Apparatus and method for shaping slabs of material

A method for operating a slab shaping system that cuts and de-burrs a slab, wherein the slab includes a plurality of face surfaces including at least an upper face surface and a lower, support surface, wherein the upper face surface forms an entrance face of the slab and the lower, support surface forms an exit face of the slab, comprising the steps of:

• positioning a plurality of slab support beams on a table to form at least one slot therebetween;
• positioning the lower, support surface of the slab adjacent the slab support beams;
• locating a U-shaped carriage proximate the slab, wherein the U-shaped carriage includes a base body portion, wherein the U-shaped carriage is formed by
• extending a first arm from an upper distal end of the base body portion in a first direction, and
• extending a second arm from a lower distal end of the base body portion in the first direction, wherein the base body portion, the first arm and the second arm form the U-shaped carriage to define a slab-receiving channel;
• arranging the slab relative the U-shaped carriage such that the slab is positioned within the slab-receiving channel;
• providing a cutting device that is coupled to the first arm for positioning the cutting device opposite the upper face surface of the slab;
• providing a de-burring device that is coupled to the second arm for positioning the de-burring device opposite the lower, support surface of the slab, wherein the de-burring device extends away from the second arm and is located within the at least one slot formed by the table;
• utilizing the cutting device positioned opposite the upper face surface of the slab for cutting a slit through the slab from the entrance face formed by the upper face surface of the slab to the exit face formed by the lower, support surface of the slab, wherein the slit forms an exit cut line on the exit face, and
• utilizing the de-burring device for de-burring the exit face of the slab proximate a location of the exit cut line formed by the slit at the exit face, wherein the cutting and de-burring steps are permitted to be conducted during a manipulation of one or more of an up/down and in/out spatial orientation of the base body portion that commonly carries both of the first arm coupled to the cutting device and the second arm coupled to the de-burring device relative the slab for adjustably- and correspondingly-maintaining spacing between the cutting device and the upper face surface of the slab as well as the de-burring device and the lower, support surface of the slab, wherein the manipulation of one or more of the up/down and the in/out spatial orientation of the base body portion includes selective movement of the base body portion in a direction that is substantially orthogonal with respect to the upper face surface and the exit face surface of the slab, wherein the substantially orthogonal movement of the base body portion results in a corresponding orthogonal movement, in unison, of the cutting device and the de-burring device relative the slab.