This study investigates the ability of mechanical polishing to enhance the surface properties of sculpting clay ceramics without the use of glaze. To accomplish this, a ceramic tile machining system capable of efficient grinding and polishing was developed and utilized. Through experiments conducted under various conditions, key processing parameters— including tool rotational speed, applied pressure, and feed rate—were determined experimentally, resulting in significantly improved surface quality of the ceramic specimens. Analyses of glossiness, surface roughness, and contact angle confirmed notable enhancements in surface characteristics after polishing. These results demonstrate that a mechanically polished surface can achieve quality comparable to, or even surpassing, that obtained through traditional glazing processes, suggesting the potential to replace conventional glaze coatings with a mechanical polishing approach.
