Stone Polishing Machine with Rotating Mandrel for Uniform Finish
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stone slab polishing machines often produce shaded zones and uneven polishing effects, particularly on dark materials, due to momentary pauses in tool movement, leading to visible defects.
Innovation Solution
A machine with a complex movement system for polishing tools, including rotational, revolving, transverse, and longitudinal movements, ensures uniform tool distribution and coverage across the slab, eliminating pauses and resulting in a uniform finish.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the mandrel carrying beam performs alternating rectilinear movement transverse to the feeding direction, then the working area of the tools can cover the entire width of the slabs, but momentary pauses during reversal create shaded zones and uneven polishing on the surface
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transforming the static rectilinear movement into a dynamic circular trajectory. The mandrel carrying structure rotates about a vertical axis, causing the mandrels to follow a circular path rather than moving in straight lines. This dynamic movement eliminates pauses during reversal and ensures continuous, uniform contact with the slab surface, preventing shaded zones while maintaining full width coverage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs spheroidality by using circular trajectories instead of linear paths. The mandrels move along circular arcs defined by the rotation axis, creating a curved motion pattern that naturally eliminates the pause problem inherent in rectilinear movement. This curved path ensures uniform distribution of tool contact across the entire slab width without creating shaded zones.
2Area of stationary object
If multiple mandrels are arranged on a rotating cross-like support, then the entire width of the slab can be covered, but non-uniform stay time in various zones creates bands with varied polishing effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves the non-uniform stay time problem by implementing continuous rotational movement of the mandrel carrying structure. All mandrels rotate simultaneously about a common vertical axis, ensuring that each zone of the slab receives uniform attention over time. This dynamic rotation eliminates the varied stay time that occurs in cross-like support systems, producing consistent polishing across the entire slab width.
3Manufacturing precision
If the mandrel is slidable vertically with pneumatic pressure to apply mechanical pressure, then a good polished finish is obtained, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes pneumatics by employing pneumatic pressure to actuate the vertically slidable mandrels. Compressed air provides the necessary force to apply and release pressure on the abrasive tools against the slab surface, enabling precise control of the polishing force. This pneumatic system achieves high-quality polished finishes while maintaining relatively simple system architecture compared to alternative actuation methods.
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 machine achieves a high-quality, uniform polish without visible defects, even on dark materials, by interweaving machining marks in a complex manner, ensuring all areas receive consistent tool contact and pressure, resulting in aesthetically superior and defect-free slabs.
Implementation Method 1
The tools used are made of hard granular materials, for example normally silicon carbide or diamond... the supports which rotate about the vertical axis of the mandrel and are in turn fitted with abrasive tools
Implementation Method 2
The mandrel is slidable vertically and imparts to the tools resting on the surface of the material a pressure
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for smoothing or polishing slabs of stone material, such as natural and agglomerated stone, ceramic and glass, comprises a longitudinal bench (12) over which the slabs to be machined move, at least one pair of opposite bridge support structures (20, 22) arranged astride the bench, and at least one beam (24) transversally movable and supported by said bridge structures. At least one vertical-axis and vertically movable mandrel (40) is mounted eccentrically on a mandrel supporting structure (30) which rotates about its vertical axis (Z1) and is supported on said beam (24). The mandrel has, mounted on its bottom end, a device carrying the smoothing or polishing tools and rotating about the axis of rotation of said mandrel. In this way, the tool carrying device performs a movement composed of the rotation about the axis of rotation of the mandrel, a revolving movement about the axis of rotation of the mandrel carrying structure and a translation movement due to the movement of the beam.