Engineered stone slab, and apparatus and method for creating

A method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining a reference image of a natural stone, and storing the reference image in computer memory;
• producing a first engineered stone slab which approximates an aspect of the reference image of the natural stone;
• performing an examination of the first engineered stone slab to identify one or more veins in the first engineered stone;
• comparing the one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab with the reference image, and adjusting the reference image in computer memory in order to create a first masking image based on predefined criteria, wherein the reference image in computer memory is adjusted so that the first masking image is better aligned in terms of at least one characteristic of the one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab with the first engineered stone slab compared to the reference image;
• and
• printing the first masking image onto a decal and then transferring the decal onto the first engineered stone slab.

A method comprising

• producing a first engineered stone slab;
• performing an examination of the first engineered stone slab to identify one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab;
• comparing the one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab with a reference image of a natural stone slab, and adjusting the reference image in computer memory in order to create a first masking image based on predefined criteria, wherein the reference image in computer memory is adjusted so that the first masking image is better aligned in terms of at least one characteristic of the one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab with the first engineered stone slab compared to the reference image;
• and printing the first masking image onto the first engineered stone slab.

A method comprising the steps of:

• producing a first engineered stone slab;
• performing an examination of the first engineered stone slab to identify one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab;
• comparing the one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab with a reference image, and adjusting the reference image in computer memory in order to create a first masking image based on predefined criteria, wherein the reference image in computer memory is adjusted so that the first masking image is better aligned in terms of at least one characteristic of the one or more veins in the first engineered stone slab with the first engineered stone slab compared to the reference image;
• and
• printing the first masking image onto a decal and then transferring the decal onto the first engineered stone slab.