GENERAL VIEW ON PROCESSING METHODS

The processing of ornamental rocks into dimension stones means the unfolding of raw materials extracted from the quarries, in form of blocks or in some cases (quartzites and slates) as plates. The blocks, usually in variable dimensions from 5 to 10 cubic meters, are mainly processed through sawing into plates(cutting process), by use of looms and block chiseling machines, for further finishing and square-sawing to its final dimension.

The looms are better usable for the larger blocks, producing plates with thickness of 2 cm and 3 cm. The chiseling machines are indicated for smaller blocks or formless ones (those antieconomical if using the loom), in order to produce plates and straps with 1 cm of thickness or pieces over 3 cm (thickeners).

The sawing by loom is executed through a frame fixed by parallel steel blades, that develop rectilinear, pendular or curved-rectilinear-curved movements over the load. As for the chiseling machines, sawing is performed by diamond disks with assorted diameters and conventional capacity for cuts up to 1,20 m.