The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy Engineering (DER) at the Instituto Superior Técnico is creating a scanner for marble blocks which, using Artificial Intelligence, can predict the interior texture of the blocks, anticipating the colors and designs of the veins that will appear after cutting. This innovative tool promises to transform the marble industry and position Portuguese companies at the forefront of the sector worldwide.
According to Gustavo Paneiro, researcher and lecturer at DER, this technology will make it possible to “accurately visualize the variety of patterns possible from a single block”. In the future, clients such as architects, interior designers and end consumers will have access to a virtual catalog with thousands of possible patterns, depending on the angle at which the stone is cut. The customer’s choice will then determine the cut of each block, making companies more efficient and competitive in the global market.
One of the main advantages of this technology is the reduction in raw materials required. Jorge Galrão, export director of the Galrão Group, points out that “predicting the inside of blocks will be useful in all market segments, but will be particularly valuable in the ‘premium’ markets of the United States, the Middle East, Canada, Germany and France”. In these demanding markets, it will be possible to fulfill specific orders without the need to cut several blocks to find the desired patterns, resulting in precise cuts that exactly match customer needs.
The project is currently being developed on a laboratory scale at our factory in Pêro Pinheiro. In the long term, the aim is to optimize the management of raw materials needed for each order, reduce waste and increase the commercial value of marble, which is often undervalued.
“This is a significant competitive advantage for us and gives new meaning to our signature ‘Everything Starts with Stone’,” concludes Paulo Diniz, director of the Galrão Group.
