RESEARCH

ecoMarble: Development of advanced tools for the production of artworks using marble industrial wastes

EcoMarble is a project funded by the European Commission in the frame of Competitive and Sustainable Growth thematic programme

Project No:   GRD1-1999-10404
Contract No:  G1RD-CT-1999-00041
Commencement Date:  01-01-2000
Closing Date:   01-10-2002
Duration:   33 months

Brief Overview

EcoMarble proposes the intelligent exploitation of secondary products generated from industrial marble processing such as marble powder. In marble quarries an amount of natural stone is unprocessable for the production of ordinary marble products (i.e. rotten marble). So far, wastes are treated in secondary processes to form powder material that is utilised in road or building industry. However there is always a remainder which forms leftovers with serious environmental impacts. The project aims to introduce the exploitation of marble powder to the industry of art products and reproductions in order to produce true marble objects in industrial scale. A new methodology and tools will be developed in order to absorb marble waste production and create true marble reproductions of historical objects or modern design products that carry along cultural identities. EcoMarble will integrate several technologies that will cover all stages from a computer-based design to the intelligent prototyping and manufacturing. It is expected that the development and optimisation of those technologies will formulate a complete solution to the industry of artworks and reproductions, while at the same time will stimulate a large variety of similar spin-off applications. To achieve the project targets it is proposed to optimise 3D-copy methods and CAD processes to generate digital models of historical objects and modern designs with historical bias. Furthermore the design phase will be linked to the generation of prototypes and manufacturing in high production rates of true marble objects. This will be reached with the development and optimisation of a Rapid Prototyping process in the end material and also with Injection Moulding of marble powder mixtures.

From the very early stage of the product design, historical elements will be imported in computer databases through optimised 3D copying methods to support a true digital reproduction or an artistic product design, which will carry along its cultural significance. The products will be developed digitally within optimised CAD procedures and prior to their production, processes and products will be tested with Rapid Prototyping. This involves the generation of prototypes in various materials and amongst other in the end material (solid marble) by optimising the Multiphase Jet Solidification process. An additional Rapid Prototyping processes will be developed to generate the world’s largest stereolithography parts -up to human sizes- which can also be used by Museums for restoration/ conservation reasons. This stage involves also software development for the creation of appropriate STL files. Finally the injection moulding technology will be optimised to achieve injection of marble powder mixtures into dies to shape solid marble objects in high production rates and with excellent surface finish. This stage concerns development of special feedstock based on marble powder as well as the optimisation of all the processing stages including debinding and sintering. The developed material will be used for both Multiphase Jet Solidification and marble powder Injection Moulding, thus those technologies can act in conjunction as manufacturing processes for short or high production rates.

In such way Rapid Prototyping in the end material will be used for a limited number of Museum products/ reproductions and injection moulding will be used as the manufacturing method of large quantities for Museum visitors, commercial actions of cultural objects or under the frame of Olympic Games etc. The development of a special electronic commerce application will also allow target users having direct world-wide commercial actions via Internet. EcoMarble will introduce an intelligent method of designing and manufacturing to the industry of artworks and reproductions. This involves optimised technology for the reproduction of historical objects or the production of new art products with historical links.

The use of rejected marble in powder form will contribute to the radical elimination of environmental degradation of the marble production regions and will also create new recycling industry. The low price of marble powder, together with the support of intelligent processing technology, will attract Europe designers to use marble as an industrial process material in various large consumption applications like in household items, consumer electronics, sanitary equipment, car industry etc. The development of a rapid prototyping system for the generation of the world’s largest stereolithography parts, apart from the use in Museums, will also benefit the one-step production of large unique parts (car dashboards, refrigerators, television sets, sanitary equipment etc.). Furthermore, developments are expected to cut down production costs and reduce the time-to-market responsiveness, while it is also expected to optimise the use of human resources by creating IT positions and new employment opportunities. Finally it is expected to stimulate a large variety of similar applications in other industrial fields.

Partnership:

GeoAnalysis SA
Univ. Of Cambridge, The Fitzwilliam Museum
Focke-Museum, Bremen
IFAM (Fraunhofer-Institut für Fertigungstechnik und Angewandte Materialforschung)
ITP GmbH
Polyline SA
Materialise NV
Hellenic Ministry of Culture, Archaeological Receipts Fund