A ceramic engineer is a professional who works with ceramic materials, which are non-organic and non-metallic. Superconductors, artificial bones, lenses, and a variety of other applications can all benefit from such materials. A ceramic engineer might try to use his knowledge of ceramics to create new ceramic products, or he might be in charge of finding more efficient and effective ways to manufacture ceramics. Because ceramic materials often require extensive processing before they can be used, some engineers are working to improve refining processes. Others approach ceramics from a chemical standpoint, spending the majority of their time in chemistry laboratories.
Using existing ceramic materials to develop new products is one of the most basic roles of a ceramic engineer. Glass, cement, and brick are some of the most common materials used in civil and mechanical engineering projects. Because many ceramic materials are used in electronic and computer components, a ceramic engineer may also work in computer or electronic engineering. The engineer’s job is to make useful products by utilizing the various properties of the materials available. Ceramic engineers specialize in ceramics, but they are also familiar with a variety of other materials.
Instead of designing new products, a ceramic engineer is often tasked with optimizing the processes by which ceramics are manufactured. Most ceramic products are made in a multi-step process, and improving any one of them can improve the overall efficiency of the process. Raw materials must often be ground into a fine powder, mixed with other ingredients according to a recipe, shaped into a shape, dried carefully, and heated to high temperatures. Improvements to the process or the components used in developing ceramic processes can reduce costs and increase efficiency.
Scientific research, rather than product development or process refinement, may be the primary focus of a ceramic engineer. He could, for example, work in a chemistry lab to raise the critical temperature of a superconducting ceramic or improve the durability of another material. Other engineers can then apply what they’ve learned to create better products.
A ceramic engineer may also work primarily in the production of machinery that is used to make or refine ceramic products. Because such machinery requires a thorough understanding of ceramics, a ceramic engineer is an excellent candidate for the job. Ceramic engineers may work on the design of both products and the machinery that makes them.