Engineered Stone Slab Veining Through Stirring and Pre-Compression Coloring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing engineered stone slabs fail to replicate the natural, random-looking veins and color patterns of natural stones, and often result in uneven material distribution leading to wastage and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of stirring devices to disrupt a composite mixture on a conveyor belt, applying colorant to specific regions, followed by compression with press rollers to embed veining patterns, and subsequent processing to form uniform slabs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If traditional compression methods are used to form engineered stone slabs, then production efficiency is maintained, but the material distribution becomes uneven leading to wastage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by using stirring devices to disrupt and pre-distribute the composite mixture before compression. The mixture is disrupted into smaller fragments and evenly distributed across the conveyor belt, ensuring uniform material distribution prior to the compression step, which eliminates the need for subsequent grinding and reduces material wastage
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the composite mixture into smaller fragments through stirring devices before compression. This fragmentation ensures more uniform distribution of materials throughout the slab, preventing uneven compression and reducing material waste while maintaining production efficiency
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional layering methods are used to create color patterns, then production process is simple, but natural stone aesthetic is not achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-applying colorants to the composite mixture before compression. The colorants are distributed throughout the mixture in advance, and the subsequent compression process embeds these colors naturally within the slab, creating realistic veining patterns without requiring complex post-processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the color application process with the material distribution process. By applying colorants to the composite mixture before compression, the coloring and veining formation occur simultaneously during the compression step, eliminating separate coloring operations while achieving natural stone aesthetics
3Productivity
If slab length is increased for continuous production, then productivity improves, but material distribution uniformity becomes difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies continuity of useful action by implementing a continuous production process where the composite mixture is continuously fed onto the conveyor belt, continuously stirred and distributed, and continuously compressed into slabs. This continuous operation maintains material distribution uniformity across extended slab lengths while maximizing productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by ensuring complete disruption and even distribution of the composite mixture across the entire conveyor belt width before compression begins. This pre-distribution step guarantees uniform material arrangement throughout the entire slab length, enabling continuous production without compromising precision
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
Achieves realistic natural stone aesthetics with controlled veining patterns and consistent slab thickness, reducing material waste and production costs.
Implementation Method 1
The composite material is then compressed by about 10%-20% by volume during the first stage press
Implementation Method 2
A shifting structure, which may be comprised of two or a further plurality of stirring devices attached to it may be used to disrupt the composite mixture
Implementation Method 3
The mold or tray containing the damp mixture is then moved onto a conveyor belt with a backing sheet, then a processed damp 'slab' is moved into a vacuum press machine to compress the material
Implementation Method 4
The compressed material is then placed into a curing machine to be heated into a hardened quartz slab
Data Source
AI summary
A method for producing engineered stone slabs including steps of depositing a composite material onto a supporting structure; disrupting the composite material using a plurality of stirring devices attached to a shifting structure; depositing colorant in a predefined region in the composite material using a spray device to form a colored disrupted composite material; and using a first device to press, flatten and stretch the composite material into a slab after disrupting and depositing colorant. The step of disrupting may occur before, after, or during the step of depositing colorant. The step of disrupting the composite material or the step of depositing colorant may include causing the shifting structure to move along a width of the supporting structure. Prior to depositing the composite material onto the supporting structure, and after compressing the composite material, the composite material may be fragmented into a plurality of fragments of composite material.