Production plant for forming engineered composite stone slabs

A production plant for forming engineered composite stone slabs, the production plant comprising:

• a vacuum vibration press capable of applying vacuum, pressure, and vibrational energy to a formed slab mixture deposited onto or into a slab supporting structure, said slab mixture comprising stone granules, stone powder, and a resin binder, said resin binder being no more than 15% of the slab mixture by weight, said vacuum, pressure, and vibrational energy being applied in a combination of amplitudes that is sufficient to compress said formed slab mixture into a close-packed configuration in which all voids between the stone granules and stone powder are filled by said resin binder, said vacuum vibration press being suspended above a supporting floor, so that a passage is provided between said vacuum vibration press and said supporting floor;
• and
• a slab transporting system configured to transport said formed slab mixture into and out of said vacuum vibration press, a portion of said slab transporting system being directed through said passage formed between said vacuum vibration press and said supporting floor;
• wherein the vacuum vibration press comprises:
• a vibration table within a vacuum chamber, said vibration table being configured for supporting the formed slab mixture from below;
• a pressing mechanism within the vacuum chamber, said pressing mechanism being configured for applying pressure to the formed slab mixture from above;
• at least one lower vibration device cooperative with the vibration table;
• and
• at least one upper vibration device cooperative with said pressing mechanism.