Bristol Instruments has added two models to its line of non-contact optical thickness gauges. The 157XLS (Extra Long Scan) and 137XLS systems are the latest additions, both of which extend the maximum measurement limit to 80mm.

These models maintain industry leading accuracy as high as ± 0.1 μm for the 157XLS models and long-term repeatability of up to ± 0.02 μm.

For less exacting requirements, the 137XLS measures accuracy as high as ± 1.0 μm and features a long-term repeatability of ± 0.05 μm.

To make it even easier to optimise its refractory products and services in the field, HarbisonWalker International has enhanced its mobile refractory tools app, based on customer input.

The free app for iOS and android devices is available with basic functionalities for all users. HWI customers and members of HWI's Contractor/Installer (C/I) network can log in on the app for more features and updates to existing functions.

Italy’s Falorni Tech has confirmed its commitment to ensuring business continuity while protecting its workforce during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The epidemic is described as a testing ground for the company’s IT infrastructure and latest work organisation methods, as a proven and safe video conferencing infrastructure further allows the business to organise meetings and keep daily contacts with customers.

For field service workers, however, who cannot work from home, the ‘office’ is the glass factory, in different locations throughout each day.

Leading glass melting technology supplier Forglass is involved in a campaign organised by the Business Centre Club (BCC) of Poland, the aim of which is to show respect and appreciate people for their efforts to fight the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

As part of this initiative, employees of BCC member companies take photographs with a card bearing the hashtag #RatujeBoPracuje (Helping because I’m working) and share them on a specially created Facebook event, fan pages of the companies they work for and on their personal profiles.

Glaston Corp has initiated co-operation negotiations concerning measures to adapt its operations to lower than expected demand.

The negotiations cover all companies in Finland and concern both temporary lay-offs and termination of employment contracts.

Glaston estimates that the negotiations could lead to the termination of up to 20 employment contracts.

The short-time work in Glaston’s Automotive business in Switzerland, implemented in the autumn 2019, continues until further notice and the organisation continues to monitor the situation closely.

Italy’s Falorni Tech is participating at glasstec VIRTUAL with an interactive web presentation on 21 October at 15:00 CET.

Anyone interested in attending is invited to register for free to discover the company’s solutions for the glass container industry, with a focus on the FLEX-COND glass conditioning system for NNPB production.

The live session will be hosted by Commercial Director Andrea Zucconi, who will offer an overview of Falorni Tech glass melting technology, including 3D visuals.

With energy regulations and climate policy targets establishing strict requirements for the construction of future buildings, selecting the most effective and a compatible system for controlling the presence of water, water vapour and achieving airtight transition seals in ventilated facades, curtain walls and window perimeter systems, can be a complex decision.

FM Global, a leading multi-national commercial insurance company, updated data sheet 7-26, loss prevention guidelines for the glass industry, in July 2020.

These updated guidelines include radar-based technology among a list of minimum activities recommended for an asset integrity programme, found in section 2.5.13-D. PaneraTech reports that SmartMelter is currently the only technology that provides inspections that meet this action.

Penico Gauges have completed its development of gauges to help in the inspection of plungers used in the moulding process for glass containers.

The UK company now offers two gauges that are of benefit to mould shops. Both are fully adjustable.

The plunger diameter gauge has an interchangeable diameter feature for different plungers and height blocks for setting the varying heights that occur on the gauging point of plungers.

Separately, Penico’s plunger straightness gauge is also fully adjustable to accommodate the many different types of plunger.

Hunprenco Precision Engineers Ltd has appointed Ivan McNeill as Managing Director. Mr McNeill has worked for the company for 17 years, joining initially as Maintenance Engineer and applying his knowledge and experience gained within other industries (precision engineering, industrial gases/cryogenics South Africa, plastics, rubber and chemicals).

This, coupled with his dedication, hard work and willingness to learn has enabled Mr McNeill to advance to his current position.

He will be assisted by Chris Houghton and Dennis Langfield, who are both named as Directors.

Franklin Bronze Precision Components has introduced the next generation of automation upgrades for its shell room.

The investment casting company has been at the forefront of automation since introducing robots to its manufacturing processes in early 2005 and continues to stay ahead via its latest introduction of robotic technologies.

This year, Franklin Bronze has upgraded the robotic arm and supervisory system in Shell Room 2. Installed by Shell-O-Matic Inc, the robot arm was replaced with a state-of-the-art system.

BASF has launched a website for EXACTUS optical temperature sensors, featuring downloadable software and documentation. The site also includes access to product drawings, user guides and BASF TemperaSure. This graphical software gives the user the ability configure instrument settings and to log temperature readings obtained from EXACTUS pyrometers.

Linde’s US subsidiary, Praxair Inc will begin operating under the Linde name from 1 September 2020. This name change reflects the company’s evolution following the merger of Praxair Inc and Linde AG. Operating under the Linde brand, the company has established a vision to be the best performing global industrial gases and engineering company.

Sun Chemical has organised a Corporate Sustainability Committee to further strengthen its approach to addressing the sustainability needs of the packaging industry.

Vidromecanica, Portugal, has recently completed the expansion of its premises, the company’s third significant expansion in recent years, providing additional space for the design and manufacture of equipment for the glass container and tableware sectors.

Based in the glassmaking hub of Marinha Grande, Vidromecanica employs approximately 60 production staff.

Quantum Engineered Products is now present in more than 50 different countries, having shipped mechanisms to hollow glassmakers in three continents in recent weeks alone.

This includes configurations for 6-section 2 1/8in triple gob, 8-section 3in triple gob, 8-section 3 5/16in triple gob, 8-section 5in double gob and 10-section 6 1/4in double gob.

Available from RHI Magnesita, the INNOREG concept of customised regenerators for glass furnaces optimises energy efficiency and reduces the clogging risk for individual regenerators.

The increase in energy efficiency was realised mainly with the TLW chimney block design. Increased energy efficiency means lower fuel cost and at the same time, lower CO2 emissions.

The reduction of clogging risk was achieved with the LCP shape, allowing a larger channel width in the lower area of the regenerators.

The Bavelloni VE series is the latest evolution of flat glass edging machinery, regarded as a benchmark in the field for its reliability, user-friendliness and for the quality of end product.

VE straight-line edgers are available in various configurations for every need and for any glass fabricator.

VE 350 6D is a vertical edger, equipped with six diamond wheels, suitable for customers who need to grind flat edge with arrises at high speed (up to 8m/min).

A spin-off from the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser and Production Technology (ILT/IPT), nokra has almost 30 years’ experience in designing and integrating state-of-the-art, laser-based geometry measuring systems for 100% inline inspection in fully automated production lines.

The first glass measuring system was installed in 2006 on a Saint-Gobain windscreen production line. Today, more than 30 systems are used worldwide, operated by Saint-Gobain, KAC, AGC and AGP.

When a UK glass container customer of Standard Industrie International encountered a problem of material spillages during the conveying of in-house cullet, it was decided to modify the existing strip and install 32m of LIFTUBE.

During a short production stoppage, the LIFTUBE was installed on a conveyor running in a tunnel of approximately 1500mm sides.

All original rollers and skirts were removed and taken out of the tunnel in turn.

The LIFTUBE parts were then transported by hand and installed on the original conveyor frame.

Capitalising on the success of previous advanced designs, BASF has recently developed enhanced thermocouple designs that utilise 20%-40% less precious metal than their traditional equivalents.

These designs use advanced high strength materials that allow for the use of less precious metal without sacrificing, form, fit or function of the thermocouple.

The designs can be used in forehearth, crown and bottom applications. The biggest benefit is a significant cost saving, without sacrificing longevity, quality and overall performance.

Proell's core business lies in the development of custom-made chemical products for coating/decorating glass, metals, plastics and other materials, as well as innovative ink systems for IMD/FIM technology and screen and pad printing inks.

Among the company’s latest innovations is NoriGlass OR, a glossy, silicone-free, two-component glass screen printing enamel ink.

This outdoor-resistant ink has been developed for the second surface decoration of glass, particularly for backlit displays of vending or ticket machines.

Fuchs Lubricants has recently launched the first in a series of manual swabbing compounds for application in the glass container industry.

Part of the company’s comprehensive glass lubricants product range covering the container industry, flat glass and pharmaceutical/medicinal ware, Vitrolis MM premium is targeted at extended swabbing cycles and improving efficiency.

Available in 18kg sample pails, as well as 200kg drums and 1000kg IBC, the product is commercially available from Fuchs facilities throughout the world, together with local technical and commercial support.

Dow is offering architectural designers and specifiers the opportunity to realise an aesthetically pleasing ‘one colour edge’ for insulating glass, which is a key design element in modern glass facades.

This colour matched edge sealant system comprises a DOWSIL primary and secondary sealant which when combined, offers high performance in gas-filled insulating glass for a homogenous appearance and improved aesthetics at the glass edge.

Cefla’s MITO Glass automated spray solution for flat glass decoration increases production output while simultaneously ensuring application uniformity, process quality and reduced rejects.

The speed and ease of use of the patented JIT system allows for extreme flexibility in colour change. A wide range of configurations allows for spray system customisation and increased variety in production output possibilities.

The contactless reading bar accurately scans the size of each glass sheet as it passes through the machine, ensuring reduced paint usage.

Since signing a licensing and co-operation agreement with Verallia in May 2019, manufactIS GmbH has been supplying original spare parts, mechanism and assemblies for all GPS brand IS machines on an exclusive basis.

The development and installation of innovative technologies and safety solutions, as well as modernisations are part of the service and product portfolio provided.

India’s Shamvik Glasstech is undergoing rapid transformation via the involvement of third generation family members.

The company’s IS machinery expertise optimises cutting edge automation technologies to deliver end-to-end solutions with enhanced safety features. Vikram Munshi, Managing Director has created a global footprint in his 27 years at the helm. “To continue the legacy of the founding father, we will always try to provide up-to-date technology solutions to all customers who wish to establish a glass bottle plant” Mr Munshi confirms.

Portugal’s Meta Global Lda reports growing sales to such countries as Greece, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Italy and the UK, in addition to its traditional business in support of glassmaking customers in Portugal and Spain.

Since its creation in 2006, Meta Global has maintained its focus on supplying the glass packaging, tableware and mould industries with quality products and services in close co-operation with customers. Technical, commercial, logistics and after sales support are conducted from locations in Lisbon and Leiria.

HyGear, a supplier of industrial gases via on-site generation, will host a webinar on 7 July 2020 at 14:00 CET, discussing how companies can recover the mixed hydrogen and nitrogen gas streams that are usually vented, in an economical and environmentally-beneficial way.

Speakers at this webinar are Dr Ellart de Wit, Chief Technology Officer and Niels Lanser, Chief Commercial Officer. They will discuss the technology and its functions and cost savings respectively.

Poland’s leading batch plant and furnace technology supplier is at the forefront of factory operating changes, where machines are able to make decisions by themselves or at least make the decision-making process easier for humans by seamlessly communicating with them.

The Forglass R&D department, in collaboration with The Main Mining Institute in Katowice, AGH University of Science and Technology in Krakow and other prestigious technical universities, has developed an array of innovative technological solutions for both batch plants and furnaces.

Turkish glass container specialist Gurallar Cam Ambalaj has selected Applied Vision’s

Volcano glass inspection systems for its second furnace project later this year in Kutahya. USA-based Applied Vision has continued its strategic growth into the glass container market due to its advancements in glass inspection technology and global support network.

Glaston President and CEO, Arto Metsänen is to retire on 1 January 2021 and has agreed to step down as CEO next month. The Board of Directors has nominated his current deputy, Sasu Koivumäki as acting CEO, with the recruitment process for a new CEO already underway.

VPInstruments, manufacturer of flow metering equipment for easy insights to energy flows, has provided a major update to its VP Academy online e-learning platform. The update contains the addition of the VPFlowScope DP, VPFlowScope Probe and the VPFlowScope in-line product range.  

For a second year in succession, Forglass has been selected as a finalist in the prestigious Gazelles of Business ranking of the most dynamically growing businesses in the small-to-medium enterprise sector in Poland.

According to the company, this recognition reflects its positive reputation and credibility which, thanks to its dynamic development, can cope well even with much larger competitors.

www.forglass.eu

Tobias Wachtmann is to take over as Head of Vertical Glass & Solar at Siemens in Karlsruhe, Germany on 1 June, succeeding Bernhard Saftig, who retires in early July.

Mr Saftig has served glass industry customers at Siemens in positions of responsibility for more than three decades and leaves a strong foundation on which his successor can build. 

Glaston’s first quarter 2020 results confirm a stable order book value of €45.6 million, driven by the insulating glass sector, where orders have grown by more than 70% year-on-year. Heat treatment equipment orders were also positive. Net sales grew by 6% to €46.9 million.

A recent statement from Glaston confirms that production facilities in Finland, Germany, Switzerland and China have successfully maintained operations throughout the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

From the outset, the focus has been on securing the operations, the safety of employees and on continuous support for customers. This means that machines and lines for processing architectural, automotive, solar and appliance glass continue to be delivered to customers throughout the world.

The Combined Coating Measurement System (CCMS) from Agr International provides operators with a one-stop, single operation testing station for measuring and managing the container coating process.

This system utilises Agr’s proven reflective coating measurement technology, features a fully automated measurement approach and incorporates a number of technological advances.

It provides a 33% improvement in testing throughput and a 70% improvement in precision over previous Agr coating measurement systems.

Poland’s Forglass has recently completed a batch plant expansion project on behalf of glass wool production specialist, Saint-Gobain Isover.

The Chemillé plant in France was constructed some 10 years ago and recently the company decided to expand its glass wool production by constructing a second furnace. Calculations showed that the capacity of the batch plant was sufficient to supply both furnaces.

What was needed was an additional line for transporting the mixed batch to the new furnace, fully integrated with the client’s existing control system.

Czech Republic-based Glass Service is celebrating 30 years’ service in support of the international glassmaking industry.

Together with affiliated companies FlammaTec spol s r o, FlammaTec Germany GmbH, FIC (UK) Ltd, FIC Germany GmbH, Augmented Sensors and Systems d o o (A-SENS), Glass Service provides extensive consulting and engineering services to customers.

An investment group led by the owner of a worldwide construction company has acquired Henry F Teichmann Inc, the global process engineering and contracting firm dedicated to serving the glass industry.

Stephen F D’Angelo, owner and Chief Executive Officer of Pittsburgh-based dck worldwide, completed the transaction in mid-February, positioning Teichmann as an affiliate and strategic partner of the construction firm that has completed building projects in 125 countries.

Vibratory batch chargers with two pusher paddles and either servo- or frequency-controlled drives from HORN Glass Industries AG are increasingly specified in the glass market.

The reliability of this equipment has been reconfirmed by Wiegand-Glas in Steinbach, Germany in recent months. In 2018, HORN delivered a melting furnace together with an HRV 700S-2P batch charger, equipped with servo drive.

The servo drive allows the improved adjustment of the movement of the pusher paddles. Thus, the batch layer on the glass surface can be influenced more precisely.

In response to the international glass container industry’s growing acceptance and adoption of ‘smart’ manufacturing practises, IRIS Inspection machines has expanded its NEO range of smart inspection solutions.

Created in close consultation with key customers, the latest NEO technology goes beyond the conventional boundaries associated with specialist inspection machines, delivering a more comprehensive offering to face the challenges presented by the smart factory.

Germany’s NOGRID GmbH, leading supplier of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) has relocated its headquarters to Mainz. Larger office space and training rooms (pictured) will help the company to prepare for further growth.

Separately, NOGRID has also announced its latest pointsBlow 3.2.5 software release (software especially for the simulation of the glass container forming process in full 3D) and NOGRID points 6.7.3, a general-purpose simulation software. Both releases provide a series of innovative features, with faster computation time ensuring reliable solutions.

According to PaneraTech CEO Yakup Bayram (pictured with Fred Aker, Vice President of Sales and Marketing), self-service SmartMelter inspections will be available to new customers for initial inspections effective immediately. This service, previously extended only to repeat customers, will help glass manufacturers ensure safe and reliable furnace operations as they are forced to adjust maintenance and repair schedules.

Following the departure of Miikkael Niemi, Jukka Manner (pictured) has been appointed CEO at Sparklike Oy, Finland’s leading supplier of non-destructive insulating gas analysers. Mr Manner has been Sparklike’s Sales and Marketing Director since early 2019, a position he will continue to perform in parallel.

Working alongside him is Iiro Jantunen, Chief Technology Officer, who has been responsible for product development, production maintenance and quality assurance since joining the business last November.

www.sparklike.com

Glaston Group has been awarded a contract for an FC Series tempering line with Dutch company Steinfort Glas, an expert in glass processing serving the construction, furniture, interior design and automotive industries. The order was received in early February 2020 and the line will be delivered during the last quarter of 2020. In addition, the deal includes a co-operation agreement sharing resources and linking companies core knowhows to a common learning curve.