{"id":108089,"date":"2026-11-05T08:36:11","date_gmt":"2026-11-05T07:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ddxgroup.com\/?p=108089"},"modified":"2026-11-05T08:36:13","modified_gmt":"2026-11-05T07:36:13","slug":"abi-pol-case-study-cnc-sandstone-machining-on-a-donatoni-quadrix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ddxgroup.com\/en\/2026\/11\/05\/abi-pol-case-study-cnc-sandstone-machining-on-a-donatoni-quadrix\/","title":{"rendered":"ABI-POL Case Study: CNC Sandstone Machining on a Donatoni QUADRIX"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Prosz\u00f3wka, Poland, ABI-POL<\/strong> specializes in machining natural sandstone<\/strong>, both for new builds and for the restoration of architectural elements.<\/p>\n

Our Area Manager Karol Parcia sat down with Tomasz Zjawin<\/strong>, Production Manager, to find out how the team approaches production when all they have to go on is a customer\u2019s photo or sketch.<\/p>\n

Knowing the material and its properties is essential<\/strong>, but it isn\u2019t enough: turning a drawing into a finished piece also takes precise communication between software and machine<\/strong>. That\u2019s why CNC sandstone machining is at the heart of Tomasz\u2019s story, using the<\/strong> Donatoni<\/a><\/strong> QUADRIX 5-axis bridge saw and EasySTONE\u00ae<\/strong>, our CAD\/CAM software for stone. <\/p>\n

Want to learn more about ABI-POL\u2019s workflow? Keep reading.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

What Does ABI-POL Do?<\/h2><\/div>

Since 2003, ABI-POL<\/a><\/strong> has been producing sandstone products for the Polish market and for customers abroad.<\/p>\n

In addition to fa\u00e7ade cladding<\/strong>, the company makes stairs, windowsills, and surrounds<\/strong>. The core of its production, however, is custom projects<\/strong>: garden features, fountains, sculptures, decorative pieces, and architectural ornaments. ABI-POL also restores architectural stone elements. <\/p>\n

During the interview, Tomasz explained that customers often don\u2019t come with a ready-made technical solution<\/strong>. They show up with a design, a photo, or an existing piece and ask for a new version of it.<\/p>\n

And that, he says, is where the most interesting part of the job begins. \u201cA photo shows the end result, but it doesn\u2019t tell us how the piece was actually made.\u201d Before anyone touches the block of stone, the team has to think through geometry, structure, fixing, and machining<\/strong>. That\u2019s how an idea takes the shape the customer had in mind, and technical know-how becomes concrete production steps.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Want to know how EasySTONE\u00ae can fit into your production workflow?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>

Discover EasySTONE\u00ae<\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

CNC Sandstone Machining: How It Differs from Other Natural Stones<\/h2><\/div>

Sandstone is a sedimentary natural stone<\/strong>. It forms from grains of sand, mostly quartz, compacted over millions of years. The grains are held together by a natural cement<\/strong> that can be siliceous, calcareous, clayey, or rich in iron oxides. <\/p>\n

Cement is what determines how a block behaves<\/strong>: sandstone with a siliceous cement is dense and durable, while clayey or calcareous sandstone is softer and more porous. Iron oxides give the stone its colors<\/strong>, which range from yellow to red.<\/p>\n

As the sediments settle, they form laminations: thin, distinct layers that give the rock its characteristic layered structure<\/strong>. If you machine it, that means working with a material that is less cohesive along its bedding planes and more prone to splitting. Its porosity also makes it sensitive to water, while the quartz in the grains is abrasive and wears down tools. <\/p>\n

Tomasz describes sandstone as a material that gives you a lot of room to work with when machining. Still, you have to account for its grain, bedding, and any weak spots<\/strong>. It\u2019s also not as strong as marble or granite, which customers tend to underestimate. That\u2019s why the geometry drawn in the software isn\u2019t enough on its own: you need to know whether it works on that specific block<\/strong>. If the block has a weaker area, you sometimes have to change the machining strategy<\/strong> or even the design itself.<\/p>\n<\/div>

Why a Donatoni QUADRIX and Not a JET 625?<\/h3><\/div>

ABI-POL\u2019s machine fleet includes a Donatoni QUADRIX<\/strong>. The company chose it over the JET 625<\/strong>, the more popular model, for one specific reason: Z-axis height<\/strong>. ABI-POL often produces very large pieces<\/strong>, and Z-axis travel determines how tall a block you can machine. <\/p>\n

The result, Tomasz says, is the ability to combine the high precision<\/strong> needed for complex pieces with the freedom that custom projects and restoration work demand.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

The Role of CAD\/CAM Software: From Design to Finished Product<\/h2><\/div>

In restoration work, customers often come in with a photo, a fragment of the piece, or a hand-drawn sketch on graph paper.<\/p>\n

The first step is figuring out exactly what needs to be reproduced. When the new pieces have to match existing elements exactly, the team asks the customer to trace the profile onto cardboard and send it in as a template<\/strong>. That way, the new pieces match the originals. <\/p>\n

Starting from a simple photo, Tomasz prepares a technical design<\/strong> that has to be approved by the customer and often by the historic preservation office as well.<\/p>\n<\/div>

How to Make the Most Out of EasySTONE\u00ae<\/h3><\/div>

Once approved, the design is broken down and the geometry is translated into machining operations<\/strong>. The more complex the piece, the more carefully the program has to be set up. <\/p>\n

This is where EasySTONE\u00ae<\/a><\/strong>, our stone machining software, comes in. The most useful CAD\/CAM features in a workflow like ABI-POL\u2019s include:<\/p>\n