WO2021064627A1

WO2021064627A1 - Process and equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material

Info

Publication number: WO2021064627A1
Application number: PCT/IB2020/059198
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fabio TAROZZI
Original assignee: Siti - B&T Group S.P.A.
Priority date: 2019-10-03
Filing date: 2020-10-01
Publication date: 2021-04-08

Abstract

The process for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, comprising the phases of: - supplying of at least one basic material (B) of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules and/or flakes; - supplying of at least one additional material (A) other than the basic material (B); - dispensing of the basic material (B) on a supporting surface (3) to obtain a slab to be compacted (5); - pressing of the slab to be compacted (5) to obtain a compacted slab (12); where the additional material (A) is of the electrically conductive type and where it comprises, after the dispensing and before the pressing, the following phases: - definition of at least one groove (14) on the slab to be compacted (5), the groove (14) passing through at least one portion of the thickness of the slab to be compacted (5) and extending along a given path (15); - application of the additional material (A) inside the groove (14) to define at least one vein (19) of a color and/or type other than the basic material (B), the application comprising at least the sub-phases of: - electrostatic charging of the additional material (A); - spraying of the electro-statically charged additional material (A); - distribution of the additional material (A) sprayed inside the groove (14); the pressing involving both the basic material (B) and the additional material (A) so applied.

Description

PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF SLABS OF CERAMIC AND/OR STONE MATERIAL

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a process and equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material.

Background Art

In order to manufacture slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, a basic material that may have a different nature is intended to be deposited on a supporting surface.

The basic material may consist of a ceramic material or a mixture of minerals in granular form (e.g., marble, granite, glass, mirror fragments, and/or others) as well as quartz powder and resins that act as binders.

By depositing the basic material on the supporting surface a slab to be compacted is obtained, which is then subjected to a subsequent pressing phase after which a compacted slab is obtained.

Depending on the type of basic material used, further phases are subsequently carried out, such as e.g. firing and subsequent cooling, so as to obtain a product with high mechanical and chemical properties.

In order to obtain slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, it is necessary to use a piece of equipment that comprises a supporting surface, dispensing means of the basic material on the supporting surface in order to obtain the slab to be compacted and pressing means for pressing the slab to be compacted thus obtained.

As the technician in the sector knows, depending on the type of basic material used and depending on the characteristics of the slab to be obtained, both the manufacturing process of the slab and the equipment used to carry out the process itself may change.

In this regard it is emphasized that today the market requires more and more special aesthetic effects, such as e.g. the reproduction of natural stones, such as marble or granite.

The above mentioned natural stones are characterized by the presence of strips of different color with respect to the basic material, commonly known as “veins”, with a wavy pattern and crossing the entire thickness of the relevant slab.

A piece of equipment of known type used for the realization of veins in the slabs of ceramic and/or stone material comprises the use of a hopper that extends by the whole width of the slab to be manufactured and inside which the basic material to be deposited on the supporting surface is loaded.

The hopper and the supporting surface are mutually moved, in order to facilitate the deposition of the basic material to obtain the slab to be compacted.

In order to obtain a “veined” effect, layers of different types of material are deposited inside the hopper, which are deposited in succession on the supporting surface.

The equipment and process described above do, however, have some drawbacks.

In particular, the slabs obtained this way poorly reproduce the appearance of natural stones and, specifically, have “longitudinal” veins, i.e. not crossing the entire thickness of the slabs obtained.

This drawback prevents obtaining what is commonly known as the “through vein” which is present in natural stones and which is visible in the case of slabs having two surfaces orthogonal to each other, as in the case of tops for kitchens, bathrooms or other similar applications.

Basically, the process and the equipment of known type do not allow obtaining slabs provided with substantially continuous veins along two orthogonal surfaces.

Additionally, due to friction of the basic material along the walls of the hopper, the basic material itself is not evenly distributed on the supporting surface, thus resulting in slabs provided with uneven veins in terms of color intensity. Description of the Invention

The main aim of the present invention is to devise a process and equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material that allows obtaining slabs that reproduce, in the most similar way possible, the slabs made of natural material.

Within this aim, a further object of the present invention is to devise a process and equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material that allows obtaining veins of the through type in a simple and reliable manner. Another object of the present invention is to manufacture slabs of ceramic and/or stone material having aesthetic variations characterized by colors and/or designs that cannot be obtained using the above mentioned natural materials, thus allowing obtaining a particularly versatile and customizable production. Another object of the present invention is to allow the reproducibility of the aesthetic effects obtained.

Another object of the present invention is to devise a process and equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material that allows overcoming the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art in a simple, rational, easy, effective to use and low cost solution.

The above mentioned objects are achieved by the present process for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material according to claim 1.

The above mentioned objects are also achieved by the present equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material according to claim 9.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be more evident from the description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a process for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, as well as a piece of equipment for its implementation, illustrated by way of an indicative, but non-limiting example in the attached tables of drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic and partial representation of a piece of equipment for the execution of the process according to the invention during the dispensing phase of the basic material;

Figure 2 is a schematic and partial representation of a piece of equipment for the execution of the process according to the invention during the definition phase of a groove; Figure 3 is a magnification of a detail of the equipment in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a schematic and partial representation of a piece of equipment for the execution of the process according to the invention during the application phase of an additional material in a first embodiment;

Figure 5 is a schematic, partial and partly magnified representation of a piece of equipment for the execution of the process according to the invention during the definition phase of at least one groove and the application phase of an additional material in a second embodiment;

Figure 6 is a schematic and partial representation of a piece of equipment for the execution of the process according to the invention during the movement phase of the additional material;

Figure 7 is a magnification of a detail of the equipment in Figure 6. Embodiments of the Invention

With particular reference to these figures, reference numeral 1 globally indicates a piece of equipment for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material.

The equipment 1 comprises at least one base frame 2 and at least one supporting surface 3 associated with the base frame 2.

In the particular embodiments shown in the figures, the supporting surface 3 is of the type of a conveyor belt movable along a substantially horizontal direction of forward movement.

Alternative embodiments cannot however be ruled out wherein the supporting surface 3 has a different shape; for example, the supporting surface 3 may be of the type of a fixed supporting surface or of a mold.

The equipment 1 also comprises dispensing means 4 of at least one basic material B on the supporting surface 3 to obtain a slab to be compacted 5. Preferably, the dispensing means 4 comprise at least one hopper 6 provided with a loading port 7, through which the basic material B is fed into the hopper 6, and an outlet port 8, located on top of the supporting surface 3, which allows dispensing the basic material B onto the supporting surface 3.

The basic material B collected inside the hopper 6 may fall by gravity on the supporting surface 3 or a dispensing device (not shown in the figures) may be provided, which is arranged inside the hopper 6 and adapted to dispense the basic material B on the supporting surface 3.

In turn, the hopper 6 may be fed by one or more extractor belts (not visible in the figures) adapted to extract the various materials to be introduced into the hopper itself.

The basic material B can be of the ceramic type, in the form of atomized, grains or flakes, and/or stone type (such as marble, granite, minerals or other natural stones) in the form of powder and/or granulate and/or flakes and mixed with a cement or resin binder.

The basic material B may be made from a single type of material, or from a plurality of primary materials of different types and/or having different colors. The basic material B contained inside the hopper 6 can therefore have a substantially even grain size and coloring, or it can be composed of a plurality of materials which are different from each other, by type and/or coloring, mixed together or superimposed to define a plurality of layers.

The slabs to be compacted 5 obtained can therefore be of the ceramic type, therefore intended to be subjected to a firing process, or of the type of mineral grit slabs (also called quartz slabs), intended to be subjected to a vacuum vibro- compression process.

The characteristics of the materials with which the slabs to be compacted 5 could be made, in any case, do not constitute, in any way, a limitation to the purposes of the present invention.

The slab to be compacted 5 is provided with a first face 9, positioned resting on the supporting surface 3 and corresponding to the visible face of the finished slab, and with a second face 10, facing upwards and corresponding to the laying face of the finished slab.

The equipment 1 comprises pressing means 11 of the slab to be compacted 5 to obtain a compacted slab 12, having a lower thickness than the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5.

In the figures the pressing means 11 are represented in a schematic way and comprise a pad, adapted to exert a force of predefined intensity and which acts perpendicularly to the slab to be compacted 5, and a counteracting element.

The pressing means 11 may vary constructively according to the type of material used and are of the type known to the technician in the sector.

The pressing means 11 can be of the dynamic type (in particular if the material used is of the ceramic type), i.e. they can comprise a pair of tapes adapted to contact the opposite faces of the slab to be compacted 5 during its forward movement, where one of these tapes acts as a pad and the other as a counteracting element, or they can be of the static type, i.e. the pad exerts the pressing force on the slab to be compacted when this is stationary.

According to the invention, the equipment 1 comprises means for the definition 13 of at least one groove 14 on the slab to be compacted 5.

The means for the definition 13 of the groove 14 are arranged upstream of the pressing means 11 with respect to the direction of forward movement of the slab to be compacted 5.

The groove 14 passes through at least one portion of the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5 and extends along a given path 15.

More particularly, the groove 14 can therefore only pass through a portion of the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5 or, alternatively, it can pass through its inner thickness.

The path 15 can be predefined or random.

Conveniently, the means for the definition 13 comprise at least one working tool 16 movable along the path 15, i.e. along a plane substantially parallel to the supporting surface 3.

Furthermore, the working tool 16 is movable along a direction of approach/removal from the supporting surface 3.

In particular, the working tool 16 is brought closer to the slab to be compacted 5, contacts the second face 10 and progressively crosses the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5 moving towards the first face 9.

The amount of displacement by approaching the first face 9 is therefore variable depending on the depth the groove 14 is given. Once the desired depth has been reached, the working tool 16 is moved along the path 15 so as to define the groove 14.

The working tool 16 may be adapted to displace the basic material B laterally as a result of the passage thereof or, as shown in Figure 3, it may comprise a suction port 17 of the basic material B from the slab to be compacted 5. Depending on the size and shape of the suction port 17, the amount of basic material B sucked in varies and, consequently, the size of the groove 14 made also varies.

Alternative embodiments, not shown in the figures, cannot however be ruled out wherein the working tool 16 is of a different type.

According to the invention, the equipment 1 comprises means for the application 18 of at least one additional material A inside the groove 14 to define at least one vein 19 of color and/or type other than the basic material B. The additional material A is different from the basic material B and is of the electrically conductive type.

The means for the application 18 comprise at least one working device 20 movable along the path 15 and adapted to: electro-statically charge the additional material A; spray the electro-statically-charged additional material A; distribute the additional material A sprayed inside the groove 14. Preferably, the additional material A has a solid nature, specifically powdery, and comprises an agglomerate of powders having particularly high electrical conductivity which powders give the additional material A high ability to be crossed by the electric current when immersed in an electric field.

The additional material A, e.g., comprises organic and/or inorganic pigments. The means for the application 18 comprise a vessel 26 for collecting the additional material A which vessel is operationally connected to the working device 20.

Conveniently, the means for the application 18 comprise dosing means of the additional material A.

More specifically, the dosing means are adapted to adjust the entry of the additional material A inside the vessel 26.

The additional material A may consist of a powder mixture whose composition may vary depending on the aesthetic effect to be given to the veins 19 and whose quantity may vary depending on the size and number of the veins themselves to be created on the slab to be compacted 5.

For this reason, the amount and nature of the additional material A must be modified depending on the production requirements by using the dosing means that adjust the amount of additional material A sent to the means for the application 18 and that modify the mixture of powders composing the additional material A.

The dosing means, which are not shown in the figures, comprise, e.g., an auger that is adapted to dose the additional material A and to send it to the means for the application 18.

Alternative embodiments are however provided wherein the dosing means are of a different type and comprise, e.g., a dosing valve or an extractor belt.

The working device 20 generates an electric field that passes through the additional material A and charges it electro-statically.

The working device 20 then sprays the additional material A charged this way and directs it inside the groove 14, filling it and thus creating the vein 19.

In particular, the additional material A, thanks to the electrostatic charging process to which it is subjected, adheres to the walls of the groove 14 by electro deposition.

In addition, the spraying process of the additional material A allows obtaining an even dispersion of the additional material A inside the groove 14 and allows obtaining a vein 19 wherein the color distribution is shaded.

Conveniently, the working device 20 is of the type of an electrostatic gun.

The electrostatic gun comprises a conductive channel inside which an electric field is generated.

The additional material A passes through the conductive channel and charges itself electrically; it is then pressurized and sent to a dispensing nozzle with which the electrostatic gun is provided. The inclination of the dispensing nozzle is variable so as to change the appearance of the vein 19.

The charged and sprayed additional material A flows out of the dispensing nozzle and is directed towards the groove 14. Advantageously, the working tool 16 and the working device 20 are moved along the path 15 in a substantially synchronized manner.

In other words, while the working tool 16 defines the groove 14, by displacing or sucking the basic material B from the slab to be compacted 5, the following working device 20 simultaneously dispenses the additional material A into the groove 14 defined this way.

The dispensing of the additional material A occurs immediately after the definition of the groove 14, to prevent the basic material B that delimits the groove itself laterally, from falling into it.

Conveniently, the working device 20 is arranged after the working tool 16 in relation to their direction of forward movement along the path 15, i.e. the device 20 follows the tool 16.

Advantageously, the equipment 1 comprises movement means 21,22 of at least one of either the working tool 16 or the working device 20 along the path 15.

In the particular embodiments shown in the figures, the movement means 21,22 comprise first movement means 21 of the working tool 16 along the path 15 and second movement means 22 of the working device 20 along the path 15.

The first and second movement means 21,22 are, e.g., of the type of an articulated arm provided with at least three degrees of freedom, or of the type e.g. of an anthropomorphic robot as shown in the embodiment shown in Figure 5.

Conveniently, the equipment 1 comprises displacement means 27 of the movement means 21,22 along at least one predefined direction of displacement. The displacement means 27 move both the first movement means 21 and the second movement means 22 along the direction of displacement substantially parallel to the direction of forward movement of the slab to be compacted 5.

This way, the means for the definition 13 and the means for the application 18 can be used, respectively, to make grooves 14 and veins 19 on the slabs to be compacted 5 different from each other and arranged in succession along the supporting surface 3.

In the embodiment of Figure 5 the displacement means 27 are of the type of a bridge crane with which the movement means 21,22 of the working tool 16 and of the working device 20 are associated in suspension.

The movement means 21,22 are of the type of an anthropomorphic robot. Precisely, the first movement means 21 move the working tool 16 along the path 15 and, at the same time, the second movement means 22 move the working device 20 along the path 15, which fills the groove 14 with the additional material A.

The bridge crane, if necessary, moves the anthropomorphic robot along the direction of displacement, thus allowing the realization of veins 19 distributed on different slabs to be compacted 5 positioned in succession on the supporting surface 3.

Preferably, the equipment 1 also comprises at least one auxiliary tool 23 movable at least in the direction of approach/removal from the supporting surface 3 to penetrate inside the slab to be compacted 5 and movable with respect to the supporting surface itself to drag the additional material A through the basic material B.

The auxiliary tool 23 is therefore adapted to mix, through the movement thereof, the basic material B and the additional material A with each other in order to create special aesthetic effects, e.g. by obtaining an irregular and/or shaded appearance of the vein 19 defined by the additional material A deposited inside the groove 14.

More in detail, the auxiliary tool 23 has an end adapted to penetrate inside the slab to be compacted 5 and provided with a plurality of flanges 23a separate from each other. The flanges 23a may have different conformation, e.g. they may have a pointed, flattened, rounded, or similar shape, and may have different stiffness, so as to vary the way the material is dragged as a result of the impact therewith. In the example embodiments shown in Figures 6 and 7, the flanges 23a of the auxiliary tool 23 are angularly spaced apart from each other.

The auxiliary tool 23 can be advantageously moved with respect to the slab to be compacted 5 along the path 15. In addition, the equipment 1 comprises a supporting structure 24, supporting the auxiliary tool 23 and movable along a working direction. The auxiliary tool 23 is in turn movable with respect to the supporting structure 24 when approaching or moving away from the supporting surface 3 and along a plane that is substantially parallel to the supporting surface itself. Conveniently, the auxiliary tool 23 can move substantially simultaneously with the working tool 16 and the working device 20. The movement of the tools 16, 20 and 23 along the path 15 is therefore synchronized.

Advantageously, the equipment 1 comprises leveling means 25 of the slab to be compacted 5 adapted to smooth the basic material B and the additional material A applied inside the groove 14 to make substantially even the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5.

In the special embodiments shown in the figures, the leveling means 25 are represented in a schematic manner and comprise, e.g., a roller movable in rotation around a corresponding axis arranged along the direction of displacement of the slab to be compacted 5 downstream of the working tool 16 and of the working device 20.

Basically, the roller is made to roll on the second face 10 in order to smooth any buildup of basic material B created during the making of the groove 14 and so as to remove the residues of additional material A that may have escaped from the groove 14.

Advantageously, the equipment 1 comprises at least one electronic control unit, not shown in the figures, provided with at least one control and drive unit operationally connected to at least one of the tools 16, 20, 23 to drive its displacement along the path 15. More in detail, the control and drive unit can be operationally connected to a programmable memory with the path 15, e.g. by importing a drawing in electronic format or by scanning an existing slab whose aesthetic effect is intended to be reproduced.

As an alternative or in addition to the presence of a programmable memory, the control and drive unit can be operationally connected to the control means manually operated by an operator, e.g. of the type of a joystick.

The operation of the equipment in the execution of the process according to the invention is as follows.

The process to which the present invention relates, involves first of all a phase of supply of the basic material B and of the additional material A as described above.

The supply of the basic material B may comprise the loading inside the hopper 6 of a single type of material or, alternatively, the mixing of at least two primary materials of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granulate and/or flakes.

Subsequently, the basic material B is dispensed onto the supporting surface 3 in order to obtain the slab to be compacted 5.

More particularly, the dispensing of the basic material B on the supporting surface 3 occurs by making the basic material itself fall through the outlet port 8 by gravity or through a dispensing device contained inside the hopper itself and not visible in the figures.

According to the invention, after the dispensing phase of the basic material B, a definition phase of the groove 14 on the slab to be compacted 5 is carried out. The definition phase is carried out in such a way that the groove 14 obtained extends along the path 15 and is preferably of the through type, i.e. it crosses the entire thickness of the slab to be compacted 5 from the second face 10 to the first face 9.

The definition phase of the groove 14 is carried out by means of the working tool 16, which is moved along the path 15.

The definition phase can be carried out by sucking up the basic material B. Alternatively, the definition of the groove 14 can be carried out by displacing the basic material B. According to the invention, after the definition phase of the groove 14, the application phase of the additional material A is provided inside the groove 14 to define at least one vein 19 of different color and/or type from the basic material B.

The additional material A, as mentioned above, is different from the basic material B and is of the electrically conductive type.

In particular, the additional material A is applied inside the groove 14 by a thickness substantially equal to the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5.

The application phase of the additional material A is carried out using the working device 20 and comprises the following sub-phases: electrostatic charging of the additional material A; spraying of the electro-statically charged additional material A; distribution of the additional material A sprayed inside the groove 14.

In particular, the working device 20 is used to electro-statically charge the additional material A, spray it and distribute it inside the groove 14 previously made on the slab to be compacted 5.

Preferably, the application phase of the additional material A is carried out substantially at the same time as the definition phase of the groove 14.

Basically, the working tool 16 and working device 20 are moved in a substantially synchronized manner so that the additional material A is dispensed by the working device 20 immediately after the working tool 16 has defined the groove 14.

The process according to the invention conveniently provides for at least one dosing phase of the additional material A, before the application phase.

The process according to the invention may conveniently comprise, after the application phase of the additional material A, at least one smoothing phase of the basic material B and of the additional material A applied inside the groove 14 to make substantially even the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5.

The smoothing phase is carried out by using the leveling means 25 with which the equipment 1 is provided.

After the application phase of the additional material A and the smoothing phase, when provided, the process according to the invention comprises the pressing phase of the slab to be compacted 5 to obtain a compacted slab 12 having a lower thickness than the thickness of the slab to be compacted 5. According to the invention, the pressing phase involves both the basic material B and the additional material A applied inside the groove 14.

The pressing phase is carried out using the pressing means 11.

It has in practice been ascertained that the described process, as well as the related equipment, achieves the intended objects and, in particular, it is underlined that it allows obtaining, in a practical and easy manner, slabs made of ceramic and/or stone material reproducing in a very similar way slabs of natural material provided with through veins.

Moreover, the process and the equipment to which the present invention relates allow defining at will the path of the grooves making up the veins and introducing inside them materials of different types and/or colors, thus obtaining both slabs reproducing any type of known aesthetic effect, and slabs with innovative aesthetic effects.

Claims

1) Process for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, comprising the phases of: supplying of at least one basic material (B) of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules and/or flakes; supplying of at least one additional material (A) other than said basic material (B); dispensing of said basic material (B) on a supporting surface (3) to obtain a slab to be compacted (5); pressing of said slab to be compacted (5) to obtain a compacted slab (12); characterized by the fact that said additional material (A) is of the electrically conductive type and by the fact that it comprises, after said dispensing and before said pressing, the following phases: definition of at least one groove (14) on said slab to be compacted (5), said groove (14) passing through at least one portion of the thickness of said slab to be compacted (5) and extending along a given path (15); application of said additional material (A) inside said groove (14) to define at least one vein (19) of a color and/or type other than said basic material (B), said application comprising at least the sub-phases of: electrostatic charging of said additional material (A); spraying of said electro-statically charged additional material (A); distribution of said additional material (A) sprayed inside said groove (14); said pressing involving both said basic material (B) and said additional material (A) so applied.

2) Process according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that said definition is carried out in such a way that said groove (14) passes through the entire thickness of said slab to be compacted (5).

3) Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said definition of at least one groove (14) is carried out by means of the suction of said basic material (B). 4) Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact that said definition of at least one groove (14) is carried out through the displacement of said basic material (B).

5) Process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said application of at least one additional material (A) is carried out substantially at the same time as said definition of at least one groove (14).

6) Process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that said definition of at least one groove (14) and said application of at least one additional material (A) are carried out respectively by means of a working tool (16) and a working device (20) that can be moved in a substantially synchronized manner to each other.

7) Process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises at least one dosing phase of said additional material (A).

8) Process according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact that it comprises, after said application and before said pressing, at least one smoothing phase of said basic material (B) and of said additional material (A) applied inside said groove (14) in order to make substantially even the thickness of said slab to be compacted (5).

9) Equipment (1) for the manufacture of slabs of ceramic and/or stone material, comprising: at least one base frame (2); at least one supporting surface (3) associated with said base frame (2); dispensing means (4) of at least one basic material (B) of the ceramic and/or stone type in the form of powder and/or granules on said supporting surface (3) to obtain a slab to be compacted (5); pressing means (11) of said slab to be compacted (5) to obtain a compacted slab (12); characterized by the fact that it comprises: means for the definition (13) of at least one groove (14) on said slab to be compacted (5), said groove (14) passing through at least one portion of the thickness of said slab to be compacted (5) and extending along a given path (15); means for the application (18) of at least one additional material (A) inside said groove (14) to define at least one vein (19) of a color and/or type other than said basic material (B), said additional material (A) being other than said basic material (B) and being of the electrically conductive type, said means for the application (18) comprising at least one working device (20) movable along said path (15) and adapted to: electro-statically charge said additional material (A); spray said electro-statically charged additional material (A); distribute said additional material (A) sprayed inside said groove (14).

10) Equipment (1) according to claim 9, characterized by the fact that said working device (20) is of the type of an electrostatic gun.

11) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 10, characterized by the fact that said means for the definition (13) comprise at least one working tool (16) movable along said path (15).

12) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 11, characterized by the fact that said working tool (16) is adapted to suck up or displace said basic material (B) in the movement thereof along said path (15).

13) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 12, characterized by the fact that said working tool (16) and said working device (20) are moved along said path (15) in a substantially synchronized manner.

14) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 13, characterized by the fact that it comprises: movement means (21,22) of at least one of either said working tool (16) or said working device (20) along said path (15); displacement means (27) of said movement means (21,22) along at least one predefined direction of displacement.

15) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 14, characterized by the fact that: said movement means (21,22) comprise at least one anthropomorphic robot, said working device (20) being associated with said anthropomorphic robot; said displacement means (27) comprise at least one bridge crane which can be moved along said direction of displacement, said anthropomorphic robot being associated in suspension with said bridge crane. 16) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 15, characterized by the fact that said means for the application (18) comprise dosing means of said additional material (A).

17) Equipment (1) according to one or more of claims 9 to 16, characterized by the fact that it comprises leveling means (25) of said slab to be compacted (5) adapted to smooth said basic material (B) and said additional material (A) applied inside said groove (14) to make substantially even the thickness of said slab to be compacted (5).