What makes up Chinese good quality AZS refractories?

Nowadays cost control is more important for glass manufacturer all over the world due to Increasingly fierce competition.While the cost of refractory materials shares about 1/4 at least of total investment of new glass melting furnace.Furthermore, to some degree, glass production efficiency is subjected to refractory routine maintenance and correct operation.So it is a conflicting issue for glass producers how to make a balance between the cost and the performance of refractory materials, esp fused cast AZS blocks-the heart of melting tank.


What makes up good quality fused cast AZS refractories? The famous AZS refractory producer -Sefpro say that there are 5 key factors for reliability and performance below：

1.Chemistry with uncontaminated & control glass phase

2.A perfect level of Oxidation 

3.Internal Structure with no unexpected voids

4.Skin Maintains its original thickness

5.Block retains its initial casted shape

But why more and more glass producers think the quality of AZS blocks from China is inferior with cost advantage,comparing with the ones from Sefpro,Asahi,Monofrax and Refel? Does not Chinese manufacturer produce good quality AZS refractories? Absolutely not.

It is understandable for glass producers to search for refractory suppliers with competitive price.But it is absolutely a mistake that most of AZS manufacturers focus on cost only but not quality or cost-performance.They have no idea of positioning or market strategy for overseas market, but spare no efforts to expand domestic market with cost advantage.

What makes up Chinese good quality AZS refractories?

1.Positioning 

If one factory is able to produce different grade quality AZS blocks, it is unwise to buy refractory products from them.As their workers do not have standard, so it makes no sense to talk about quality control.At least they could not promise reliable quality.

2.Raw Materials and Processing Technology

Same as glass production, we have to add some cullets into the production of AZS blocks.In most cases, the quality of AZS blocks depends on the percentage of new raw materials and quality of cullets(Recycled ones or second handed ones).Will the price of 70% new raw material & 30% good quality recycled cullets will same as the price 30% new raw material & 70% second handed  cullets?

And it is more important of melting temperature,which will change the performance of AZS blocks.

3.Acceptance Standard and Inspection

It is crucial to monitor the quality by Acceptance Standard and on-time inspection for every step of production. 

For reliable suppliers, you could find the instruction of Acceptance Standard at working platform for every step and exact inspection reports for every batch blocks.And you could track the details of every blocks on their computers.

4.Skilled Workers

More and more young people in China are not willing to work at refractory plant due to labor strength and salary. As it is not wholly automatic production lines, skilled workers are very essential factors to good quality, esp for melting and processing step.


5.Management & Research cost

If you are expert in refractory products, you could try to buy reliable good quality AZS blocks with good price from small factory who focus on quality.Otherwise you have to pay for the cost of Management & Research.


It is hard to list all the factors to the quality of Chinese AZS blocks.For more details or other refractory products, welcome to connect with me via email  897564847@qq.com