Ceramic And Stone Slab Through-Vein Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment fails to produce slabs with through veins that span the entire thickness, particularly in applications like countertops, and results in uneven deposition of materials leading to blurred vein color intensity.
Innovation Solution
A process and equipment that allows for the direct injection of additional materials within the slab to define veins, using movable tools to mix and deposit materials of varying types and colors, ensuring even distribution and continuous vein patterns across multiple surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If layers of different types of material are deposited inside the hopper on the supporting surface in succession, then the veined effect is achieved, but the veins are longitudinal and do not cross the entire thickness of the slab
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of depositing material layers horizontally on the supporting surface to create veins, the invention inverts the approach by injecting material vertically into the slab thickness through nozzles. This inversion transforms the deposition direction from horizontal layering to vertical injection, enabling through-veins that cross the entire slab thickness rather than remaining longitudinal.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary injection system with nozzles that penetrate into the slab to deposit material directly within the thickness. This intermediary mechanism bridges the gap between the supporting surface and the hopper system, allowing vein material to be placed continuously through the slab interior rather than being deposited as surface layers.
2Manufacturing precision
If material layers are deposited through the hopper, then veins are formed, but friction on the walls causes uneven deposition and blurred color intensity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the vein material deposition from the hopper system entirely, eliminating the harmful friction effect. By removing the material injection process from the hopper environment, the source of friction-induced uneven deposition is eliminated, allowing for sharp, uniform color intensity in the resulting veins.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using the hopper to deposit material layers that create veins, the invention copies the vein creation function through a separate injection system. The nozzles replicate the vein-forming capability directly within the slab, bypassing the hopper's friction-prone deposition mechanism entirely.
3Productivity
If a hopper running the full width of the slab is used to deposit base material, then the slab is formed, but longitudinal veins are obtained instead of through veins
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the vein creation process from the general material deposition function. While the hopper continues to deposit base material for slab formation, a separate segmented injection system with multiple nozzles is introduced to create veins. This segmentation allows simultaneous slab production and precise vein formation without compromising either productivity or vein accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention adds a vertical dimension to vein creation by injecting material through the slab thickness, rather than creating veins through horizontal layering. This dimensional change from 2D surface deposition to 3D volumetric injection enables through-veins while maintaining the efficiency of full-width hopper deposition for base material.
Data Source
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AI summary
The process for making slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material, comprises the following phases of: - supply of at least one base material (B) of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules and/or flakes; - supply of at least one additional material (A) of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules and/or flakes, different from the base material (B); - delivery of the base material (B) over a supporting surface (3) to obtain a slab to be compacted (L) having an initial thickness (S1); - pressing of the slab to be compacted (L) to obtain a compacted slab (C) having a final thickness (S2); and comprises, subsequently to the delivery and prior to the pressing, the following phases of: - direct application of the additional material (A) within the slab to be compacted (L) to define at least one vein (20) having a color and/or type different from the base material (B); the pressing affecting both the base material (B) and the additional material (A) so applied.