Conrad Dressler never set out to develop the first successful tunnel kiln. In fact, as an artist, he was a man who harbored an aversion to machinery-made products and industry in general.

Carbon is one of the earliest known elements. It was used by the Egyptians and Sumerians in the form of charcoal around 3750 B.C. for the reduction of copper, zinc, and tin ores in the manufacture of bronze.

To the neophyte, a kiln may look like a big box with burners and an exhaust system.

I’ve been so lucky. More than a decade ago, Ceramic Industry asked me to write the Kiln Connection column, and it has brought me great friendships and a wealth of knowledge.

What makes for a good kiln operating strategy?

Upon reviewing kiln data, I often find errors that are either designed into a system or operator induced. Many of these issues can prevent burner setup accuracy.