US 12,251,853 B2
Method and plant for manufacturing ceramic products
Gildo Bosi, Imola (IT); Stefano Scardovi, Imola (IT); and Claudio Ricci, Imola (IT)
Assigned to SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA SOCIETA' COOPERATIVA, Imola (IT)
Appl. No. 17/251,648
Filed by SACMI COOPERATIVA MECCANICI IMOLA SOCIETA' COOPERATIVA, Imola (IT)
PCT Filed Jun. 26, 2019, PCT No. PCT/IB2019/055407
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 11, 2020,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/003163, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 10201800000678 (IT), filed on Jun. 26, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0276221 A1, Sep. 9, 2021
Int. Cl. B28B 5/02 (2006.01); B28B 1/00 (2006.01); B28B 11/00 (2006.01); B28B 11/04 (2006.01); B28B 13/02 (2006.01); B28B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC B28B 17/0081 (2013.01) [B28B 1/005 (2013.01); B28B 5/027 (2013.01); B28B 11/001 (2013.01); B28B 11/048 (2013.01); B28B 13/022 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for manufacturing ceramic articles comprising:
a step of feeding, during which at least two different ceramic powders are fed so as to obtain a strip of ceramic powders extending along a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and having at least a first zone and at least a second zone, which have different contents of said ceramic powders; the 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 in the longitudinal direction and/or in the transverse direction relative to the strip of ceramic powders;
a step of determination, during which a first value of expansion of the compacted layer of ceramic powders in the longitudinal direction and/or a second value of expansion in the transverse direction are determined;
a step of transformation, executed by a control unit, during which the given shape is transformed based on the first expansion value and/or the second expansion value so as to obtain a derived shape; and
a step of printing, during which a decoration is applied by a printing device and by the application of an ink on the surface of the compacted layer of ceramic powders,
wherein the step of printing is performed subsequent to the step of compacting,
wherein during the step of printing, the printing device is controlled by the control unit so that the decoration is applied based on the derived shape,
wherein the compacted layer expands relative to the strip both in the longitudinal direction and in the transverse direction, and
wherein the compacted layer comprises at least one first expanded zone and at least one second expanded zone.