Tapping is an essential task in almost all furnaces in the metal-producing industry. The layout of the tap-hole and tapping process needs to be optimized for the individual process and furnace to ensure safe and efficient furnace operations. Various factors need to be considered for tap-hole and tapping design, in addition to the actual tapping procedure. Generally, tap-hole and tapping optimization is not a one-time task, but an ongoing improvement cycle, comprising evaluation and adaptation of geometries, materials, data and technologies, considering changing process parameters and use of new technologies. The present article describes methods and technologies to optimize tap-hole performance, tapping safety and efficiency.