Resin Application
GRAVITON
Static Oven Tower for Slab Drying or Resin Curing
GRAVITON is a fully insulated static oven tower designed for the controlled drying of natural-stone slabs before resin application or for the thermal curing of slabs after resin treatment.
Description & Technical Details
GRAVITON is a fully insulated static oven tower designed for the controlled drying of natural-stone slabs before resin application or for the thermal curing of slabs after resin treatment. Unlike GRAVITON COMBI, which combines drying and curing chambers within one structure, each GRAVITON tower is dedicated to a single thermal process. In a complete resin-treatment line, separate towers can therefore be configured for slab drying and resin polymerisation, with the capacity of each tower selected independently according to the required treatment time and production output. During operation, each tray is inserted into an assigned level and remains stationary there until the programmed drying or curing period has been completed. This static processing principle provides controlled residence time for each slab and allows the line to balance the different time requirements of drying and resin curing.
GRAVITON can be configured for one of two principal applications.
Slab Drying
In the drying configuration, the tower removes residual moisture from marble, granite and other natural-stone slabs before resin application. Controlled temperature, hot-air circulation and moisture extraction help prepare the stone surface, pores and fissures for effective resin penetration.
Resin Curing
In the curing configuration, GRAVITON maintains the controlled thermal environment required for the polymerisation of epoxy, polyester or other compatible resin systems.
The slab remains inside the tower for the programmed curing period before being transferred to the next treatment, finishing or polishing stage.
Static Tray Storage
Each slab is transported on an individual tray and inserted into a fixed level within the oven tower.
The tray remains in the same position throughout the thermal treatment. Once the programmed residence time has elapsed, it is retrieved automatically and returned to the production line. Because slab trays do not circulate continuously inside the chamber, each level can be managed according to its loading time and required treatment duration.
Controlled Hot-Air Distribution
GRAVITON can be supplied with either electric-resistance heating or a natural-gas-fired heating system. In the electric configuration, heat is generated by energy-efficient serpentine resistance heaters. Recirculation fans distribute the heated air through internal diffusers positioned along the sides of the slab-treatment chamber. Steel airflow guides retain and direct the circulating air within the tray area, helping provide consistent heat transfer across the slab surface and between the different oven levels. The circulation system operates together with the fully insulated tower construction to limit unnecessary thermal loss and make effective use of the installed heating capacity.
Thermal Insulation and Moisture Control
The external structure is insulated using high-density panels and additional thermal insulation materials. Chamber temperature is continuously monitored by electronic sensors. In drying applications, humidity is measured at different locations within the chamber, and moisture-laden air is extracted when required. This combination of controlled temperature, airflow and moisture removal supports repeatable processing under changing ambient and production conditions.
External Elevator and Tray-Transfer System
GRAVITON is equipped with an external vertical elevator that aligns with each tray level of the oven tower. A motorised shuttle installed on the elevator transfers the slab tray into the selected oven position and retrieves it when the treatment cycle has been completed. The shuttle travels on a monorail positioned at the centre of the elevator platform. The elevator is raised and lowered through a synchronised drive system designed to maintain balanced movement and accurate alignment with the individual oven levels. Pneumatically operated chamber hatches open only during tray insertion and extraction and close immediately afterwards, helping reduce heat loss from the treatment chamber.
HeadStart
The HeadStart function schedules oven preheating before the production shift begins.
GRAVITON can therefore reach the required operating temperature before the first slab enters the line, allowing production to begin under stable thermal conditions without unnecessary start-up delays.
The reference GRAVITON configuration accommodates up to 60 slab trays. The appropriate tower capacity is determined according to required slabs per hour, slab-drying time, resin-curing time, selected resin formulation, stone characteristics, slab dimensions and weight, upstream and downstream machine capacity, available factory space and height. In resin lines with separated static oven towers, the drying and curing capacities can be selected independently to reflect the different treatment times required by each process.
GRAVITON can be configured for marble, granite, basalt, travertine and other natural-stone materials. Tray dimensions, structural capacity, chamber dimensions and handling equipment are adapted according to the selected slab format and operating requirements.