A ceramic engineer is a materials expert who focuses on the use of ceramics in the manufacturing of products ranging from spacecraft heat-resistant tiles to fiber optic cable. These engineers can work in a lab setting to create new materials and improve existing ones, as well as discover new applications for existing products and components. They also work in facilities that use ceramics to streamline production, improve processes, and ensure product safety and quality. Some concentrate their research on forensic applications, examining what happens when ceramics fail and determining how to avoid similar problems in the future.
Ceramic engineering encompasses a wide range of disciplines. Electronics, telecommunications, dentistry, astronomy, physics, and chemistry are just a few of the industries that use ceramics. Most engineers specialize in one area; for example, someone interested in medicine might focus on dental amalgams, ceramic components for joint replacements, and other related topics. The job necessitates a thorough understanding of the materials available, as well as the requirements and limitations of their applications.
Research in the lab with new and experimental materials may be part of the job. A ceramic engineer can test ceramic compounds and finished products to learn about their chemical, physical, and electrical properties. This data aids the researcher in determining how and where products can be used, as well as what design changes may be required to make a product more useful. This can include studying existing materials to see how they can be made stronger, more durable, and more useful for a wider range of applications.
A ceramic engineer can act as a consultant for a facility that makes or uses ceramic products in some industries. The engineer can offer design advice, quality control guidance, and other valuable consulting services. Some facilities may hire a ceramic engineer as a full-time supervisor to keep an eye on things, especially when it comes to sensitive tasks like constructing nuclear waste containment areas or installing pollution control devices.
If components fail unexpectedly, forensic ceramic engineers may be called in. To learn more about what happened and why, the consultant can inspect and test failed components. If the ceramic engineer finds a flaw in the product, he or she may make a recommendation to change the product’s production and handling practices. Better testing recommendations to identify components potentially prone to failure, as well as more comprehensive maintenance and inspection techniques to spot failing parts before disaster strikes, might be offered in the event of a random failure.