This presentation is really not the first one at the Symposium and certainly will not be the last dealing with defects. Making defects is an extremely creative thing. Not only are craftspeople creative, but equipment and materials as well. Similar to human disease, a completely consistent diagnosis is difficult. And last but not least, healing is much more difficult. To avoid defects in the future you have to analyze defective samples. With metallurgical and technical knowledge and a good quantity of luck you are able to determine the causes of a defect. In this case recommendations for avoiding this defect in the future can be provided. The probability of being successful in diagnosis and healing depends strongly on the information you get with the defective sample - much as in human medicine.

Author: Dieter Ott