Custom Refractory Shapes
Refractory components manufactured to your drawings or sample. Nozzles, sleeves, arch bricks, skewbacks, special profiles, and one-off geometries — in high alumina, silica, magnesia, or corundite compositions. From single prototypes to full production runs.
Shape Categories
Three primary families of custom shapes. Describe what you need — we'll confirm material, tolerance, lead time, and pricing within 48 hours of receiving a drawing or sample.
Nozzles & Sleeves
Precision-machined or press-formed refractory nozzles and sleeves for steel ladle sliding gates, tundish well blocks, subentry nozzles (SEN), shroud tubes, and glass feeder orifice rings. Manufactured in isostatic-pressed high-alumina (Al₂O₃ 70–95%) or zirconia-alumina compositions for maximum erosion resistance from molten metal and glass contact.
- Isostatic pressing ensures uniform density and dimensional accuracy
- Available in Al₂O₃ 70%, 85%, 95%, ZrO₂-Al₂O₃ and AZS compositions
- Tolerances: outer diameter ±0.3 mm, bore ±0.2 mm, length ±0.5 mm
- For steel ladles, tundishes, glass feeders, continuous casting machines
Curved & Arch Bricks
Keyed, radial, and wedge bricks for arch construction, cylindrical linings, and rotary kiln zones. Critical for glass furnace crowns, rotary cement kiln burning zones, and blast furnace tuyere zones where standard rectangular bricks cannot form the required geometry. Supplied to exact radii and taper dimensions derived from your lining drawings.
- Standard arch series: 9", 13.5", 18" inner-arch radii plus custom
- Available in high alumina, silica, magnesia-chrome, and basic compositions
- Matching key bricks and closer cuts supplied as part of the same order
- For glass furnace crowns, rotary kilns, blast furnace linings, coke ovens
Special Profile Bricks
One-off and short-run bricks for complex lining geometry — corner bricks, anchor bricks, sill bricks, corbel supports, checker-pack shapes, tee-blocks, and any profile that cannot be cut from standard stock. Tooled from your 2D drawing or 3D model; typical lead time 3–5 weeks for new tooling, 1–2 weeks for repeat orders.
- New tooling designed and machined in-house for fast turnaround
- Minimum run: 50 pieces per profile (lower MOQ available for prototypes)
- Material options: high alumina, silica, mullite, magnesia, carbon-bonded
- For checker chambers, port necks, electrode blocks, burner tiles, tap-holes
Capabilities at a Glance
| Category | Composition Options | Max Service Temp | Tolerance | Typical Lead Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nozzles & Sleeves | Al₂O₃ 70–95%, AZS, ZrO₂ | 1800°C | ±0.2–0.5 mm | 2–3 weeks |
| Curved & Arch Bricks | High Alumina, Silica, Magnesia | 1750°C | ±1.0 mm | 3–4 weeks |
| Special Profiles | All compositions available | 1800°C | ±0.5–1.0 mm | 3–5 weeks |
Lead times are for new tooling; repeat orders are 1–2 weeks. Dimensions ≥ 1000 mm L or complex undercuts may require longer tooling time. Contact us with your drawing for a precise quote.
Industry Applications
Custom shapes are used wherever standard bricks cannot serve the geometry — typically in the most critical zones of a furnace or kiln where failure means unplanned downtime.
Frequently Asked Questions
We accept DWG, DXF, PDF, STEP, IGES, and Solidworks (.sldprt) files. Hand-sketched dimensions with clear measurements are also accepted for simple shapes. For complex profiles, a dimensioned PDF drawing with all critical tolerances annotated is preferred. Send drawings via email to info@firebrics.com or upload them when submitting the quote form.
Standard minimum order is 50 pieces per profile. For prototype or approval samples (before committing to a production run), we can produce 5–10 pieces at a higher per-piece cost to cover tooling setup. Nozzles and sleeves made by isostatic pressing have a minimum of 100 pieces due to press loading requirements. Contact us for exact MOQ on your specific shape.
Yes — send us a sample brick or component and we will measure it, determine the material composition (via XRF analysis), and produce a matching replacement. This is common for spare parts that are no longer available from the original supplier, or for situations where a competitor's part is currently in use but a domestic alternative is preferred. Allow 2 weeks for sample analysis and tooling design before production lead time begins.
Related Products
High Alumina Brick
Standard HA bricks used alongside custom shapes in the same lining.
Conventional Castable
Cast-in-place areas surrounding and anchoring custom-shaped components.
Insulation Bricks
Custom-cut insulation bricks and backup lining shapes.
Ready to Send Your Drawing?
Upload a drawing or describe the shape you need. We'll quote composition, tolerance, quantity, and lead time within 48 hours. Sample approval available before production commitment.