The 82nd Conference on Glass Problems (GPC) takes place on 1–4 November in Columbus, Ohio, USA. For more than eighty years, the Conference on Glass Problems has been the leading forum for the exchange of ideas to address shared challenges for glass manufacturing professionals. It is at the GPC that the world’s leading technical experts address current problems in manufacturing, with solutions citing real-world examples. It also provides an exhibiting platform for solutions providers to share their innovations that delivers high participation by manufacturers.

Bruno A. Purnode, Owens Corning Global Leader Melting Controls & Modelling Technology, Sr. Research Associate, provides this assessment: “I find the Glass Problems Conference to be the best conference for the glass industry in North America. I learn from high quality lectures from leading industry scientists and technologists. Workshops result in beneficial discussions among industry representatives. At the same time, the conference allows me to meet with my suppliers and their latest innovations. This conference has it all in one place. This is perfect for the limited time I have as a technical manager.”

The Conference on Glass Problems is organised by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (GMIC), the trade association bridging all segments of glass manufacture and Alfred University, the USA’s leading glass research institution. The American Ceramic Society endorses it, with Glass Worldwide as the official journal.

The GPC programme content is directed by an industry advisory board and is composed of invited papers and submitted abstracts, with the proceedings published by John Wiley & Sons. Speakers providing real world data from manufacturing plants are given preference. In addition to the extensive two-day technical programme on 2–3 November, the conference also provides hard to obtain technical education. On 1 November, two excellent technical short courses are offered on, ‘Fundamentals of Batch and Furnace Operations’ taught by C. Philip Ross and ‘Electrical Glass Melting – an Introduction’ taught by René Meuleman, Business Development Director and Corinne Claireaux, PhD, Glass Scientist, Academy Manager, both from CelSian. Of particular note, is the full day symposium on 4 November entitled ‘Automation in Glass Manufacturing’. This symposium, co-organised by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council and GlassTrend, is presented by leading experts in this field who provide a detailed examination of sensors, industrial artificial intelligence, data analytics, controls, remote management, and other automation tools invaluable to efficient sustainable glass manufacturing.

Combining high value technical seminars with robust exhibiting and excellent networking, the Conference on Glass Problems provides an abundance of value for time invested and is what sets the Conference on Glass Problems apart from other trade shows and conferences.

GPC sessions

To be presented at the Greater Columbus Convention Centre and the Hilton Columbus Downtown the conference programme at the time of going to press includes:

2 November

Plenary session:

• United Nations International Year of Glass, Manoj Choudhary, Adjunct Professor of Materials Science & Engineering, The Ohio State University/United Nations
• With COVID an Ongoing Dilemma, especially from a Manufacturing Standpoint, Elizabeth Nagel, Plant Engineering Manager, Corning Inc.
• Re-Balancing the Issue-Driven Sustainability Dialogue that is Hurting Glass. How We Got Here and What We Do About It, Randy Burns, O-I Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, O-I

Refractory session:

• Mullitisation – The Key to Regenerating Regenerators, Christopher Windle, Technical Director, DSF Refractories & Minerals, Ltd.
• Know What’s in Your Furnace: All Bonded AZS Refractory Brick Are Not the Same, J Terry Fisk, Senior Scientist/Owner, JTF Microscopy Services, LLC
• How Efficient Non-Destructive Control of FC AZS will Support High Quality Glass Melting, Pierrick Vespa, R&D Project Leader, SEFPRO

Data, chemistry and energy session:

• Your New Problem Began Two Years Ago: Tracking Refractory Performance and Glass Infiltration Over Time with Data, Alexander Ruege, PhD, Chief Engineer, VP, Data Analysis and Reporting Division, PaneraTech, Inc.
• Updated Soda-Lime Glass Compositions Help to Reduce Energy Consumption and Emissions, Oleg Prokhorenko, PhD, Director, LGP International, LLC
• Ultrafast Glass Engineering, S. K. Sundaram, PhD, Program Director, Alfred University
• Electrical Glass Melting and Boosting Solutions of the Future Designed for Efficiency, Flexibility and Micro-Grid Capability, Mikael Le Guern, Global Business Development Manager for Glass, Eurotherm by Schneider Electric
• Heat Exchanger on Glass, Martin Schroeter, Product Manager, Tri-Mer Corporation

3 November

Plenary session:

• Solving Quality Problems Associated with Pharmaceutical Glass Containers, Robert Schaut, Scientific Director, Corning, Inc.
• Collaboration within Competitive Spaces, The Future of the Glass Industry, Aston Fuller, General Manager, Glass Futures Ltd.
• The Green Story of Cardinal FG, Milo Renberg, Technical Manager, Cardinal FG

Energy/combustion session:

• Hydrogen as Fuel for the Glass Industry, What are the Challenges? Oscar Verheijen, Team Lead R&D Training, CelSian
• Thermoelectric Waste Heat Recovery in an Oxyfuel Melter, Adam Polcyn, Vitro Architectural Glass
• Carbon Reduction Strategies, Corrine Claireaux, PhD, Glass Scientist, Academy Manager CelSian and Andries Habraken, Team Lead Process Automation, CelSian

Sensors/energy session:

• Carbon Reduction Comparison Electric or Hydrogen Power, Erik Muijsenberg, Vice President, Glass Service, Inc.
• All-Electric Melting Back to the Future, C. Phillip Ross, President, Glass Industry Consulting
• Technical and Economic Investigation of Next Generation Fuels for Glass Melters, Shrikar Chakravarti, Business Development Linde, Inc.
• In-furnace Thermal Imaging Survey of a Float Furnace for Combustion Optimisation, Philippe Kerbois, Global Industry Manager-Glass, Ametek Land

GMIC symposium

‘Automation in Glass Manufacturing’ is the title of a symposium co-organised by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council and GlassTrend on 4 November.

To sustain their competitive advantage, today’s glass manufacturers must take advantage of the latest advancements in automation, digitisation and smart manufacturing. Challenged by the need to reduce emissions, extend furnace campaigns, and make production more efficient, it’s critical that manufacturers have full knowledge of current innovations in automation tools. This symposium is presented by leading experts in this field who provide a detailed examination of sensors, industrial artificial intelligence, data analytics, controls, remote management, and other automation tools invaluable to efficient sustainable glass manufacturing.

The audience will be glass manufacturers, refractory and equipment suppliers, sensors and automation suppliers, raw material and energy suppliers, design engineers, process engineers, academics, and glass researchers, technology, process design, analysis and improvement.

Participants should come away from the symposium with knowledge of the current technologies and future trends in automation in glass manufacturing.

The symposium Director is Bob Lipetz, Executive Director of the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council (assisted by Donna Banks) and the Programme Co-Chairs are Keith Bagarus, Director, Global Automation – RoviSys [GMIC Board of Trustees] and Bruno A Purnode, Leader Melting & Fiberizing Technology; Senior Technical Staff – Owens Corning [GlassTrend managing Board].

The programme committee includes: Ryan A. Bockbrader, Director, Engineering Process, Libbey Glass; Paul Castañuela, Global Leader – Automation & Controls, Engineered Products, Johns Manville; Mathieu Hubert, Development Associate, Corning [Representing GlassTrend]; Sanjay Mansukhani, Principal Engineer, Advanced Process Control, Digital Transformation, Owens Corning Advanced Manufacturing; Ivan Solis Martinez, Engineering Project Manager, Vitro Architectural Technology; Glenn Neff, Vice President, Glass Service USA; Udaya K. Vempati, Analytics and Automation Discipline Leader, O-I; and Oscar Verheijen, Senior Consultant, CelSian [Representing GlassTrend].

The following programme of papers has been organised:

Sensors session

• NIR Camera and Inspection Results – Erik Muijsenberg, Vice President, Glass Service
• State-of-the-art of Advanced Sensors for Process Automation – Oscar Verheijen, Senior Consultant, CelSian
• Digitalization Robotization as a Mean to Further Strengthen and Automate the Forming Process – XPAR Vision, Paul Schreuders

Industrial artificial intelligence and data analytics session

• Big Data, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence – Bryan DeBois, Director, Industrial AI, RoviSys
• 20% Reduction of Down Time with Al-Powered PdM – Shannon Friedman, Sales Engineer, Senseye, Inc.

Control session

• Digital Twins – Simulation Models to Streamline Design, Analysis, and Operations – Michael Sarvo, Support Manager, Rockwell Automation and Sameer Kher, Senior Director, Product Development ANSYS
• Digitalization Brings Plant Wide Automation to the Next Level – John Ryan, Glass Industry Manager, Siemens and Heinz-Josef Lennartz, Glass Industry Manager, Siemens AG

Remote management session

• Security – Scott Reynolds, PE, Manager, Industrial Security, ITD – Johns Manville
• How Mixed Reality, 3D Visualizations and Laser Scanning Allow Onsite and Offsite (remote) Experts to Work Together – Steven Ostrowski, 3D Laser Scanning and Mixed Reality – Trimble, Inc
• Accelerate Innovation from Edge to Cloud to Improver Operations –Timothy McCain, Digital Partner Program Manager – Rockwell and Mark Beckmann, Director Industry Solutions – Microsoft