Factory Slab Photo's

[glparrish078]

My name is Geramie Parrish and I work for Levantina USA as a saleman. I turn to the experts here to answer some questions I have that might help the stone industry.
We are a natural stone supplier/factory/quarry owner.

I have talked to some members about the benefits to having all slabs photo'd at the factory when the material comes off the polishing line, and making them compatible with the different digital programs such as Slabsmith, Vein Match, Northwood's, Park, ect.

I am going to be talking to our CEO in a month about being the first distributor/factory to take calibrated photo's and be able to send them via email to fabricators who are using these systems. I am also trying to discuss having a website portal for fabricators (our customers) to be able to view inventory and these photo's anytime. The website would require a login/password for the fabricator and would allow them to search our inventory for material.

I dream of the situation where a fabricator would be able to consult with a homeowner in house, template, then pull up photo's of the slabs, download the pic, use the Slabsmith software, and do a complete layout/vein match and close the deal. Then they could order the slabs.

I feel this would also save time (money) in the fabricators wouldnt have to take photo's of inventory, but just put the disk in or download the file.

Does anyone know who to talk to with Slabsmith?
Can the photo be a calibrated JPEG file?
What format for the file? Is it a universal file format for all slab photo systems?

Any help is appreciated!

[Linus Modlich]

Something to consider... What about cracks, fissures, odd markings in the slabs?

[Boyd]

Geramie,

Call Bill or Paul Elliot at Northwood Design. They are the SlabSmith inventors. I know they've worked on this angle.
315-287-2877. East coast, I believe.

Boyd, SFAoC

[dustinbraudway]

Germaine, pretty much what Linus said. But your a little late to the game, I have heard on the street that others in Brazil are already working on this. Not sure which processors or factories.

Great concept though, but I am sure like anything it will have it's issues.

[Mark Meriaux]

The "calibration" is a necessary evil for any precise layout process. The background ideas are ALL similar. I'll try and give a layman's explanation of the processes:

I have used E-Template photogrammetry measuring/templating software for nearly 6-7 years. For E-Template, each CAMERA has to have its' own calibration file. Their calibration will correct (in the software) for any inconsistencies with the physical camera and lens - even though each lens is precision ground, there are still small "spots" on the lenses that are not perfect. With E-Template, the camera can move around, because the software uses multiple photos of a single object/area and interpolates between the data on the multiple photos. It works similarly to a GPS, using multiple data sources, and triangulating between them all to determine a target's location.

Slab photo stations use same technology, but simpler mathematics. Instead of using multiple photos, the camera is in a fixed (known) position - AKA the photo "station". The calibration file in this instance accounts not only for lens inconsistencies, but also for camera location, which CAN NOT CHANGE. Slabs are flat, but when you take a photo using an elliptical lens, the image gets skewed. The software has to "correct" for not only for scale/distance, but also perspective distortion (things farther away appear smaller), barrel distortion, and lighting (and I may be forgetting something else...)

The biggest hurdle that I see is that users not only need the slab photos, but a calibration file for the specific camera station where the slab photo was taken (i.e. if you have multiple cameras/stations, it will be critical to have the correct calibration file transmitted with the slab photos). I envision that most users who choose to invest in a system like this will also have their own photo station (and corresponding calibration file) for shooting inventory they receive from vendors not on the cutting-edge (like Levantina) and remnants. You as a distributor will need to decide at what point during the transport process makes the most sense to you - at the factories BEFORE the individual slabs are bundled together, or at your distribution locations, AFTER the slabs are uncrated. The fewer the photo stations the better, IMO (at your dist. warehouses). Then..........you'll need to find enough fabricators who will invest in a system like this to make it viable as a selling feature for you. Manual shops may determine that they have no need for such a service, and larger ones may elect to control this very critical part of the process themselves.

I think this is a great idea, but still contains a few "challenges" in the data transfer and handling before it can become a reality. If I have helped (or confused) anyone, feel free to call, post, or e-mail me with additional follow-up questions.

[Mark Meriaux]

To answer some more of your questions, the original files are simply JPG files. Accuracy of the photo depends on the resolution of the photo (more pixels = more accuracy, but larger files). SlabSmith creates a "Slab" file which contains the photo image of the slab, and a DXF outline of the slab (scaled and flattened).

I have not used USG's VeinMatch program, but I would assume that their files would be similar but incompatible with SlabSmith. Breton also has a similar proprietary system (similar, but not likely compatible).

To get this idea to work, you may have to:
1) choose one (or more) of the existing systems and support it/them
2) persuade them to agree on a common data format (highly unlikely)
3) come up with a system of your own that is marketable

Good luck!

[glparrish078]

Everyone,
Thank you for the insight and the hurdles. I envision that this would not be a simple process, but that is worth anything is easy!
I have debated setting up a slab photo station in our warehouse as a small scale test. If successful, invest in the technology for our factories.
Universal file format would make it easy, but I doubt software companies would want to do this. If pressured, they might.

Any more info is great!

Thanks to all!!!

[Ken Lago]

You will not be the first I'm afraid, Mark Lauson already have that set up at his warehouse. I suggest you take a look at his operation if you want to see how slab suppliers can bring their business into this century.

[Stonecuttter]

It WOULD be well-worth the trip. Gawd, I wisshhh I could get out there and see Mark's operation....

[Mark Meriaux]

Miles & I were discussing this "Holy Grail" for countertop sales yesterday:

A visualization software easy enough for a salesperson to use.
Take an actual photo of a customer's existing kitchen (or create a new design)
Have an "inventory" of digital slabs (could also include flooring, cabs, tile, etc.)
Show the customer options of what their kitchen CAN look like (if they buy from you).
SELL THE JOB - and get paid more than competition who doesn't offer this service.
Use that information for a production system to process the job.

We're still a ways off........but who knows what the future holds.