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Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2022-09-28 Origin: Site
We all want the most amazing solutions for our homes. But, if you’ve been looking for a new material to add to your business’s collection, sintered stone might just be ideal.
Sintered stone is a blend of raw minerals that are effectively compressed and heated (known as sintering), forming a solid mass. The main benefits of sintered stone are its exceptional durability and resistance to being burned, stained, etched, or scratched. Sintered stone can also be used for many different applications; but, on the whole, it is primarily often used as worktops or hard surfaces due to its resistant and long-lasting nature compared to some other stone types.
Ever wondered how sintered stone materials are made? If so, the following steps outline the process relatively well.
Manufacturing sintered stone isn’t a brief process. This manufacturing line begins with the blend of premium raw stone materials, which go through a rigorous quality check to ensure they are fit for the sintering process. Only the highest quality raw materials are selected by teams like ours, who pride ourselves on delivering premium solutions.
Next, these raw materials go through a process known as ball milling, which grinds them down into an extremely fine powder. This is then sieved to remove any traces of iron that could cause impurities during the heating stage of the sintering process. The remaining material, referred to as a “slurry,” is then filtered to ensure that all impurities have been removed successfully before drying. This removes any residual moisture left in the remaining material. Once dried, the manufacturer can store the material until it’s needed.
Assembling the stone begins with pressing the stone powder at an immense pressure of around 30,000 tons, forming a solid mass. The surface is then inspected for evenness, and thickness checks can be made to ensure that the panel is suitable. After this stage, a 5-channel horizontal roller dryer removes any remaining moisture from the mixture.
The next stage is the glazing department. Typically, if glazes are required, brands apply them in the form of a spray. Sometimes, patterns can also be created using 3-D printed designs or templates. Once the glaze has been applied, the surface is heated gently to dry the glaze, so it does not run or get damaged during transport to the next production stages.
Next is the heating process. During this stage, the stone surface is heated in a kiln at extremely high temperatures. This process helps to consolidate the stone and finalize the glaze pattern. This melts the glass particles within the glaze to produce a bright and vibrant finish, as per the specification.
The final stages of production are within the polishing department. Once the surface has been left to cool down, a wax or gloss finish is usually applied. This brings out a smooth and shiny finish to the stone, which helps to give it its smooth and sleek qualities.
Finally, the stone will go through a quality assurance check and can then be cut to the required size. Often the standard size of the stone slabs is 900x1800mm which can easily be stored or transported.
Overall, sintered stone can provide myriad potential benefits for your business. However, the sintering process can take a while to create the desired finish; nevertheless, the results often provide excellent results. Moreover, the stone surfaces will last many years due to their hard-wearing, impenetrable and resistant finish.
Ready to learn more about sintered stone? Contact our friendly expert team at ivy@fspowell.com for further support!