Slab Digitization

AI-Powered Slab Digitization, From Smartphone to Slab Scanner

From a smartphone photo with AI contour recognition to a fully automatic slab scanner: DDL offers the right entry point for digital slab capture at every scale.

Natural stone raw slab digitized with DDL AI contour recognition
Lasa Marmo Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Urban Construction Mögel & Schwarzbach Lacomar
Photo Contour
AI contour recognition from any smartphone photo
3 Tiers
Smartphone, photo booth, inline scanner
StoneSync
Automatically connect scanners and legacy systems
DXF + KI
Scanner contours or AI recognition, flexibly combinable
Three paths to digital slabs

From smartphone to inline scanner

Depending on your operation size and requirements, DDL offers three tiers of slab digitization.

Smartphone Photo

Take a photo, enter height and width, DDL AI recognizes the contour automatically and creates a true-to-scale digital slab. No investment needed, any smartphone will do.

Photo Booth / Photo Station

Consistent lighting through fixed camera position. Automatic import via StoneSync, photos are picked up from a defined directory by naming schema. Medium investment.

Scanner Integration via StoneSync

Directly after the polishing line: fully automatic capture of every slab. Integration via StoneSync with DXF and JPEG import. Higher investment, maximum automation.

Lighting consistency

Why consistent lighting matters

Different lighting conditions across slab photos lead to visible quality differences, especially in project planning.

Avoid checkerboarding

When slab photos are taken under varying brightness, the planning view shows brightness jumps instead of smooth transitions. You see image edges instead of slab edges.

For offers and sales

When slabs are only photographed for offers and sales conversations, lighting quality is less critical. A smartphone photo is sufficient here.

For project planning

As soon as slabs are placed side by side in project planning, consistent lighting becomes essential. We recommend a photo booth or scanner for this.

Representation levels

Different levels of material representation

Not every slab needs its own true-to-scale photo. The right level depends on the use case.

1

Reference image per trade name

One representative photo per material type. Often sufficient for uniform materials.

2

Reference image per block

One photo per block, shows the typical veining and color of this raw block.

3

Individual image per slab

Each slab photographed individually, with or without size adjustment. For individual material selection.

4

True-to-scale individual image with AI contour

Individual slab photo, scaled to actual dimensions, with automatic contour recognition. For project planning and dry layout.

When do you need what?

The right level of digitization for your operation

The optimal solution depends on what you use the slab images for.

Offers and sales only

Reference images per trade name or block are sufficient. No scanner needed, a smartphone is a good start.

Project planning and dry layout

Individual, true-to-scale slab images with AI contour are important. Consistent lighting recommended.

Large inventory and high throughput

Scanner integration via StoneSync recommended. Fully automatic import saves manual work.

StoneSync connection

Seamlessly connect scanners and legacy systems

StoneSync is the local sync application that bridges your existing infrastructure to DDL.

Auto-import from scanner

Photos are automatically imported from a defined directory by naming schema. Scanner bed is automatically removed from images.

Flexible formats

Import as DXF + JPEG (scanner with contour software) or JPEG only with automatic AI contour recognition by DDL.

Legacy database sync

Existing local databases on your company network are synchronized with the online DDL inventory via StoneSync.

Comparison

Slab digitization methods compared

Three paths to digital slabs, from manual to fully automatic.

Investment
Manual
None
Smartphone + DDL AI
None (any smartphone)
Photo Booth / Slab Scanner
Medium to High
Lighting consistency
Manual
Variable
Smartphone + DDL AI
Variable (checkerboarding risk)
Photo Booth / Slab Scanner
Constant (optimal for planning)
Automation
Manual
None
Smartphone + DDL AI
Semi-automatic
Photo Booth / Slab Scanner
Fully automatic via StoneSync
Import format
Manual
,
Smartphone + DDL AI
JPEG + AI contour
Photo Booth / Slab Scanner
DXF + JPEG or JPEG + AI
Scalability
Manual
Not scalable
Smartphone + DDL AI
Good for getting started
Photo Booth / Slab Scanner
Ideal for large inventories
FAQ

Frequently asked questions about slab digitization

Do I need a slab scanner?
No, a smartphone is enough to get started. DDL AI recognizes slab contours from any photo. For consistent lighting and optimal planning results, we recommend upgrading to a photo booth or scanner.
What is checkerboarding?
When slab photos are taken under different brightness levels, you see brightness jumps instead of slab edges in the planning view, a checkerboard pattern of bright and dark images. Consistent lighting prevents this.
Can I connect my existing scanner?
Yes, via StoneSync. Inline scanners and photo booth systems are supported. Import happens automatically via a defined directory and file naming schema.
What representation levels are available?
From reference images per material type to individual, true-to-scale slab images with AI contour. The right level depends on your use case: offers need less detail than project planning.
What format does my scanner deliver?
Most scanners deliver DXF (contour) and JPEG (photo). If your scanner only delivers JPEG, DDL AI handles contour recognition automatically. StoneSync also removes the scanner bed from images.

Digitize slabs, get started now

Whether smartphone entry or scanner integration: we will show you how DDL simplifies your slab digitization.

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