PUBLIC VERSION
Consistent with the Commission’ s findings in the AD / CVD proceedings on QSP from China and QSP from India and Turkey, domestic and imported QSP are, therefore,“ substantially identical” in terms of physical properties and uses.
2. Domestic and Imported QSP Are Produced Using the Same Production Processes
QSP producers worldwide employ essentially the same production processes, which typically involve seven separate stages:( 1) mixing;( 2) combining;( 3) dispensing and molding;( 4) pressing;( 5) curing;( 6) cooling; and( 7) polishing. In the mixing stage, raw materials including silica( e. g., quartz, quartz powder, cristobalite, glass powder, crushed glass), resin binder, pigments, and other additives are mixed together. In the combining stage, mixtures from the mixing stage may be blended. In the dispensing and molding stage, the combined material is dispensed into a rubber mold to be molded and pressed. In the pressing stage, the material in the mold may be put under vacuum inside the chamber of a press and the physical force of the press compacts the material into slabs of varying sizes and thicknesses. In the curing stage, the slabs are heated to harden the slabs. In the cooling stage, the slabs are cooled. In the polishing stage, the surface of the slabs is polished. The surface finish can vary, for example the polish could be smooth or matte. Finally, the slabs are inspected to ensure that they are free from any defects and damage. Production begins with crushing quartz, cristobalite, or another silica-based material into granules or powder, mixing the silica with resin and pigments, and subjecting the mixture to vibro-compression under vacuum. For crushed glass surface products, as with other QSP, silicabased glass is crushed to a glass powder before it is mixed with resin and pigments and subjected to vibro-compression under vacuum. Regardless of whether the QSP is made from crushed quartz or another silica-based material such as crushed glass, the slabs are then cured, polished, and cut into standard or customized sizes.
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