[0001] The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing ceramic products such
as dishes and/or crockery.
[0002] The known production process for manufacturing porcelain and vitreous china is currently
conventionally divided into two baking steps, the first one being termed biscuit baking
and the second one being termed glazing.
[0003] This known production process is essentially related to manual intervention for effecting
all transfers and movements of material. In fact, the term "manufactory", which is
used to describe the workplaces which use these production processes, derives from
this manual action.
[0004] The time required to obtain the finished products is also conditioned by the presence
of product baking kilns, which are conventionally tunnel type kilns.
[0005] The baking cycle can usually last from twenty to forty hours for each tunnel kiln
used, and such tunnel kilns, due to their extrinsic nature, have been found to be
scarcely suitable for the purpose of achieving an automated production process.
[0006] As well as the baking cycle or kiln-firing cycle, the product itself has a very long
factory transit cycle, since several treatments are required for manufacturing the
finished product.
[0007] In known production processes, the product has a factory transit cycle which, in
the best of cases, is approximately five days, and can rise to even longer time spans.
[0008] Furthermore, since processing is usually discontinued at weekends, further storage
of the product on trolleys is necessary.
[0009] This storage, besides implying considerable personnel requirements, also unavoidably
leads to a large number of rejected products due to the continuous handling of the
products.
[0010] The aim of the present invention is therefore to eliminate the disadvantages described
above in known types of processes and apparatuses for manufacturing ceramic products
by providing a process and an apparatus which, starting from a mix, allow to obtain
finished dishes and/or crockery in very modest times.
[0011] Within the scope of the above aim, an important object is to provide a process and
an apparatus for manufacturing ceramic products which preserve the products as much
as possible from manual interventions during the various treatment steps, thus reducing
production costs as well as the quantity of rejected products.
[0012] Another important object is to obtain a process and apparatus for manufacturing ceramic
products which associate with the preceding characteristics that of obtaining dishes
and/or crockery which, despite the contraction of the production cycle, have optimum
finishing characteristics which are typical of the longer known production processes.
[0013] According to one aspect of the invention this aim, these objects and others which
will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by a process for manufacturing ceramic
products, particularly for manufacturing crockery, characterized in that it comprises
the following steps:
a) forming a mixture for obtaining semiworked crockery items;
b) first dynamic storage of said semiworked items;
c) first automatic conveyance of said semiworked items according to a standardized
or preset flow;
d) drying and baking said semiworked items to obtain semi-finished crockery items;
e) second automatic conveyance of said semi-finished crockery items according to a
preset flow;
f) third automatic conveyance of said semi-finished crockery items;
g) enamelling and/or glazing of said semi-finished crockery items to obtain finished
crockery; and
h) unloading said finished crockery.
[0014] According to another aspect of the invention, this aim, these objects and others
which will become apparent hereinafter are achieved by an apparatus for manufacturing
ceramic products, particularly for manufacturing crockery, characterized in that it
comprises:
a) means for forming a mixture for obtaining semiworked dishes and/or crockery;
b) first dynamic storage means for storing said semiworked items;
c) first automatic conveyance means for transporting said semiworked items according
to a standardized or preset flow;
d) means for drying and baking said semiworked items to obtain semi-finished dishes
and/or crockery;
e) second automatic conveyance means for transporting said semi-finished items according
to a preset flow;
f) third automatic conveyance means for transporting said semi-finished items;
g) means for enamelling and/or glazing said semi-finished items to obtain finished
crockery items, and;
h) unloading means for automatically unloading said finished crockery items.
[0015] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from
the detailed description of a particular but not exclusive embodiment, illustrated
only by way of non-limitative example in the accompanying drawings, wherein figure
1 is a schematic view of a preferred embodiment of the apparatus, with reference to
the sequential nature of the process.
[0016] With reference to the above-cited drawing figure, the process for manufacturing ceramic
products such as dishes and/or crockery comprises a mix forming step.
[0017] One or more forming units, indicated by the numeral 1, may thus be provided; said
forming units unload the semiworked dish and/or crockery item directly at one or more
adjacent drying kilns, indicated by the numeral 2.
[0018] Advantageously, one or more finishing units, indicated by the numeral 3, may be provided
at the output of said one or more drying kilns 2; said finishing units, or the drying
kilns themselves, unload the semiworked dishes and/or crockery at first conveyor belts,
indicated by the numeral 4.
[0019] Isostatic presses may be provided as an alternative to the forming units and are
also arranged downstream of the finishing units.
[0020] The semiworked dishes and/or crockery items then undergo a first dynamic storage
at one or more adapted rotating storage units 5 which are interposed at the first
conveyor belts 4.
[0021] Said rotating storage units 5 can be for example constituted by a lifting unit, which
removes each semiworked dish and/or crockery item and returns each individual product,
according to preset timings, onto the first conveyor belts 4 for the subsequent treatments.
[0022] The process in fact provides a first automatic conveyance of the semiworked products
at a first conveyor 6, to which the various first conveyor belts 4, connected to the
drying kilns 3, converge.
[0023] The first conveyor 6 then allows to pass the dishes and/or crockery items to the
subsequent step of the process according to a standardized or preset flow by virtue
of the presence of the rotating storage units 5.
[0024] The process in fact subsequently provides the drying and baking of the semiworked
items at a first kiln 7 of the single-layer roller type.
[0025] Advantageously, the first conveyor 6 can have one or more working levels, i.e. it
can convey along preferential channels the dishes and/or crockery items removed from
the various drying kilns, depositing said dishes and/or crockery items at devices
for introducing them into the first kiln 7 which are also arranged along different
levels.
[0026] The first kiln 7 is thus advantageously a single-layer roller baking kiln which is
capable of ensuring the characteristics and the quality required by the material to
be produced.
[0027] Semi-finished dishes and/or crockery items are obtained at the output from the first
kiln 7; the process then provides a second automatic conveyance of said semi-finished
dishes and/or crockery items by means of a second conveyor 8 at which the nature of
the dish is initially detected by reading its dimensions; said reading action is performed
in a first station 9.
[0028] This also allows to identify possible breakages of individual dishes and/or crockery
items, thus allowing their possible elimination from the production cycle.
[0029] The arrangement of the semi-finished dishes and/or crockery items according to a
preset sequence is subsequently also possibly checked by using adapted sorting units
10, the function whereof is to remove the individual dishes and/or crockery items
from the second conveyor 8, returning them to it according to a required sequence.
[0030] After the sorting units 10, the process optionally provides one or more second stations
11 adapted for spacing, according to a preset pitch, the individual dishes and/or
crockery items prior to their conveyance at one or more buffer storage units 12.
[0031] Said buffer storage units allow to perform a temporary storage of the product prior
to the subsequent treatment steps.
[0032] Conveniently, one or more third stations 13 for the removal of the broken dishes
and/or crockery items or for the adjustment of the flow thereof may be provided at
the terminal end of the second conveyor 8.
[0033] The process then provides a third automatic conveyance of the semi-finished dishes
and/or crockery items, by means of one or more third conveyors 14, to one or more
glazing units 15 and subsequently to a second kiln 16 in which the glaze applied on
the dishes and/or crockery items is baked.
[0034] Finished products are thus obtained and are conveyed at second conveyor belts 17
which in turn convey the finished dishes and crockery items to a fourth station 18
in which a quality control is performed thereon.
[0035] It has thus been observed that the process has achieved the intended aim and objects,
a continuous cycle having been provided in all the production steps starting from
the mixing step up to the product quality control step.
[0036] The use of the conveyors and of the conveyor belts in fact allows optimum and immediate
linkage between the various units which perform the steps of the process without performing
any manual intervention and thus optimizing work times.
[0037] This process has been found to allow an overall transit time (starting from the mixing
up to the finished product quality control) of approximately five hours without manual
operations except for the indicated checks and selection.
[0038] The process is naturally susceptible to numerous modifications and variations, all
of which are within the scope of the same inventive concept.
[0039] The individual machines used may also be the most appropriate according to the specific
requirements.
[0040] Thus, for example, the first kiln 7 and the second conveyor 8 can have multiple levels
for the conveyance of the dishes and/or crockery items in order to allow the processing
of a plurality of varieties of dishes and/or crockery items, temporarily storing one
or more thereof at the buffer storage units 12.
[0041] Furthermore, the presence of the sorting units 10 can also allow to select one or
more types of dishes and/or crockery items in output from the first kiln 7 and to
send one or more thereof directly to the buffer storage units 12 or to the glazers
15.
[0042] Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs,
those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility
of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect
on the scope of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.
1. Process for manufacturing ceramic products, characterized in that it comprises the
following steps:
a) forming a mixture for obtaining semiworked crockery items;
b) first dynamic storage of said semiworked items;
c) first automatic conveyance of said semiworked items according to a standardized
or preset flow;
d) baking of said semiworked items to obtain semi-finished crockery items;
e) second automatic conveyance of said semi-finished crockery items according to a
preset flow;
f) third automatic conveyance of said semi-finished crockery items;
g) enamelling and/or glazing of said semi-finished crockery items to obtain finished
crockery; and
h) unloading said finished crockery.
2. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said second automatic conveyance
of said semi-finished crockery items according to a preset flow is followed by the
subsequent steps of;
verification of the integrity of said semi-finished crockery; and
arranging the semi-finished crockery according to a required sequence.
3. Process according to claim 1, characterized in that said enamelling and/or glazing
of said semi-finished crockery for the obtainment of finished crockery is subsequently
followed by a finished-product baking step and a quality control step.
4. Process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said
forming step comprises the shaping and a first drying of a mix for the obtainment
of said semi-finished crockery items, said crockery being subsequently subjected to
a finishing treatment at one or more adjacent drying kilns.
5. Apparatus for manufacturing ceramic products, particularly for manufacturing crockery,
characterized in that it comprises:
a) means for forming a mixture for obtaining semiworked dishes and/or crockery;
b) first dynamic storage means for storing said semiworked items;
c) first automatic conveyance means for transporting said semiworked items according
to a standardized or preset flow;
d) means for drying and baking said semiworked items to obtain semi-finished dishes
and/or crockery;
e) second automatic conveyance means for transporting said semi-finished items according
to a preset flow;
f) third automatic conveyance means for transporting said semi-finished items;
g) means for enamelling and/or glazing said semi-finished items to obtain finished
crockery items; and
h) unloading means for automatically unloading said finished crockery items.
6. Apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises at least one shaping
machine, constituted by at least one forming unit which directly conveys said semi-finished
crockery items to at least one adjacent drying kiln, and means for conveying said
crockery items from said drying kiln to at least one finishing unit.
7. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5, 6, characterized in that said forming
unit comprises at least one isostatic press having means for directly conveying said
semi-finished crockery to one or more adjacent finishing units.
8. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-7, characterized in that at the output
from said finishing units, which are sequential with respect to said forming units,
said semiworked dishes and/or crockery items are unloaded at first conveyor belts.
9. Apparatus according to one of more of claims 5-8, characterized in that said semiworked
dishes and/or crockery items are subjected to a first dynamic storage at one or more
adapted rotating storage units which are interposed at said first conveyor belts.
10. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-9, characterized in that said rotating
storage units are constituted by a lifting unit, which removes each semiworked dish
and/or crockery item and returns, according to preset times or sequences, each individual
product onto said first conveyor belts for subsequent treatments.
11. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-10, characterized in that said first
automatic conveyance of said semiworked items according to a standardized preset flow
occurs by means of a first conveyor which has one or more working levels suitable
for conveying along preferential channels said dishes and/or crockery items removed
from said finishing units, depositing said dishes and/or crockery items at adapted
feeding devices for the subsequent baking step.
12. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-11, characterized in that said baking
of said semiworked items occurs at an adapted first single-layer roller kiln which
operates on one or more work levels arranged approximately parallel to one another,
said work levels being equal or different in number with respect to said preferential
channels of said first conveyor.
13. Apparatus according one or more of claims 5-12, characterized in that said first kiln
is constituted by a single-layer roller baking kiln for obtaining semi-finished dishes
and/or crockery.
14. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-13, characterized in that said second
automatic conveyance of said dishes and/or crockery occurs by means of a second conveyor
which removes said dishes and/or crockery items from said first kiln, conveying them
to a first station at which the nature of the dish is read.
15. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-14, characterized in that possible
breakages of individual dishes and/or crockery items are identified at said first
station, said dishes and/or crockery items being possibly eliminated from the production
cycle.
16. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-15, characterized in that the arrangement
of said semi-finished dishes and/or crockery items according to a preset sequence
is checked at said first station by using adapted sorting units which remove from
said second conveyor said individual dishes and/or crockery items, returning them
therein according to a required sequence.
17. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-16, characterized in that one or more
second stations are present after said sorting units and are suitable for spacing,
according to a preset pitch, said individual dishes and/or crockery items prior to
their conveyance at one or more adapted buffer storage units which are suitable for
allowing a temporary storage of the product prior to the subsequent processing steps.
18. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-17, characterized in that one or more
third stations for the removal of said broken dishes and/or crockery items or for
the adjustment of the flow thereof are present at the terminal end of said second
conveyor.
19. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-18, characterized in that said third
automatic conveyance of said semi-finished dishes and/or crockery items occurs by
means of one or more third conveyors which send said dishes and/or crockery items
to one or more glazers and subsequently to a second kiln, in which the baking of the
enamel occurs, in order to obtain said finished dishes and/or crockery items.
20. Apparatus according to one or more of claims 5-19, characterized in that said finished
products are conveyed at second conveyor belts which in turn convey said finished
dishes and/or crockery at a fourth station in which a quality control is performed
thereon.