggered rim on a rotating sponge machine, then sponge the whole bowl, fountain glaze the insides carefully by hand, and then machine dip the outsides. |
| URLs |
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1369572738697142
Factory worker dip-glazes the outside of a teapot |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ddxr3N5zxHB
Factory worker uses plaster mold as cutting guide for leather hard handles This enables casting the mug with a completely smooth inner surface (there is no pothole at the handle join). |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd1JAjelE-P
Factory workers make shiny black bowls One applies black underglaze using a sponge brush and the other quickly dips it in clear glaze. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DdsbyFaS6C2
Factory worker uses an ingenious method to attach a mug handle in the right spot and alignment |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dc56ptkisth
Factory worker uses a specially cut sponge to apply two color banding at once. She also has a special two section underglaze bowl to dip it in. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd4Rky9JlS3
Factory workers in Argentina use a mechanical dipping machine for plates Notice they are dipping into a thixotropic glaze that goes on evenly even though parts of the plate are immersed much longer. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dd8r7-QIs3P
Factory worker dips a bowl in thixotropic glaze The glaze is thixotropic enough that the immersed bowl free floats for a moment of the process. The process applies a thicker outside layer. |
| URLs |
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DeCA8J2D9kY
Factory worker underglaze and glaze bone dry bowls Note the quick dip into a likely high specific gravity yet very fluid glaze. And the two speed conveyor that deglazes the foot ring. |
![]() PayPal | No tracking, No ads, No paywall, No transient content! Just organized, concise information constantly updated and improved. Was this helpful? Consider supporting me. |
Buy me a coffee and we can talk