Slab cutting apparatus and method
Systems and methods are described for finishing slabs. In an exemplary embodiment, a stone-cutting miter saw includes a support fixture that is configured to support a stone slab, a guide rail, and cutting and grinding heads movably supported on the guide rail.
1. A method for cutting and grinding a stone slab using a stone-cutting miter saw, comprising:
securing the stone slab to a support fixture;
advancing, in a single pass, a cutting blade and a grinding blade in series along a length of the stone slab while the cutting blade and grinding blade rotate to cut and grind, respectively, an edge of the stone slab;
wherein during the single pass advancing step, the cutting blade rotates about a cutting blade axis of rotation to cut the edge of the stone slab and the grinding blade rotates about a grinding blade axis of rotation to grind the cut edge of the stone slab, and the cutting blade axis of rotation is maintained in a fixed position relative to the grinding blade axis of rotation.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein during the advancing step, the cutting blade axis of rotation is parallel to the grinding blade axis of rotation.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting blade axis of rotation is positionable between about 30 to about 60 relative to a major surface of the stone slab.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting blade comprises a radial cutting surface.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the grind blade comprises an axial grinding surface.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting head is supported on a guide rail by a first carriage and the grinding head is supported on the guide rail by a second carriage.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein advancing the cutting blade and the grinding blade in series comprises independently moving the first and second carriages on the guide rail.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein securing the stone slab to a support fixture comprises clamping the stone slab to the support fixture.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein movement of the cutting head and grinding head along the guide rail is controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC).
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising positioning the cutting blade at a first angle relative to a major surface of the stone slab, and positioning the grinding blade at a second angle relative to the major surface of the stone slab.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the first and second angles are identical.
12. A method for cutting and grinding a stone slab using a stone-cutting miter saw, comprising:
securing the stone slab to a support fixture;
advancing a cutting blade and a grinding blade in series along a length of the stone slab while the cutting blade and grinding blade rotate to simultaneously operate on an edge of the stone slab in a single pass, the cutting blade cutting an edge to generate a cut surface and the grinding blade grinding the cut surface during the single pass.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein during the advancing step, the cutting blade rotates about a cutting blade axis of rotation and the grinding blade rotates about a grinding blade axis of rotation, and the cutting blade axis of rotation is maintained in a fixed position relative to the grinding blade axis of rotation.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein during the advancing step, the cutting blade axis of rotation is parallel to the grinding blade axis of rotation.
15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising positioning the cutting blade at a first angle relative to a major surface of the stone slab, and positioning the grinding blade at a second angle relative to the major surface of the stone slab.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the first and second angles are identical.
17. The method of claim 12 , wherein the grind blade comprises an axial grinding surface.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the cutting blade comprises a radial cutting surface.
19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the cutting head is supported on a guide rail by a first carriage and the grinding head is supported on the guide rail by a second carriage.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein advancing the cutting blade and the grinding blade in series comprises independently moving the first and second carriages on the guide rail.