A method for manufacturing a product in the form of a sheet or a block, including: preparing an initial mixture including one or more stones or a stone-like granular material having a selected particle size and a binder; depositing a layer of the initial mixture having a predetermined thickness onto a surface of a conveyor belt; performing prepressing and finally obtaining a roughly formed material; systematically depositing layers of initial mixtures onto surface of the conveyor belt in parallel, making each layer not superposed in a direction perpendicular to surface of the conveyor belt, but arranged in sequence in a direction of width of the conveyor belt to form a multi-component or composite mixture structure; conveyor belt conveys the multi-component or composite mixture into a rotated container or support member; after discharged from the rotated container or support member, a final mixture is conveyed to perform subsequent pre-compression and hardening.

A plant for manufacturing ceramic articles comprising two feeding devices, each of which is designed to contain a powder material of a respective type and to feed said powder material to a conveyor assembly; the plant further comprises an operating device which is designed to enable the output of the powder material selectively in the area of the feeding devices arranged successively and transversely to the feeding direction, and a control unit which controls the operating device depending on a desired reference distribution and how far the conveyor assembly feeds the powder material.

A method for realising ceramic slabs or tiles, comprising the following steps: laying a soft layer (SL) of granular or powder ceramic material on a support plane (P); pressing the soft layer (SL) in order to obtain a compacted layer (CL); firing the compacted layer (CL); prior to the pressing, applying an identification mark (M) onto the soft layer (SL), the identification mark (M) having an optical contrast with respect to the soft layer (SL), so as to enable an optical detection of the mark (M); subsequently to the pressing, acquiring an image of the mark (M); processing the image of the mark (M) detected so as to control one or more operating steps subsequent to the pressing.

A production device for manufacturing a product in the form of a sheet or a block, including: an initial agitator (1), a primary conveyor belt (2) and a mixing agitator (3); each of initial agitators (1) is configured with the primary conveyor belt (2), one or more stones or a stone-like granular material having a selected particle size and a binder are initially mixed in the initial agitator (1) and then an initial mixture is obtained; the mixing agitator (3) includes a rotating container for undertaking a material; the initial mixture is conveyed to the mixing agitator (3) through the primary conveyor belt (2); more than one initial agitator and matched primary conveyor belts thereof are disposed around the mixing agitator (3) at intervals.

Method for manufacturing automatically slabs of conglomerate stone and/or ceramic material with a veined effect from a base mix (M), which method comprises a step of a) depositing a layer of base mix (M) inside a temporary support (S), (b) automatically forming on the layer of base mix (M) at least one plurality of grooves (F) of predetermined width, c) automatically distributing at least one dye inside the grooves (F) and d) compacting the layer of base mix (F). The at least one dye consists of a colouring mix (C1, C2) comprising at least one binder. The invention also relates to a robot island (1) for forming veining in a layer of base mix (M) for the manufacture of slabs and an apparatus for manufacturing slabs with a veined effect.

This document describes systems and processes for forming improved synthetic molded slabs suitable for use in living or working spaces (e.g., along a countertop, table, floor, or the like).

A process for the realization of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, including the following phases of: supplying at least one base material of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules and/or flakes; supplying at least one additional material of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules and/or flakes, different from the base material; delivering the base material onto a supporting surface to obtain a slab to be compacted having an initial thickness; pressing the slab to be compacted to obtain a compacted slab having a final thickness. Following the delivery and before the pressing, the following phases of: suctioning a portion of the base material to obtain at least one through groove which crosses the initial thickness along a determined path; and applying the additional material inside the groove.

A method for manufacturing ceramic articles is described comprising a step of feeding, during which at least two different ceramic powders are fed so as to obtain a strip of ceramic powders having at least a first zone and at least a second zone having a given shape; a step of compacting, during which the strip of ceramic powders is compacted so as to obtain a compacted layer of ceramic powders, which is expanded relative to the strip of ceramic powders; a step of determination, during which expansion of the layer of powders is determined; and a step of printing, during which a decoration having a modified shape based on the given expansion is applied on the surface of the compacted layer of ceramic powders.

The present invention relates to a method and a system for producing slabs, tiles or sheets of artificial stone, with a wide vein effect, which comprise inorganic particles of different sizes and hardened binders, and which simulate the appearance that some types of natural stone have, as well as the slabs, tiles or sheets of artificial stone obtained by means of said method and system.

During the manufacture of slabs with a veined effect a liquid or powder colouring agent is deposited on the surface of a thin layer of starting mixture by means of at least one dispensing device and the resultant mixture is supplied, falling freely, from one end of an extractor belt forming the bottom of a mixture metering/distributor unit, following which the mixture is transferred, falling freely, onto a temporary moulding support. This results in the production of slabs provided with veining extending through the entire thickness of the slabs and also visible along the whole edge of the slab, even after it has been machined.