Identifying Effective Parameters for Ceramic Floor Tile Strength Using Design of Experiments Methodology

The production of ceramic floor tiles requires experimentation to achieve acceptable quality and ensure the successful application of the final product. The strength of ceramic floor tiles depends on various parameters, some of which are controllable, while others are beyond the control of production processes. The design of experiments (DOE) is a cost-effective and efficient method for evaluating the production process through controllable variables. However, poorly designed experiments can lead to incorrect results, causing significant costs and waste. In this paper, we investigate the effects of pressure, firing temperature, and firing time on the strength and quality of ceramic floor tiles using the DOE methodology. The samples were tested for compressive strength following Iran’s national standards. Optimal conditions were determined using a model and compared with results obtained from Minitab software. The final results show that the optimal compressive strength derived from Minitab’s experimental design is 331 MPa, with parameters of 200 N pressure, 1120°C temperature, 48 minutes, and a 0.02 mesh size. In contrast, GAMS software produced an optimal compressive strength of 338 MPa under conditions of 200 N pressure, 1150°C temperature, 48 minutes, and 0.02 mesh size. The 8 MPa difference is attributed to rounding and the specialized analytical capabilities of both GAMS and Minitab.