Artificial Stone Slab Texture via Digital Ink Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for manufacturing artificial stone materials face challenges in achieving stable and consistent textured effects, are labor-intensive, and struggle to replicate the natural appearance of natural stone, leading to high costs and ecological concerns due to over-exploitation of natural resources.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a printer to create an image of the desired texture, followed by heat and ink transfer onto an artificial stone slab, using a heat and ink transferring machine to set the ink at 120° C to 185° C for 5-15 minutes, allowing for automatic reproduction of natural stone patterns with improved stability and control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If conventional methods mix color pastes and sand powder particles to produce color mixtures, then artificial stone texture can be created, but the manufacturing process becomes labor-intensive and difficult to automate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses digital images as templates to copy natural stone patterns onto artificial stone slabs through printing technology. This eliminates the need for manual mixing of color pastes and sand powder, enabling automated production while maintaining realistic texture appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical mixing processes with digital printing technology. Instead of workers manually combining color pastes and sand powder particles, the system uses digital images printed onto the stone surface, followed by heat treatment to embed the pattern, achieving automation and consistency.
2Adaptability or versatility
If more types of color mixtures are used to achieve richer colors, then the textured effect becomes more diverse, but the difficulty of slab manufacturing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal digital printing system that can reproduce any color pattern from digital images. Instead of preparing multiple physical color mixtures for different textures, a single printing system with digital versatility can create diverse textured effects by simply changing the digital image source, greatly simplifying the manufacturing process.
3Manufacturing precision
If manual operations are used in complex processes, then flexibility is maintained, but the traces of manufacturing become obvious and consistency is difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses high-resolution digital images as master templates to copy exact patterns onto each slab. This ensures that every slab receives an identical or variation of the same proven design, eliminating the inconsistencies and visible traces that occur with manual operations while maintaining artistic quality.
4Quantity of substance
If natural stone is extensively exploited to meet demand, then the supply of high-end stone is maintained, but irreversible ecological damage occurs and resources become exhausted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates accurate visual copies of natural stone patterns on artificial substrates. The digital printing process captures the essence and variability of natural stone textures and reproduces them on manufactured slabs, providing an unlimited supply of aesthetically pleasing materials without requiring further exploitation of natural resources.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method results in a realistic and natural texture on artificial stone slabs, enhancing aesthetic appeal, reducing costs, and ensuring consistent quality, while minimizing environmental impact by reducing the need for natural stone.
Implementation Method 1
heating the artificial stone slab to 120° C. to 185° C. and maintaining for the temperature constant for 5-15 minutes, wherein the ink on the print is transferred onto the surface of the artificial stone slab
Data Source
AI summary
An artificial textured stone slab and methods for manufacturing thereof, the method comprising the following steps: Step S01: using a printer to print an image in accordance with the size of an artificial stone slab to arrive at a print of the image; Step S02: placing the front face of the print onto a side of the artificial stone slab and smoothing out the print on the artificial stone slab; Step S03: feeding the artificial stone attached to the print into a heat and ink transferring machine and using the upper and lower clamp plates of the heat and ink transferring machine to tightly clamp the print to the artificial stone slab; Step S04: heating the artificial stone slab to 120° C. to 185° C. and maintaining for the temperature constant for 5-15 minutes, wherein the ink on the print is transferred onto the surface of the artificial stone slab; and Step S05: feeding the artificial stone slab, heated in accordance with the above step, out of the heat and ink transferring machine, removing the print, and cooling the artificial stone slab to room temperature.