Method and plant for manufacturing ceramic products

A method for manufacturing ceramic articles comprising:

• a step of feeding, during which at least two different ceramic powders are fed so as to obtain a strip of ceramic powders extending along a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and having at least a first zone and at least a second zone, which have different contents of said ceramic powders;
• the second zone having a given shape;
• a step of compacting, during which the strip of ceramic powders is compacted so as to obtain a compacted layer of ceramic powders, which is expanded in the longitudinal direction and/or in the transverse direction relative to the strip of ceramic powders;
• a step of printing, during which a decoration is applied on the surface of the compacted layer of ceramic powders;
• a step of determination, during which a first value of expansion of the compacted layer of ceramic powders in the longitudinal direction and/or a second value of expansion in the transverse direction are determined;
• and
• a step of transformation, during which the given shape is transformed based on the first expansion value and/or the second expansion value so as to obtain a derived shape,
• wherein during the step of printing, the decoration is applied based on the derived shape.

A plant for manufacturing ceramic articles, the plant comprising:

• a feeding device, which is configured to feed at least two different ceramic powders;
• a control unit, which is connected to the feeding device and is configured to control the feeding of the ceramic powders so as to obtain a strip of ceramic powders extending along a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction and having at least a first zone and at least a second zone, which have different contents of said ceramic powders, the second zone having a given shape;
• a compacting device, which is configured to compact the strip of ceramic powders so as to obtain a compacted layer of ceramic powders, wherein the compacted layer of ceramic powders is expanded in the longitudinal direction and/or in the transverse direction relative to the strip of ceramic powders and has a second expanded zone having a real shape;
• and
• a printing device, which is controlled by the control unit and is configured to apply a decoration on the surface of the compacted layer of ceramic powders;
• wherein the control unit comprises a determination assembly, which is configured to detect at least one detected feature of the compacted layer and/or of the second expanded zone, and
• wherein the control unit is configured to transform the given shape based on the detected feature so as to obtain a derived shape, and to control the printing device so that the printing device, in use, applies the decoration based on the derived shape.