BMR: Squadra Dry

Squaring is a finishing process that adds value to products. Squadra^®, created in 1995, is the first machine designed specifically for squaring porcelain tile and featuring different construction solutions from machines used in the stone and marble sector.

After many years of experience with outstanding results, BMR decided to complement its traditional calibration/honing/squaring lines with Cut Crush, a system for score-and-snap cutting of porcelain and monoporosa tiles. This system features dry operation and is therefore eco-friendly as it does not require the use of water or a dryer. The Cut Crush system is designed for industrial volumes and large format tiles (up to 1.2 x 2.4 m).

The first step in the operation involves the use of front grinding wheels, which in the initial attack remove 25% to 50% of the necessary volume of porcelain tile (or monoporosa), with a removal capacity of between 0.5 mm and 2 mm per grinding wheel on all materials.

When the front grinding wheel has to remove large quantities of porcelain tile, it grinds the tile by removing the edges in small pieces. The operating principle of the grinding wheels reduces the lateral thrust on the tile and allows for a reduction in vertical pressure and corresponding component wear. The machined tile edge will exhibit a light vertical line due to the aggressive nature of the tools. Thanks to the final spindle with a resinoid grinding wheel, the tile edge will be delicately ground to become smooth and uniform.

The second step consists of double floating chamfering, which may be either mechanical, with spring balancing, or pneumatic, with manometer-controlled air pressure balancing. The floating chamfer is suitable for tiles with a textured surface.

The central stage, between the 1st and 2nd module, has a squaring/pushing device that ensures perpendicularity precision. The tile is pushed between the pressing belts by the two arms of the pusher (perpendicular with respect to the grinding spindle bench) which have a higher translational speed than the lower belt.

Squadra^® Dry, the new squaring machine for monoporosa and double-fired tiles, won a mention at the District Green Economy Festival in Fiorano in October 2011. This machine uses both metallic and resinoid bond grinding wheels.

Considering a machine with 8 motors, the first four spindle positions (1, 2, 3, 4) have metallic bond wheels with a special diamond coating for dry operation and a bond with high thermal conductivity, which is softer than that of wet wheels to allow the diamond to be dressed. Positions 5, 6, 7 and 8 use resinoid grinding wheels with a coarse, coarse, medium and fine grit sequence and with a suitable bond for glazes and crystalline.