WILDEN Pumps for Ceramic Slip and Glaze: RFQ Checklist

For a WILDEN pump handling ceramic slip or glaze, start with a written duty specification: the slurry composition, solids, viscosity at operating temperature, required flow and discharge pressure, suction arrangement, and shutdown procedure. A nominal connection size alone does not identify a suitable configuration. The following worksheet helps purchasing and production teams request an offer that can be checked against the process.

Separate the three duties on a ceramics line

A transfer pump moving slip between tanks may not face the same conditions as a glaze-circulation pump or a pump feeding a molding process. Give each duty its own reference number. Record whether the flow is continuous, intermittent or needed only during a batch, and describe what happens when production stops.

WILDEN lists ceramic slip, mold filling, glazing and glaze transfer among its ceramics applications. Its ceramics guidance also addresses suspended solids, abrasion and product cleanliness. These application categories are a starting point for discussion, not an approval of every pump material for every glaze recipe.

A practical RFQ worksheet

Copy the following fields into your enquiry. Use measured values where available and mark estimates clearly.

1. Material and batch: slip or glaze name, formulation reference, liquid phase, additives, solids concentration and its basis, such as mass percent. Include cleaning fluids as a separate operating condition.
2. Particle information: typical and maximum particle size, any agglomerates, and whether solids settle during the longest expected stoppage. Distinguish a laboratory particle-size result from lumps that may enter from the tank.
3. Viscosity and temperature: report viscosity with the test temperature and measurement method. Supply the lowest and highest operating temperatures rather than a single room-temperature reading.
4. Required delivery: state the normal and peak flow, the discharge pressure at that flow, and the batch volume and transfer time. Do not present maximum flow and maximum pressure as a simultaneous operating point.
5. Suction conditions: tank level range, pump elevation, hose or pipe inside diameter, length, bends, valves and any strainer. Include the lowest tank level, not only the easiest full-tank condition.
6. Air supply: give the pressure available at the pump while it operates, plus the available air-flow capacity. Identify shared users that may be running at the same time.
7. Product-quality limits: specify unacceptable contamination, color carryover and any restrictions on contact materials. Describe how the line will be drained and cleaned between recipes.
8. Installation and service: connection standard, dimensional constraints, access for maintenance, exact existing model if replacing a pump, requested quantity and delivery destination.

Review materials and the diaphragm assembly together

Ask the supplier to identify the proposed pump body, diaphragm assembly, check components and seals for the complete configuration. A broad description such as “plastic pump” leaves important details unresolved. Chemical resistance to the process and cleaning liquids, abrasion, temperature limits and product-purity requirements should all be reviewed.

WILDEN offers different diaphragm constructions for abrasive service, including Chem-Fuse integral-piston designs. That does not establish interchangeability with an existing diaphragm. Confirm the applicable model and complete assembly before ordering a replacement or upgrade.

Keep the selected configuration in the quotation. If two material options are offered, request a separate configuration and qualification note for each, rather than combining the advantages of different options into one description.

Agree on stoppage and changeover procedures before purchase

A quotation should address what will remain in the pump during a planned stop and how it will be removed. WILDEN’s ceramics guidance recommends clearing or flushing process material that can settle or solidify. The plant must choose a compatible cleaning liquid and a safe disposal method for its own formulation. Do not assume water is suitable for every product or that dry-running capability makes deposits harmless.

Ask the production team to define the longest expected pause, the restart checks and the acceptable amount of residual color. These requirements make a proposed pump and piping arrangement easier to evaluate before installation.

Compare quotations using the same acceptance conditions

Request the relevant manufacturer performance curve, connection drawing and maintenance document for the quoted configuration. WILDEN’s ceramics white paper gives different model families and ratings for different duties and notes that flow depends on diaphragm type. Use the current model-specific documents to assess your actual operating point.

For a trial, agree in advance on the material batch, temperature, starting and finishing tank levels, delivered volume, elapsed time, air pressure at the pump and observations after the planned stoppage. Record these conditions with the result. This creates a repeatable purchasing comparison without inventing a service-life or energy-saving promise.

Questions buyers often ask

Can one ceramic-slurry pump handle every glaze?

Do not assume so. Compare the formulation, particles, temperature, cleaning chemicals and duty requirements for each glaze against the same complete pump configuration. Record any conditions that remain unverified.

Is a larger connection automatically the better choice?

No. Select against the required operating point and suction arrangement, then check the installation and air supply. A larger nominal size alone does not prove a better result for a particular batch.

What should I send for a replacement-pump quotation?

Send the complete nameplate model, photographs of the connections and installation, the process worksheet above, quantity and delivery destination. Include any current operating problem so the offer can address the duty rather than simply repeat the old nominal size.

For related preparation, see our diaphragm pump selection inputs e technical document library. Contatta WILLEE with the completed duty information for pump and spare-parts enquiries. Configuration, availability, price and delivery are confirmed for each enquiry.