The roots of the Edward Orton Jr. Ceramic Foundation date back to 1896, when Dr. Orton founded the Standard Pyrometric Cone Company. Dr. Orton recognized the ceramic sector's need for a calibrated visual device to measure the heatwork applied to ceramic products during the firing process.
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To address this need, he developed a series of pyrometric cones that bend in response to time and temperature conditions within a kiln. The use of Orton Pyrometric Cones helps ensure temperature uniformity and the proper application of heatwork to ware.
Following his death in 1932, Dr. Orton’s will helped establish the Edward Orton Jr. Ceramic Foundation as a charitable trust. The Foundation was created to continue operating the Standard Pyrometric Cone Company for the benefit of the ceramic arts and industry. Despite the development of thermocouples and electronic temperature controllers, Orton's pyrometric products remain integral to process control systems worldwide.
As the industry evolved, so did the Edward Orton Jr. Ceramic Foundation. The Foundation currently offers three distinct categories of products and services:
- Pyrometric Monitoring Devices for thermal processing (described above)
- Analytical Instruments
- Materials Testing Services
For the investment casting sector, Orton produces TempTAB/TempCHEK, which provides temperature data based on shrinkage. These products can be positioned throughout a kiln to assess temperature uniformity or for process optimization.
After a TempTAB/TempCHEK has undergone thermal processing, it is measured using a digital micrometer to determine the equivalent temperature at that specific location. When compared with previous data, TempTAB/TempCHEK acts as an early warning tool to identify trends before they can affect a product.
When firing in a controlled atmosphere or in a vacuum furnace, TempTAB is ideal for avoiding contamination concerns. TempTAB is pretreated to remove organics, eliminating outgassing and contamination.
Orton engineers, manufactures, and sells a variety of analytical tools for the ceramics and glass sector. Orton Analytical Instruments are used to measure alterations in the physical characteristics of materials during heating, cooling, or both. Thermal analysis instruments include dilatometers, gradient furnaces, Hot Disk Transient Plane Source (TPS) systems, and glass-testing equipment.
Measured characteristics include softening point, annealing and strain point, liquidus temperature, viscosity, thermal conductivity and diffusivity (Hot Disk TPS), and coefficient of thermal expansion. These properties support production monitoring, quality control, research, and product development.
Materials tested include ceramics, glass, whitewares, structural clay, refractories, investment casting bodies, technical ceramics, electronic ceramics, electrical ceramics, advanced ceramics, and other materials.
The Materials Testing Service Group serves customers worldwide, receiving daily samples from both end users and manufacturers. For investment casting operations, shell mold evaluation provides essential data to improve conforming results and reduce finishing expenses.
Most tests are conducted in accordance with ASTM standard procedures and address temperature stability and strength at operating temperatures. Mechanical testing at ambient and high temperatures, as well as thermal property testing, is also offered.
Available testing includes:
- Thermal expansion
- Thermal conductivity
- Thermal shock
- Flexural creep
- Hot compressive strength
- Hot bending strength
- Permeability
- Reheat changes
- Modulus of rupture (MOR)
- High Temperature MOR
- Youngs modulus
- Density
- Porosity
A wide variety of samples are routinely evaluated by Orton, including the full spectrum of refractory brick products, along with castable mixes, mortars, and shell molds.
Additional services include chemical and mineralogical analyses and advanced ceramic machining. Specific projects and consulting contracts are carried out at the client’s request.
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Orton Ceramic Foundation.
For more information on this source, please visit Orton Ceramic Foundation.