Mass-Decorated Ceramic Slabs Deep Veining

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for manufacturing ceramic slabs fail to replicate the veining effect of natural stones deeply within the material, making it superficial and prone to erasure upon polishing or abrasion, and lack the blurred contour effect due to transparency.

Innovation Solution

A method involving multiple layers of ceramic powder with distributed ceramic dyes, allowing the dye to penetrate throughout the thickness of the slab, creating a design that remains visible even after surface modifications, using a combination of powder and dye dispensing devices for efficient layer formation and decoration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a single layer of ceramic powder is used with surface decoration, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the veining effect does not penetrate into the thickness of the slab and is easily erased upon polishing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoidveining durability after polishing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The soft coat of ceramic powder is divided into multiple superimposed layers (first layer, second layer, etc.), each potentially containing different ceramic dyes. This segmentation allows the veining effect to be distributed throughout the thickness of the slab, ensuring that even if the surface is polished or abraded, the veining remains visible in the underlying layers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Ceramic dyes are distributed within the ceramic powder layers before the pressing step that forms the compact slab. This preliminary action ensures that the veining effect is embedded throughout the entire thickness of the slab from the outset, rather than being applied superficially after the slab is formed, making it resistant to erosion during polishing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If ceramic dye is distributed on multiple layers of ceramic powder, then the veining penetrates into the thickness of the slab, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveveining penetration depthVSAvoidlayer formation process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The formation of multiple ceramic powder layers and the distribution of ceramic dyes are combined into a single integrated process step. The ceramic dyes are distributed on the ceramic powder during the layer formation process itself, rather than requiring separate operations for layering and dyeing, thereby reducing overall process complexity while achieving deep veining penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The pressing step serves multiple functions: it consolidates the multiple layers of ceramic powder into a compact slab and simultaneously embeds the ceramic dyes distributed within the layers. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional specialized equipment or process steps, managing complexity while achieving the desired veining penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple ceramic dyes are used to create polychromatic designs, then the design versatility increases, but the number of dyes required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedesign varietyVSAvoidnumber of dyes used

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of using multiple different ceramic dyes to achieve polychromatic effects, the invention utilizes the vertical dimension by distributing different ceramic dyes on different superimposed layers of ceramic powder. This layered approach allows for diverse polychromatic designs while potentially using a more limited palette of dyes, as each layer can contribute a different color to the overall veining effect.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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

The method achieves a veining effect that extends into the thickness of the ceramic slab, maintaining visibility and authenticity even after polishing or abrasion, and allows for a wide range of polychromatic designs without increasing the number of dyes used.

Implementation Method 1

distributing at least one ceramic dye on said first layer of ceramic powder, forming at least one second layer of ceramic powder on said first layer of ceramic powder, and distributing at least one ceramic dye on said second layer of ceramic powder

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3750678B1Method and plant for manufacturing mass-decorated ceramic slabs

Publication Date: 2023.02.15 GRANITIFIANDRE SPA

Figure 1~5
Figure 1a~1e
Figure 6

AI summary

A method and a plant for manufacturing ceramic slabs is described, wherein the method comprises the steps of: realising a soft coat (105) of ceramic powder on a support surface (100), and pressing said soft coat of ceramic powder (105) so as to obtain a compact slab (130) of pressed ceramic powder, and wherein the realisation of the soft coat (105) of ceramic powder comprises the steps of: forming a first layer (110) of ceramic powder on the support surface (100), distributing at least one ceramic dye on said first layer (110) of ceramic powder, forming at least one second layer (115) of ceramic powder on said first layer (110) of ceramic powder, and distributing at least one ceramic dye on said second layer (115) of ceramic powder.