The potential of stone processing in everyday product design.
Continuing the research Marmomac has launched over the years into the potential of machinery in stone processing, the Virtuous Machines exhibition within the scope of The Italian Stone Theatre project highlighted eight installations involving domestic objects (lamps, furnishing accessories, chairs and tables). Designed by the curator, Raffaello Galiotto, these objects emphasised the production and technical skills of companies in the supply, processing and technology areas embraced by the project to demonstrate the potential of stone material for commercial products.
Among these, Alveo, Cardo and Volant (table centrepieces, vases and plates) are fine examples of the levels of perfection attainable with numerical control machinery in highlighting features of the material such as preciousness, refinement and uniqueness even on a small scale. The modelled and organic impact of the Alveo centrepiece was achieved by working a Verde Picasso marble from Ca ‘d’Oro with a diamond-tipped disc. The geometrical rigidity of the circular disk is transformed into sinuous, perforated surfaces of variable thicknesses thanks to the undulating, inclined and overlapping machining path, culminating in a finely processed surface requiring no subsequent manual intervention. Processing was performed by Industrie Montanari thanks to DDX parametric software and ADI tools.
The pointed cusps on the Cardo collection of vases are produced by milling over crossed paths using a 60 mm diameter spherical diamond tool. After roughing out the block of Bianco Carrara marble, the machine (Denver, Digma tools) runs the tool along three-dimensional paths to produce a complex, polished and cusp-shaped surface. As regards external machining, the internal cavities are also produced by milling that does not require manual finishing.
The entire process of material removal and production of the decorative elements on the edge of the for the Volant series table centrepieces is performed by a disk cutter. Diamond discs having different grain and diameter dimensions initially removed material with a roughing out operation and then brush-finished the surface to enhance the colours of Azul Macaubas natural stone.
Each element is processed on the upper side until finished and then tipped over and worked underneath to complete the entire production cycle implemented by Gmm with Licom Systems and Alphacam software, Tyrolit Vincent tools and the partnership of Atipico.
