Glass International May 2016

VETRERIA ETRUSCA

KUMBI CORP

WIEGAND-GLAS

WWW.GLASS-INTERNATIONAL.COM

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

May 2016—Vol.39 No.5

A GLOBAL REVIEW OF GLASSMAKING

Glass International M

ay 2016

SOUTH AMERICA 201729-30 March 2017, Buenos Aires, Argentina

GI Cover-may.indd 1 5/16/16 11:59 AM

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Contents

Glass International May 2016

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May 2016 Vol.39 No.5

2 Editor’s Comment

3 International news

8 Company profile: Vetreria Etrusca Italian glassmaker with a new focus on flint

Inspection 13 Capturing the Korean container market16 Wiegand-Glas approves of Tiama HOT lab systems21 Bucher Emhart Glass launches new Scout inspection technology25 High definition evolution for sidewall and base inspection expertise28 A breakthrough in wall thickness measurement for containers30 Flat glass melt tank monitoring

Quality control33 Optimising efficiency in glass melt furnaces

36 Company profile: UAS Messtechnik Bavarian group is furnace focused

38 History

40 Technical Topics

Country focus: Russia41 Russia’s container glass market endures roller coaster ride Events world44 China Glass show: Sky’s the limit at China Glass46 All set for this year’s international Mir Stekla event

Front cover image www.sorg.de

Plus find us on Linked-In and Twitter.

www.glass-international.com

@Glass_Int

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VETRERIA ETRUSCA

KUMBI CORP

WIEGAND GLAS

WWW.GLASS-INTERNATIONAL.COM

I N T E R N A T I O N A L

May 2016—Vol.39 No.5

A GLOBAL REVIEW OF GLASSMAKING

Glass International M

ay 2016


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Editor’s comment


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Great to see so many of you at the recent Glassman Middle East show in Abu Dhabi earlier this

month. The combined exhibition and con-

ference proved to be a great forum that highlighted the strength of the Middle East glass manufacturing sector.

It was also an opportunity for lead-ing original equipment manufacturers (OEMS) to highlight some of the indus-try’s latest capabilities.

A number of the region’s most prom-inent hollow, container and tableware manufacturing companies were in at-tendance, forging hopefully long-lasting relationships with some of the world’s leading technology suppliers.

The conference allowed Middle East glassmakers such as Iran’s Noritazeh and Arc International of the UAE to promote some of their strengths.

Spring is the events season for our in-dustry and I was also fortunate enough to visit the China Glass exhibition and con-ference last month.

After talking to a number of exhibitors, visitors and members of the organising committee, it is clear that the container glass industry, as well as its hollow and ta-bleware cousins, are in a healthy state at the moment.

The overall picture was upbeat, with

plenty of people stating that confi dence was high, orders were steady and business was good. Long may it continue!

While trade in established glassmak-ing regions such as Europe and the USA remained steady, the developing nations appear to be growing particularly strong-ly. As was expected, the Chinese event was visited by plenty of domestic man-ufacturers. But what was noticeable was the number of guests from further afi eld, not just the South East Asian region but from the Middle East and western Russia.

Exhibitors reported their pleasant sur-prise at meeting such a variety of man-ufactuers in one place. It highlighted the importance of trade shows and their place in the industry’s calendar.

To paraphrase some of the China Glass exhibitors who commented on the sig-nifi cance of industry events: ‘Where else can you meet so many people under one roof’; ‘Exhibitions help save me from hav-ing to make many fl ights to meet clients’; and ‘The initial contact at a show can lead to a long- lasting client relationship.’

The industry’s largest show, glasstec is looming large in the diary this year. Let’s hope the current wave of optimism con-tinues. �

Greg Morris, [email protected]

Greg Morris

All systems go as market goes from strength to strength


Quartz Glass Portfolio

Editor: Greg MorrisTel: +44 (0)1737 855132Email: [email protected]

Assistant Editor: Sally LoveTel: +44 (0)1737 855154Email: [email protected]

Designer: Annie BakerTel: +44 (0)1737 855130Email: [email protected]

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Glass International (ISSN 0143-7838) (USPS No: 020-753) is published 10 times per year by Quartz Business Media Ltd, and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437. Periodicals postage paid at Emigsville, PA. POSTMASTER: send address changes to Glass International c/o PO Box 437, Emigsville, PA 17318-0437.

Offi cial publication of Abividro - the Brazilian Technical Association of Automatic Glass

Industries

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Glass International annual subscription rates including Glass International Directory:For one year: UK £164, all other countries £231.For two years: UK £295, all other countries £416.Airmail prices on request. Single copies £45.

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© Quartz Business Media Ltd, 2015ISSN 0143-7838

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Glassman specialist exhibitions rotate between America, Asia and Europe


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International News

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Stölzle designs ice inspired bottle

Stölzle Glass has created a bottle for Stock Polska’s new Amundsen Expedition vodka, designed to honour an expe-dition to the South Pole that took place in 1911.

The result is a light blue bottle, which has been manufactured from feeder coloured glass.

It features a mould em-bossment all over the body, to resemble ice bricks.

Additional embossing on the front and left side of the bottle is a remind-er of the date of the his-torical expedition to the South Pole and its exact geographical position.

It was an exciting chal-lenge for Stolzle Czesto-chowa, the Polish pro-duction site of the Glass Group, which proved its technical expertise in the fi eld of mould mainte-nance.

This was continuously required in order to ensure a perfect bottle shape.

Stölzle Glass Group specialises in producing high-end glass containers for its Prestige Spirits and Perfumery & Cosmetics divisions.

With headquarters located in Austria, the Group consists of six Eu-ropean production plants and three in-house deco-ration sites.

Stölzle Glass has created a bottle for Stock Polska’s new Amundsen Expedition vodka, designed to honour an expe-dition to the South Pole that took place in 1911.

bottle, which has been manufactured from feeder coloured glass.

bossment all over the body, to resemble ice bricks.

on the front and left side of the bottle is a remind-er of the date of the his-torical expedition to the South Pole and its exact geographical position.

lenge for Stolzle Czesto-chowa, the Polish pro-duction site of the Glass Group, which proved its technical expertise in the fi eld of mould mainte-nance.

required in order to ensure a perfect bottle shape.

specialises in producing high-end glass containers for its Prestige Spirits and Perfumery & Cosmetics divisions.

located in Austria, the Group consists of six Eu-ropean production plants and three in-house deco-ration sites.

International News


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NEWS IN BRIEF

Be first with the news! VISIT: www.glass-international.com for daily news updates

Frazier-Simplex worker dies in glass plant tragedyOne person has died after the crown of a furnace roof collapsed during repairs at Anchor Hocking in Lancaster, Ohio, USA.

Kevin J. Brown, 52, worked for Frazier-Simplex Engineers, a Washington, Pennsylvania-based company.

He was doing brick repair work inside furnace tank 1 when the furnace crown collapsed. Two others also working inside the tank were unharmed. The furnace is one of three at the Anchor Hocking glass plant and was down for repairs; there was no molten glass in the tank at the time of the incident.

Horn to supply furnace for Iranian projectHorn has been selected by Turira, a subsidiary of Iran’s Mina Glass, to supply the engineering and equipment for a 240tpd regenerative end fired furnace. The furnace will feed three forehearths in the new production plant project.

Mina Glass is the largest manufacturer and exporter of porcelain, glass bottles and jars in Iran. The new production plant will be erected near Teheran and will produce 240 tons of glass containers per day.

Gimav revamps its websiteItalian association GIMAV has revamped its website. The newly revamped website of the Association of Italian manufacturers and suppliers of machinery, equipment and special products for glass processing, is now on line. www.gimav.it

Belarussian Glassworks declared bustThe Belarussian container glass factory ‘Glassworks Elizovo’ has been declared bankrupt. An analysis found that the reason for the insolvency were inefficient management, errors made in its modernisation and a weak marketing plan.

The Economic Court of Lu-gansk region has started bank-ruptcy proceedings against Ukraine’s Lisichanskiy Glass.

The court decision was made after a plant creditor, Naftogaz Ukraine, said the plant owed it UKR380 million ($15 million).

It was noted that the plant’s total debt to all its creditors is more than UKR1.4 billion ($55 million). But the court noted that the court set the amount of the plant’s un-deniable debt to Naftogaz at UKR$27 million.

In addition the court has

also decided to enter the prop-erty for the period of the plant disposal procedure for 115 days, with a view to ensuring monetary claims of creditors and to appoint a manager of the debtor’s property for the same period.

SGD Pharma opens fifth pharmaceutical site

SGD Pharma has opened its fifth site dedicated to pharma-ceutical bottles production.

The site is located in Saint Quentin, in the Somme region of France (pictured).

The site stretches over 13 hectares and has production facilities that enable it to pro-duce 1 million bottles per day, or 20,000 tonnes of glass per year. With local expertise and the transfer of existing teams, the first bottles were produced in September 2015 and the site was fully operational in Febru-ary 2016.

The site will become the group’s global centre of excel-lence for this type of glass. It

will also specialise in the pro-duction of moulded neutral glass for pharmaceutical bot-tles. The plant also houses its global R&D centre.

It is the first new glass man-ufacturing site to be built in France for 20 years. It has al-ready hired 20 new employees and currently employs 270 staff.

The construction of the plant represented four chal-lenges to the company:

Technology: design, con-struction and operational start-up in 18 months,

Industrial: the transfer of an industrial plant over several months without any interrup-

tion of production;Financial: a €65 million in-

vestment for a site designed with special attention to envi-ronmental aspects (materials, energy), working conditions (ergonomics, light) and use of the best available technologies for manufacturing glass;

Human: the successful transfer of 250 employees in a transitional phase that lasted several months.

The company celebrated its inauguration by welcoming 150 customers and partners from around the world for the official opening of the site at the end of April.

Ukraine’s Lisichanskiy Glass declared bankrupt

International News

NEWS IN BRIEF

Libbey installs Praxair’s Optimelt technologyPraxair has signed a contract with Libbey to supply it with the company’s Optimelt thermochemical regenerator (TCR) system.

The company also entered into a long-term contract with Libbey to deliver oxygen to its glass melting facility in the Netherlands through a non-cryogenic, vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) system.

Both the Optimelt TCR system and the 60 tonne-per-day VPSA oxygen on-site supply system are scheduled to start up in 2017.

Viridor completes £2m Sheffield investmentGlass recycler Viridor has completed a £2 million modernisation at its Salmon Pastures, UK site.

The facility encompasses 12 optical sorters, more than a mile of specialist conveyor belts and three floors of processing towers all of which refine the quality of the glass.

As a result of the investment the facility has successfully achieved the ‘End of Waste’ accreditation for the glass produced.

The Sheffield facility joins the elite ranks of only two processing facilities of this kind in the UK.

Dairy giant Müller backs milk in bottlesGerman dairy company Müller has said that it plans to ‘rejuvenate’ the UK milk delivery business it acquired from Dairy Crest and has reversed plans to close the group’s former glass-bottling facility in Hanworth, UK.

Müller also plans to expand its milk&more doorstep delivery business, which delivers milk and other daily essentials to more than 600,000 homes across the country.

Patrick Müller said: “Milk has been delivered in glass bottles to homes across the country for over 100 years and I am delighted that this tradition is to continue.”


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ATIV and CNAGI to cooperateDr. Eng. Meng Ling Yan, Pres-ident of the Chinese National Association for Glass Industry (CNAGI), and Dr. Eng. Ales-sandro Bandini, President of the Italian Association for Glass Technicians (ATIV), met at China Glass to discuss col-laboration between the associ-ations for the promotion and dissemination of themes in the glass industry sector.

President Meng introduced the discussion, informing President Bandini on how the present Chinese market is very much oriented towards the sectors of tableware, food and beverage, and pharmaceutical glass, without, however, ne-glecting products in opal glass.

The main drawback of this last kind of production is re-lated to its significant fluoride emissions.

Of particular interest are, moreover, products in ceram-ic glass, both cooktop and tableware. President Bandini replied that in Italy there is significant experience in the cited productions, and that his association is organising a

meeting in October with the theme of energy efficiency in the glass industry

President Bandini expressed a strong interest in participat-ing in the upcoming CNA-GI meeting, and proposed a workshop related to the dis-cussed themes (nitrogen oxide emissions, creativity of new products), which was accepted by President Meng Ling Yan.

The two presidents have agreed to follow up on this im-portant first meeting.

Glass Engineering & Con-tracting is a new division of Colorobbia Consulting com-pany, part of the Colorobbia Group.

Pictured: (front left) Alessan-dro Bandini, President of ATIV, meeting with (front right) Meng Ling Yan, President of CNAGI.

Reckmann increases Latin American presence following GlassmanFollowing on from the success of Glassman Latin America 2015, Reckmann Thermocou-ples has increased its presence in the region.

Reckmann is the leading German manufacturer of ther-mocouples and one of the four largest in Europe, supplying leading glass factories as well as furnace manufacturers.

The company’s presence in the global market is becom-ing stronger, and large glass producers in Latin America already depend on the quality and reliability of Reckmann

Thermocouples.Direct and close contact

with the customer is very im-portant, and for this reason Reckmann has been present at every Glassman fair since 2011.

The last fair in Mexico in September 2015 was a great success, and a confirmation of the growth and importance of the region in the global glass market.

Reckmann prides itself on customer service, and custom-ers are approached directly in their language: French, Ital-

ian, Spanish, English, Portu-guese and Arabic.

Each geographical region has its own contact person, and Gustavo Falero Recalde is the contact for Latin America.

Reckmann follows the ‘one-face to the customer policy’, which means the same person who visits a plant will also fol-low the order directly in the company’s HQ in Hagen, Ger-many.

Glassman will return to the region next year with Glass-man South America, which will be held in 2017.

International News

NEWS IN BRIEF


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Forglass appoints Ian Robertson as UK representativePolish group Forglass has appointed Ian D. Robertson as its UK/Ireland representative.

Ian is a well-known figure in the global glass industry and has worked in the sector for nearly 50 years. He is a Fellow of The Society of Glass Technology and a member of its council.

Beatson Clark goes stateside for BrewExpoBeatson Clark will be heading to the US to showcase its products and services at BrewExpo America.

Export Sales Manager Jan-Willem Ridt and Sales and Marketing Director Lynn Sidebottom will be at the event in Philadelphia from the 4th to the 6th May.

BrewExpo America, part of the Craft Brewers’ Conference, is the largest brewing trade show in the US with more than 800 suppliers in one location.

glasstec 2016 set to welcome glass industryThe organisers of glasstec 2016 have found the positive upswing in the glass industry reflected by a strong demand for stand bookings.

The exhibitor database and ticket shop are online as of now.

The number of registered exhibitors and occupied exhibition space already exceeds previous event’s levels.

Friends of Glass award for Taste campaignFEVE, the European Container Glass Federation, has won the 2016 International & European Association Award for the Best Social Media Campaign for its ‘Taste Map of Europe’ promotion.

The awards are organised by the Associations Network, which has been recognising and promoting excellence in associations since 2006, to over 15,000 members.

Tiama’s newly designed web-site is now up and running: www.tiama.com

Tiama, a major player in supplying inspection and quality controls solutions for glass packaging, has renewed its website with an unclut-tered design, new relevant webpages, entertaining vid-eos, modern animations and

pertinent data. “As a technology leader,

it’s important for us to make information regarding prod-ucts, services and trends, eas-ily accessible for all our visi-tors” explains Ursula Baudry, the Marketing & Communica-tion Manager at Tiama.

Tiama initiated a new win-dow display to support its

brand via a responsive website format that is equally avail-able on different platforms such as PC, tablet or smart-phone.

There are still ‘log in-pro-tected customer areas’ that allow customers to enter the on-line catalogues dedicated to spare-parts and kit, and up-grades.

New website for Tiama

Centenary golf day for SGTIn 1916 The Society of Glass Technology was established by Prof. W.E.S. Turner in Shef-field, UK and a programme of events has been planned throughout 2016 to celebrate the centenary of the society.

One event will be a Golf Day which will be held on Thurs-

day, July 7th at the Mid York-shire Golf Club Darrington, Nr Pontefract, West Yorkshire.

The day will involve a round of golf, four course dinner in the evening, prize presenta-tion, raffle and entertain-ment. Non golfers are able to attend the evening festivities

at an additional cost.All the major glass manufac-

turers and suppliers have been invited to enter teams of four players each but if anyone else is interested then please see the website www.centenary.sgt.org/eventshtm then scroll down to Golf Day.

Encirc fires up for the future with furnace investment

Encirc has invested more than £650,000 in refurbishing the two furnaces at its Derrylin site in Northern Ireland (pic-tured).

Initial works have focused on fitting new insulation ma-terials around the batch mate-rial in-feeds and burner blocks to improve energy efficiency, further cutting the overall car-bon footprint of the Derrylin plant.

Speaking about the invest-

ment, Robert Rose, Opera-tions Director at Encirc, ex-plained:

“Encirc has enjoyed robust growth over the last few years with a marked increase in de-mand for our glass packaging, while our focus on environ-mental stewardship has been well recognised inside and outside the industry.

“As a result, it’s more impor-tant than ever to ensure our facilities are in the best possi-

ble condition.“This investment has al-

lowed us to maximise the effi-ciency of the furnaces, reduc-ing energy requirements and ensuring sustainability targets are met.

“With complete furnace rebuilds planned in the com-ing years, the Derrylin plant is key to supporting the growth of our business and that of our customers well into the future.”

International News


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CULLET CRUSHER

SCRAPER CONVEYOR

2015 anuncio HALF PAGE CASCO bleed off 3mm CMYK.indd 1 29/06/2015 14:29:15

Top 10 stories in the news

All full stories can be found on our website, www.glass-international.com/news � 1 Sisecam reports $2.59 billion sales in 2015� 2 Frazier-Simplex worker dies in glass plant tragedy� 3 Libbey installs Praxair’s Optimelt technology� 4 Encirc fi res up for the future with furnace investment� 5 New website for Tiama� 6 Stölzle designs ice inspired vodka bottle� 7 Ukraine’s Lisichanskiy Glass declared bankrupt� 8 Belarussian Glassworks declared bankrupt� 9 Dairy giant Müller backs milk in glass bottles� 10 Gimav revamps its website

Our most popular news items, as determined by our website traffi c

Success for Hotwork following Glassman

Having been introduced to the Latin American market during the Glassman Latin American Show 2015, Hotwork Interna-tional is offi cially in Mexico as ‘Heat Up Latin America’ and started its full operations in April 2016.

Strategically situated in Cu-ernavaca, 80km outside Mex-

ico City, the newly inaugurat-ed offi ce and warehouse has in-stored heat up equipment with the latest added safety control features for burners with Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) and safety components for gas and oil with the latest version of Hot-work’s high velocity heat up burner.

As a subsidiary of Hotwork International in Europe, the team in Mexico have been thoroughly trained in main-tenance, operation and safety standards and with the full back-up of 120 service engi-neers and more than 250 heat up equipment sets.

With that, Hotwork Inter-national is more than ready to serve the clients in Mexico and throughout Latin Amer-ica.

Company profi le: Vetreria Etrusca


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Italian glassmakerwith a new focus on fl int

Continued>>

The main building of Vetreria Etrusca’s HQ is an impressive sight, covered as it is in thousands of glass bottles that reach around

its periphery and the faux chimney that gives a nod to old-fashioned furnace design.

The bottles, in what has become the company’s signature light green, catch the sunlight and underline the company’s values for everyone to see: Vetreria Etrusca makes functional bottles beautiful. Design is, and always has been, central to the company’s ethos.

Just as well presented is Andrea Bartolozzi, whose father Giovanni Bartolozzi founded the company in 1951. Along with his brothers Riccardo and Roberto, Andrea runs the company’s daily operations while Giovanni remains as President. “He still has his offi ce upstairs, he is 88,” says Andrea. “He still enjoys it, he was at the factory on Saturday to see the furnace start-up.”

The new furnace, installed at the factory in Altare, is from Stara Glass, and was chosen for its low emissions technology. “The furnace is called Centauro, and has a very low NOx emissions, I think it’s the lowest that you can get,”confi rms Andrea. “It’s not just Stara Glass, it’s everybody in Germany – Horn, Sorg - they all try to make furnaces that solve the problem of emissions.”

Vetreria Etrusca is under stricter regulations than most, due to its plant’s location in Valbormida, Savona. The European Union assigns regional permissions based on historic levels of air quality, something noted by Andrea: “The NOx – it used to be 800. Unfortunately, the area where we have our factory has been incriminated by industrial

“The majority

of our sector is

in dark green.

With the new

furnace we

are aiming to

bring the same

experience in

creating new

shapes in fl int

bottles.”

factories - not glass factories - that operated in the past. So, we have been given permission that is below the standard given in Italy, which is 700 – very, very low. So, we had to fi nd a furnace that could guarantee a low NOx emission. That’s why we chose Stara Glass.”

The company’s original factory was in Montelupo, close to Florence, and it operated until 1994 when the lack of space to develop meant a new site had to be found.

“As happened a lot in Italy, after the Second World War we started to become industrial. Towns were growing around the factory, and suddenly, you fi nd yourself in the middle of town when you started in the countryside. It became very complicated to operate a glass factory that works 24 hours a day, in the middle of a town. There is no production anymore in Montelupo, we moved production to Altare, Savona, and then we started to make extra white fl int and verdetrusco (dark green), different bottles for wine, extra virgin olive oil and spirits.”

Prior to this, the company’s production had primarily been in shades of green, one of which became an accidental trademark of the manufacturer. Showing us a picture of one of the company’s most popular and traditional products, jars in a light shade of green, Andrea laughs, “The particular thing about these jars is the colour – jars on the marketplace are normally fl int. Why did we make it in light green? Very simple: Because we only had the one furnace, and we did not make

The company’s production plant in Savona.

Vetreria etrusca profile 2.indd 1 5/10/16 11:07 AM

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Continued>>

fl int in that furnace! And that became a kind of success for us, because nobody else was making these jars in light green.”

Fiasco containerVetreria Etrusca is famous for its iconic bottle designs, priding itself on its history of specially designed creations and its catalogue of more than 1000 shapes.

Customers can come with their ideas, and Vetreria Etrusca will create ‘whatever they like.’

The company’s production history is linked with the progression of Italy’s glass containers, catering as it has to the country’s wine and olive oil markets.

“Initially, we started with one of the most important containers we had in Italy historically, a fl ask. It was a straw covered bottle, you maybe know it as a Chianti bottle, and it was the way to export wines outside of Italy in the 1960s and 70s,” notes Andrea.

“Our wines were not that well known at the time, so people were buying the container more than the wine itself.”

The bottle, known as a Fiasco bottle, helped to put Italian wine on the map, with its distinctive shape mirroring the success that bottle design had for certain regions of French wines. “Historically, everybody knows Burgundy,” says Andrea. “That bottle was designed and created for Burgundy, the Claret bottle, Bordeaux, the Champagne bottle – the same thing. The only typical container that belongs to Italy is that one, Fiasco. There is no

In its 65th year of operations, Vetreria Etrusca has started up a new extra-white fl int furnace that will add 75% capacity to the company’s current production rates. Sally Love visited its head-quarters in Montelupo, Italy, to speak to Andrea Bartolozzi about one of Europe’s most iconic glass designers and manufacturers.

other place in the world that used to make Fiasco. “It is unique to Italy. That container goes back to

the 13th century. We have made these containers for a few centuries in Italy, and Vetreria Etrusca has been the largest manufacturer of that container.

“Before, it was mouth blown, and we used to make millions of them. We had thousands of people working and blowing, and then assembling the glass in the straw.”

The company switched to automatic production in the 1970’s, allowing for more regular closures with an internal bore that made sealing the bottle with a cork easier.

“We made all types of straw covered bottles – each region in Italy wanted to have a different shaped bottle to identify with their region, since the fl ask was just from Tuscany.”

Wine isn’t the only traditional Italian ware for which Vetreria Etrusca has had substantial

experience designing containers. Olive oil has played a huge role in the company’s

back-catalogue, including in 1990 when its Tuscia

bottle was chosen as the emblem for the world’s

extra virgin olive oil producers.

z The Bartolozzi family,

with Andrea centre left, and

the founder Giovanni centre

right.

An example of one of the

glassmaker’s more unusual

shapes. The company has

a catalogue of over 1,000

shapes and bottles.

z Vetreria Etrusca’s HQ in Montelupo, Tuscany. The building’s facade is covered in light green

bottles.


Company profile: Vetreria Etrusca


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The bottle features both a handle and a spout and was chosen to be the first bottle made by the company’s new furnace on the day it was lit, along with some additional engraving.

Vetreria Etrusca is also responsible for the invention of a closure for olive oil dispensers designed to prevent counterfeiting amongst the restaurant trade. “It’s a special closure,” explains Andrea, “we call it a DOP closure, which allows you to pour from the bottle but not refill it.

“This was mainly for restaurants, because some were buying a case of extra virgin olive oil, and then they would refill it with a much cheaper oil. In order to guarantee to the consumer that what is on the label is in the bottle, we invented this type of closure. This was a change in the trend – instead of having a handle and a spout, you have this type of closure.”

Modern trends: bubbles and flintFittingly, for an Italian company that has such a profound history with bottles for Italian wine, a recent trend has been Prosecco.

“We make more Prosecco than Champagne bottles now, it has become huge. Champagne production is between 300-320 million or so bottles per year, depending on the harvests and how many they want to order each year. I think we made more than 330 million Prosecco bottles in 2014. It is a huge market.”

Andrea also sees the characteristics of wine bottles changing, with a shift away from traditional tall bottles: “Now we see more short bottles, with a narrow neck and a wider body. So we see a trend in the wine business from tall bottles to shorter bottles.” There is also a recent trend for Prosecco to be packaged in extra white flint glass rather than greens, a design feature that further separates the product in people’s minds from Champagne.

“It is not competing against Champagne,” confirms Andrea. “They are two separate markets. You buy Champagne, most of the time, as a gift. You buy Prosecco because you drink Prosecco.”

The rise in popularity of the Italian sparkling wine in recent years is undeniable, with Andrea

a champion of its characteristics: “The scent is lighter than Champagne because it’s not bottle fermented; it’s a young product and is made in standstill, so is very fresh. It’s less alcoholic, easy to drink and to make cocktails with; your Bellini’s, mimosas, these are made with Prosecco.”

The trend towards making Prosecco bottles in flint could come in handy, as the new furnace will be focused on making clear glass. Whereas in the past Andrea admits that using one furnace to make three colours (extra white flint, half white, and the green ‘verdetrusco’) affected their time to market, the addition of the second furnace will transform its abilities in this arena.

“In the last few years we dedicated a lot of energy to developing bottles in dark green: Prosecco, olive oil, vinegar. Today, the majority of our sector is in dark green. With the new furnace we are aiming to bring the same experience in creating new shapes in flint bottles. So, in the future, I see us doing more with liquor.

“Another market that I think is interesting is toiletries – not perfumery. Something that dispenses oil. People enjoy smart bottles, but they are not as sophisticated in shape as perfumes, something in between. There is a little bit of a trend in that.”

Glassmaking hubThe new furnace will not only speed up time to market and allow for more flint production, it will increase capacity output by 75%.

The existing furnace has four lines and the potential to produce 225tpd. Going forward it will be dedicated to dark green. The new furnace has a 170tpd capacity and will be used to make light colours. Furnace no.2 currently has two lines running, with plans to start a third line next year.

The management hired an extra 25 staff to accommodate the increase in output, with plans to hire 20 more people when the third line starts.

The responsibility of being a local employer is important to the Bartolozzi family, both in how the plant benefits the community and in how the community endorses the plant.

z Before and after: Giovanni Bartolozzi checking the production at the original plant (left), and at the recent furnace start up with

the plant’s new equipment.

z Jars in Etrusca’s ‘acci-

dental’ signature light green.

z Prosecco in flint: a trend

seen by Andrea.

z The flasks, or Fiasco bot-

tles, that helped to put Italian

wine on the map.


Company profi le: Vetreria Etrusca

“It is rare in Italy to invest and hire at the same time. Many people will invest, but then they will restructure the company and often they will reduce instead of increase [the staff].

“So, we invested and increased the production, and we hired more people. It is important, because as a manufacturer I think we always directly and indirectly affect the people in the area where we operate. So, we are creating a sort of wellness for the people that surround the factory.”

The factory is obviously important to the town? “Exactly, we ate in the restaurant after the fi rst production on the new furnace, and they were saying, ‘we’re very pleased that you are investing’. There is a good supply of skilled labour here, because of Altare, in Savona.”

The reputation for glassmaking in Altare, Savona, has gone under the radar of popular culture compared to Italy’s famous Murano, in Venice, but the history in the region dates back just as far. “In Italy, we started manufacturing glass in two spots: Murano and Altare. The difference between them is possibly 50 years, from when they started manufacturing glass. There is a tradition that goes back many centuries in that valley.”

The region retains its glassmaking credentials today, with four glass plants in the space of 15-20kms, consisting of two Verallia factories, one Bormioli Rocco houseware plant and Vetreria Etrusca. “There is no shortage of skilled labour here, it is very traditional. It is usual for people here, women included, to work in a glass factory.

“Sometimes it is not easy to work in a glass factory, it is very hot, it’s noisy, we work in shifts. It is a great place to continue our history – the place has more history than us.”

Full circleThe company’s future looks set to continue in much the same way as its past, focusing on special bottles for high-end clients.

Andrea underlines Vetreria Etrusca’s USP: “There are not many manufacturers that make what we make - such special shaped bottles in small production runs.

“If somebody needs a special bottle for a fairly small quantity, there are only a few plants in Europe that can make this type of operation. It is a very specifi c, niche market.”

Showing us an old picture of his father checking the production, Andrea compares it to one taken at the recent furnace start up: “That’s my father – he was checking the production, and after so many years he is here again, still checking the production! My father enjoyed creating and designing all those bottles.

“It’s amazing for him to see what he has created. When we started the factory it was a much smaller operation, and now we have six lines and two furnaces. It has become a big factory!”

Vetreria Etrusca, Montelupo, Italy.www.vetreriaetrusca.it/en/

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Company profile: Kumbi Corp


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Can you briefly describe Kumbi Corp’s activities in the glass industry?Kumbi Corporation manufactures various kinds of bottles that are widely used for beverages, food, alcoholic liquors and cosmetic bottles.

The most popular products are bottles for alcoholic liquor, particularly as we can produce rectangular shapes and lightweight glass bottles that are tougher than normal glass bottles. We have also made an alliance with Nihon Yamamura Glass and are qualified to ISO9002, ISO22000, KS2501 South Korean industrial standards.

Kumbi Corp’s Vice Chairman and CEO, Mr Kiyoung Ko, discusses the South Korean glassmaker’s operations and how the container industry is fighting back against the rise of PET products in the country. By Greg Morris.

Can you give a brief history of the company?Founded in 1966, we have grown together with our customers over the past 50 years and have played a key role in the advancement of the glass industry in South Korea.

From the foundation of our company up until now, we have worked hard with the belief that we would make the best glass bottles.

Such efforts laid the foundation for the company one of the largest glass bottle manufacturer’s in South Korea today.

Continued>>

Capturing the Korean container market

“Kumbi has always made high quality

and lightweight glass bottles.

We are also competitive in price.”

kumbi co profile.indd 1 5/9/16 10:54 AM

Company profile: Kumbi Corp


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“The reason

we like Iris is

they are a

leading

company in the

glass

machinery

industry”

How many glassmaking plants does the company have and what is the total production capacity?Kumbi Corporation has two plants, which are located in Onyang and Icheon. We have a total of 440 tons/day capacity and seven individual section machines.

What makes Kumbi Corp stand out from its competitors?Kumbi has always made high quality glass bottles and lightweight bottles. Our prices are competitive.

The company recently invested in Iris Inspection Machines inspection tech-nology. Why did you decide to invest in these particular pieces of equipment?We decided to invest in order to improve our production process and quality offering, by installing more developed facilities than previously.

The new Iris equipment can reduce the amount of inferior goods produced by operating a correct checking system and it can inspect two or three different types of bottle on one line.

When did the relationship with Iris start?There was no relationship with Iris until now, but we have been aware of its machines since we were at glasstec 10 years ago in Düsseldorf.

The reason why we like Iris is it is a leading company in the glass machinery industry and it has great competitiveness and various business options compared to other companies.

Who are Kumbi Corp’s main customers geographically?Kumbi supplies the alcoholic liquors, food and beverages industries with our products in South Korea – as you will know, the important thing is freight charge in the glass industry.

Therefore, the amount of exports is much less than domestic consumption.

Is there an emphasis on ‘green’ technology within the company?Kumbi is Korea’s glass industry leader in saving energy, as we operate an oxygen burning system and a glass recycling system with sorting equipment. We also make a great effort to minimise emissions pollutants by using a de-Nox facility and are constructing air/water-cleaning facilities as well.

Similarly, is there an emphasis on Re-search and Development (R&D) within the group? The main principle of R&D within the group is to improve the lightweighting and solidity of our glass bottles.

We also try to cut the cost of making the

product and reduce the price of raw materials from alternatives.

How would you describe the current South Korean container glass market? Are there any particular trends?There is severe competition in the market for beer bottles caused by increased imports; a reduction in whisky bottles, drinks and soybean milk; and a change in packaging material of some drinks – extension of using pack and pouch – these are the current main trends in the South Korean container market.

Although most companies have tried to upgrade their product quality, there are difficulties.

The market for mineral water and soda drinks has increased by double digits in size as did the coffee market, but they make alternative packaging materials such as PET, the one time use cup, and the aluminium bottle can.

So, the glass market has become competitive which made it harder for companies to survive.

Is glass a popular material among consumers or is there much competi-tion from rival materials such as PET? Consumers in Korea prefer glass to other alternative packaging due to its attractive image, harmlessness and good product keeping.

However, competition with PET bottles will continue because of the portability of PET bottles and the fragility of glass.

What challenges does the South Korean container glass industry face? The encroachment in South Korea’s container glass market is due to imports from other nations.

The replacement of glass material by other packaging has also caused a decline in the glass industry.

However, Kumbi will cope with the market crisis by constant price reduction and making products that consumers want.

In your view, is container glass con-sumption likely to increase in South Korea in the next five years? In my opinion, we do not expect container glass consumption to increase in the next few years.

Does Kumbi have any future plans for the next five years? In order to compete against rival materials, we are going to continuously make an effort to improve quality to the highest standard and to reduce the manufacturing cost. r

*Vice Chairman/CEO, Kumbi Corp, Seoul, South Korea,www.kumbi.co.kr

kumbi co profile.indd 2 5/9/16 10:54 AM

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Interview with Wiegand-Glas

What routine tasks does the hot end operator undertake on a day-to-day basis? What key production parameters do they have to manage?Swabbing, watching for any ware handling issues and implementing small machine timing adjustments to ensure all bottles enter the lehr without falling over.

The operator carries out routine mould changes and exchanges other forming equipment that becomes worn or damaged. Some of the parameters which the operator constantly verifi es includes bottle weight, forming temperatures and various bottle dimensions including verticality and ovality.

The operator is also responsible for correcting any reported quality issues received from the cold end via the plant information system.

Can you tell us what main di-mensional measurements were manually completed before installing the Tiama HOT lab? None, we only had go/no go gauges which don’t provide a measurement. If we wanted to verify the glass thickness we would have to break the bottle and visually look for thin spots, which can be a

bit of hit or miss and subject to individual interpretation of what they see.

When did you invest in your fi rst Tiama HOT lab? What were your fi rst motivations? Has the equipment been reliable?The fi rst prototype machine was purchased during 2011. Wiegand Glass actually participated in the original development and contributed fi nancially to cover some of the initial trial costs. Of course we experienced some small technical issues in the early stages of the product development, but now the machine is stable, requires little to no maintenance and is easy to use.

Was it easy to integrate the Tiama HOT lab on your existing production lines?Due to the compact size of the machine, it was easy to fi nd a suitable location at the hot end for it.

The design of the machine, which lowers the bottle into an enclosed measuring chamber, ensures the overall height of the system is kept to a minimal and does not obstruct the operators view.

Wiegand-Glas approves of Tiama HOT lab systems

Wiegand-Glas’s Production manager, Karl-Heinz Mann and Production specialist, Konrad Neubauer, discuss the glassmaker’s relationship with French inspection group Tiama and the installation of its Hot lab systems.

Continued>>

Wiegand-Glas is one of the top three container glass manufacturers in Germany. It

produces more than eight million glass containers per day for the beverage and food industries at its four plants in Steinbach am Wald, Großbreitenbach, Schleusingen and Ernstthal.

Nikolaus Wiegand and Oliver Wiegand are the fourth generation to run the family-owned company, and rely on tradition and modern technology at the same time.

The glassmaker has worked closely with Tiama, the international real-time process and quality control company, since 1995. Among its acquisitions, Wiegand-Glas has equipped two of its production sites with Tiama’s HOT lab systems.

Tiama’s HOT lab is designed to work in the hot end and collect dimensional measurement data such as container lean, ovality, glass thickness, weight, sunk and bulge and now internal bore diameters. This data would traditionally be provided from the cold end, thereby reducing informational dimensional feedback as there was a time delay of the annealing lehr length. Using basic go/no go gauges at the hot end is out dated, cumbersome, time consuming and does not provide ‘real’ measurement data.

Wiegand-Glas’ Steinbach am Wald site in Germany.

ins inspection Tiama.indd 1 5/9/16 12:16 PM

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Wiegand-Glas approves of Tiama HOT lab systems

Continued>>

After a few weeks of experi-ence with the fi rst machine, what were the immediate bene-fi ts you could identify?Reliable and repeatable measurements for height, diameter, all fi nish dimensions, fi nish tilt, verticality/bent neck and glass thickness. We no longer had to wait for the bottles to reach the Cold-End before measuring them. This meant when we were sampling a new article we were sure of the dimensional quality before putting the containers into the lehr.

Did the operators fi nd it easier to use the Tiama HOT lab com-pared to manually measuring the bottles by hand? Yes, very easy. All they must do is simply select which line they have brought the bottle from and press the green button.

What are the benefi ts of having the precise dimensional results compared to the previous go/no go solutions?We can now optimise the process based on real measurements made at the hot

end and do not need to wait for the cold end to provide the data. The manual measurements never provided accurate values nor could they measure minimum ovality diameters or glass thickness.

What is the immediate action taken if the glass thickness result for the shoulder area is too thin? How do you use this information to optimise the process?The operator will sometimes alter the blank mould cooling time, on our machines we can do this independently for the left and right mold halves and for each cavity. For other occurrences it may be necessary to adjust the loading of the gob or even to change the mould equipment for that cavity. There are more parameters that could cause the problem, but the beauty of having the Tiama HOT lab is that we can immediately take a new sample after adjusting one parameter and measure it again to see if we have resolved the problem or not.

Concerning the general opera-tion of the Tiama HOT lab:

• How long does it take to train a hot end operator on the system?

Mr Konrad

Neubauer next to a

Tiama system.


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Less than 10 minutes• How long does it take to set up a

new article? 5 minutes• When conducting a job-change,

how long does it take to swap between existing different articles?

10 seconds, and that is only because I have to enter and sometimes forget the password (small joke). As mentioned earlier in the interview, the operator requires virtually no time at all. He just selects which line he has come from and presses the green button.

The current article associated to his line is immediately activated requiring zero job change time, even when one line is running a 25cl beer and the other a 1L wine bottle.

Already in 2016, Tiama has added additional features to its Tiama HOT lab systems. Wiegand-Glas has already benefitted from these latest developments. In order to reduce the operator’s time spent at the machine, Tiama now offers a universal automatic loading solution. The solution employs a collaborative six axis robot with an intelligent gripper which not only accommodates for a 90mm range in finish sizes but also detects the exact position of the bottles to be loaded into the machine.

Why is automation important at Wiegand-Glas?As with most European factories, we simply don’t have many people working in the production area.

Automation provides repeatability which allows us to reach high pack-to-melt ratios, which at Wiegand-Glas is typically above 92%.

What benefits has the automatic loading option provided the operator with? Although the initial Tiama HOT lab without the automatic loading was useful, we now have the opportunity to measure all cavities without the operator having to be with the machine. This means the operator can concentrate on other, more demanding, tasks and ensure the quality of the process is kept at the highest level.

Measuring the internal bore diameter/profile of hot bottles, especially for those which use a cork for the closure, is now possible with the Tiama HOT lab. The integrated device is automatically inserted into the bottle and measures the internal bore diameter and inner profile.

What benefits has the availa-bility of this new measurement brought to your process?Previously we would have to either wait for the results from the cold end or manually measure this at the hot end with a mechanical device with which it is difficult to obtain repeatable and correct results with. The Tiama HOT lab internal bore gauge is repeatable, accurate and requires no mechanical adjustment.

Within the next few months, the Tiama HOT lab is going to be upgraded with another new feature. This feature will provide the ability to connect the Tiama HOT lab to a plant supervision system allowing it to send all measurement results to that system as well.

What advantages will this provide?Assuming it will also include the mould number, it will provide us with

traceability. This is important if we have a mould number-related defect. Wiegand-Glas is currently equipped with three Tiama HOT lab units: two in Steinbach & one at Großbreintbach.

How many Tiama HOT labs do you think Wiegand-Glas will require in the future?We would like to equip each furnace with one Tiama HOT lab machine. We currently have 11 furnaces within the Wiegand-Glas group.

Are you satisfied with the after sales service, support and continuous development of new features?Yes, Tiama has managed this area very well and we are also lucky to have certain individuals working for Tiama who maintain a close relationship with us.

Although the product is stable and we rarely have any issues, it’s still comfortable to know we can get a quick response if we ever need it. It has also been good to see Tiama continue to develop new features/options for the machine, which we are now finding very useful to have.

Already having purchased three systems, and hopefully you will be buying more, how do you quantify a return on investment (ROI) for the equipment?Yes, we are currently considering buying more systems. To give an exact figure in months or years for an exact ROI is difficult to calculate.

What we can confirm is that without the Tiama HOT lab we have no method of measuring the quality at the hot end which means we have to wait for the cold end and the delay in time is money.

Using the robot to carry out regular measurements on a shift basis, we are able to catch process drifts before they reach a reject limit.

If an outlier is detected during a routine measurement of all the cavities, the operator can quickly react, implement the necessary corrective action and then verify whether he has fixed the problem by measuring another bottle from that cavity. All of this data is saved and we have a quality timestamp of the process. r

Wiegand-Glas, Steinbach am Wald, Germanyhttp://www.wiegand-glas.deTiama, Vourles, near Lyon, Francewww.tiama.com

z Internal bore gauge

feature and glass

thickness sensor.


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Bucher Emhart Glass launches new Scout inspection technology

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Bucher Emhart Glass (BEG) has launched its latest inspection technology, Scout. More than just

a software update, Scout offers its users better lighting, higher-resolution optics, faster and more powerful processing, advanced inspection algorithms and a simplified user interface, that helps to improve quality control and make inspection operators’ work quicker and easier. It will form the platform for all of its future improvements in inspection technology.

DevelopmentIn 2008 BEG’s engineers discussed the idea of a next-generation inspection machine based on a new technology platform. However, commercial priorities meant that FleXinspect, the firm’s existing inspection product line, had to be launched first. After the successful

launch and stabilisation period, BEG has gone back to its original concept and Scout is the result.

The brief for software developers was to take the best from existing technology while also meeting a host of new inspection algorithm requirements. That meant a top-to-bottom software rewrite that took around 18 months to complete. The development work focused on making life simpler for operators by boosting ease of use and automation, as no user should have to be a system experts to get the most from an inspection system.

Vision processioning computers have been updated to the latest industrial PC standards, providing the fastest, most reliable system available. Much of the new servo and computing technology is from fellow Bucher Industries Company, Jetter.

At the same time, the human-machine

interface (HMI) has been radically changed, with a new, larger 21.5” high-definition multi-touch screen and a simplified navigation that makes it easier to set up jobs, identify defects and access key data.

The new HMI is unique in the market and a major departure from what glass producers are used to. BEG’s own inspection interface previously used a Microsoft Office-style navigation, with tabs and drill-down menus, but the new interface means the user is never more than two taps from their goal.

Streamlined interfaceUsers navigate the Scout system with the same tap, swipe, pinch and zoom gestures that we all know from using our smartphones and tablets. This emphasis on touch unlocks a new language for interacting with the underlying technology. While setting up a container, for example, the user can directly manipulate the on-screen image of it, zooming in or out and targeting the region they are interested in.

The streamlined interface is a help to customers in emerging economies, where highly skilled operators can be harder to find and retain.

While inspection operators in some areas may be electromechanical engineers, in other parts of the world they may have a lesser education or background. With Scout, BEG has aimed to create an interface that is accessible to as many operators as possible.

Mike Rentschler* describes Bucher Emhart Glass’s next generation container glass inspection technology, which will form the platform for all of its future improvements in inspection equipment.

Continued>>z Scout offers a simplified user interface, helping to improve quality control and make inspection operators’

work quicker and easier.

ins Emhart inspection.indd 1 5/9/16 11:00 AM

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Deeper automationScout’s other step forward is in terms of automation. If required, the machine can simply look at a container, learn what it is, and then perform a high level of inspection on it without any further action from the operators.

For expert operators, there are plenty of time-saving ideas. A prime example is the Super Classifier, which lets users control the quality limits for each defect type independently. Instead of going by size alone, Scout identifies and evaluates each flaw on its individual characteristics.

The Scout platform also allows BEG to make proprietary, in-house advances in image and inspection processing to improve the precision and reliability of base, sealing surface, sidewall and dimensional inspections, as well as mould-number reading. Enhancements to the suite of automated quality-control testing tools mean that BEG can now check the performance of its algorithms over large image sets to ensure that the machine and inspections perform at their optimal levels.

New life for older machinesScout is offered as standard on all new

FleXinspect machines and will be released for FleXinspect T and M later in 2016.

The technology can also be retrofitted to existing FleXinspect B, C, and BC machines, plus older Veritas iB and iC machines.

For current users of FleXinspect, the upgrade takes a few hours. Veritas owners can give their machines a new lease of life by keeping the existing shell but updating all the electronics inside it, effectively creating a FleXinspect in a Veritas frame. This takes a couple of days, but the performance boost means the reconfiguration will pay for itself within the first year of operation.

Scout has been in operation in live field trials since June 2015, working with multiple container types and glass colours, where reaction to both the interface and system performance has been universally positive.

Ready for the futureNow that BEG controls both the hardware and software used in its inspection technology, it can plan the next step in the evolutionary path: closing the information loop between container forming and container inspection. This

brings the dream of fully automated glass-container manufacturing one step closer.

At present, inspection machines function as a filter that removes bad wares from the production line. In the future, they will play a larger role in controlling the actual quality of the container by acting as a precision sensing device that monitors and feeds back information based on process changes and conditions. In technology terms, this will be an evolutionary step – but the impact on the glass container industry will be revolutionary.

With the modular design of FleXinspect and the flexibility of Scout, BEG’s inspection machines can now be expanded and upgraded with new technology to support successive furnace campaigns almost indefinitely. So machines being installed today could easily still be in use in 30 years’ time. r

*Product Manager Inline Inspection,Bucher Emhart Glass, Cham, Switzerland.www.bucheremhartglass.com/

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Glass containers are one of the most important packaging materials in the food, beverage, medical and cosmetic industry, with a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

Single or multi furnace batch plantsHigh quality container glass requires a precise batch composition and accurate cullet addition. One or several furnaces with different glass types can be served from one batch plant without contamination – Just perfect.

From raw material delivery to batch chargingWe manage all your raw materials including cullet and provide sophisticated batch charging technology. Com-pletely sealed doghouses, less dust, less emissions, less energy losses and now also modular for full redundancy.

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Container Glass

High definition evolution for sidewall and base inspection expertise

Inspection


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Developed in close co-operation with key customers throughout the world, the next generation of

Evolution camera-based, non-contact inspection machines increases the precision of hollow glass inspection and the detection of sidewall and base defects, in order to maximize the productivity of the glass container manufacturing process. Iris Inspection machines has introduced a series of hardware and software refinements to create its latest Evolution 12 and Evolution 5 HD machines, in addition to several standalone equipment innovations that address the precise requirements of luxury, pharmaceutical and cosmetic glassware producers. Since launching the HD range, more than 150 machines have been installed at glassworks around the world.

Sidewall inspectionThe latest high definition version of Evolution 12 offers complete inspection of the container body thanks to 12 cameras covering the sidewall, offering a maximum resolution of up to 2000 pixels each. Inspection is performed from six angles by two high resolution cameras at each angle, without contact or rotation. One camera inspects the upper part of the bottle from the shoulder to the finish, while a second inspects the lower part from the shoulder to the base.

Characteristics (photometrics and geometrics) are computer-driven, while

universal light sources are employed (the same source from dark to white glass). In addition, it is possible to inspect black glass.

The provision of 2000 pixels per view represents a 400% improvement compared to previous models. In addition, the high resolution cameras deliver sharper and more accurate images, improved discrimination between different defect types (e.g. small stones and blisters) and improved definition of container shapes.

Providing more power inside the new processing unit, the innovative computer design and assembly has fewer components, benefits from reduced maintenance costs and is ready to cope with future customer requirements.

In recent years, Iris Inspection Machines has introduced a series of hardware and software refinements to create its latest Evolution 12 and Evolution 5 HD inspection machines, in addition to several standalone equipment innovations. Jean-Luc Logel* discusses these developments.

Continued>>

Evolution equipment and (left) a CGI of the

Evolution console.

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At 21.5in wide, the user-friendly touch screen is 30% bigger than its predecessor and allows the full display (every pixel) of high resolution images taken by the HR cameras. It provides faster adjustments, quicker optimisation, easier fine-tuning and better detection of small faults.

Evolution 12 ensures inspection in the body and finish sidewall of compact, long, contrasted and non-contrasted defects, including blisters, tears, stones, inclusions, spikes, birdswings, stuck glass inside and outside the body and non-contrast defects. Features included as standard are an intelligent machine module, as well as separate modules for engraving identification and inspection, for asymmetric containers and for body mould seam inspection, a multi-container inspection module and dynamic zones on the sidewall.

Geometry inspection Specially developed Selector software uses the 12 high resolution cameras of Evolution 12 to check container geometry on-line against three different inspection criteria:

r Inspection of deformed body: The machine learns the shape of a reference item and then compares it to current production. If the difference is higher than the threshold, a body deformation defect is detected. In this detection method, there are two thresholds, namely a ‘global’ one for the whole item and a ‘local’ one for local deformations.

r Inspection of finish defect: The machine learns the shape of the finish on a lateral view and compares it to production. If the difference is greater than the threshold, a finish deformation is detected. The machine also detects dark

points like stones in a horizontal zone, just under the top of the finish.

r Lean inspection: Taking the shape of each container as a reference, the machine calculates verticality on line (one for the neck and one for the complete container).

Specialist extrasFour additional cameras can be integrated into Evolution 12 to detect sidewall stress in glass containers. Featuring 16 cameras in total, this Evolution 16 machine uses the same light source, equipped with polarizer filters. The processing units employ dedicated software to detect the stress in the sidewall.

Available separately is Evolution Ultimate for the detection of low contrast faults in high quality cosmetics,

perfumery and spirits glassware. Thanks to a dedicated light source and software, the detection of lap marks, washboards, non-contrasted tears and blisters can now be undertaken.

Base inspectionAlso available is a high definition version of the Evolution 5 equipment, featuring five separate inspection stations for the on-line performance of base inspection, finish inspection (narrow neck and widemouth), stress inspection in the base and heel and mould number reading. Again, this equipment features the company’s latest developments in high resolution cameras and in computer design/processing, as well as innovations in man/machine interface, relating in particular to the introduction a larger, user-friendly touch screen.

With this fail-safe inspection device, every glass container is considered to be rejected until the signal ‘good bottle’ is received. Round and non-round containers can be inspected, job changes are quick and easy and mechanical adjustments have been reduced. Light source intensity is driven entirely by computer and auto cavity reject is provided.

Evolution 5 detects compact, long, contrasted and non-contrasted defects in the base and heel, including blisters, tears, stones, inclusions, spikes, birdswings, stuck glass inside and outside the body, non-contrasted defects, stuck plungers, dark bottom defects and loose particles.

A base stress option with a dedicated light source and camera is available for the detection of stones with stress and inclusions, as well as defects that affect the ability to contain pressure and impact.

Narrow neck finish inspection (up to 42mm diameter) is possible via the introduction of a dedicated light source and camera. Using this equipment, the following defects on the finish surface can be detected : Line over finish, open/closed blisters, overpressed, unfilled finish, scaly faults, sugary top, split finish, chipped sealing and wired edge.

Also possible via the introduction of a dedicated light source and camera is widemouth finish inspection. This equipment is suitable for the identification and rejection of line over finish, unfilled, broken finish, sugary and split finish faults. r

* Managing Director, IRIS Inspection machines, Lyon, France www.iris-im.fr

z Schema showing inspection points on the glass

bottle.

Evolution 16 equipment.

ins Iris.indd 2 5/17/16 9:07 AM

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Tooth Chain

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Excellent guiding characteristics, a long service life, reliable delivery: our laser-welded inverted tooth conveyor chains are convincing in any production setting. They offer a wide variety of application options: from hot bottles to entire vehicles, they carry the product precisely to the right location. Reliable, safe, effi cient and always tailored to the specifi c application.

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Inspection

A breakthrough in wall thickness measurement for containers

Bottles breaking during fi lling should be avoided at all costs. For this reason, the wall thickness of every

bottle should be carefully checked during the glassmaking process.

Modern fi lling machines operate at high speeds, making them more susceptible to an individual bottle having lower breakage resistance. Moreover, wall thickness – particularly for non-returnable containers – is also constantly driven down to save weight and associated energy and materials costs, while at the same time increasing convenience for the consumer.

Heye International offers a variety of hot and cold end equipment and was responsible for developing the NNPB process for the manufacture of lightweight glassware in the 1970s. Now in widespread use throughout the industry, this technology allows the controlled production of glass containers with minimal wall thicknesses.

Wall thickness is one of many important parameters monitored constantly by fully automatic inspection equipment at the cold end when manufacturing lightweight glass containers.Complex star wheel or stop-and-rotate inspection machines employ an indexed star wheel, with pockets into which the containers fi t.

During each pause in position, various checks are performed. The wall thickness of every item is inspected by chromatic confocal sensors. Checking that the wall is not too thin at any point requires measurements at a number of positions on the bottle, where the wall is most likely to fall below acceptable limits. Experience shows that this will be on the shoulder or heel of the bottle.

Contactless measurementChromatic measurement has become the standard technique for use in inspection machines, but while it operates entirely without moving parts it must also be able to work with low signal intensity due to the measurement process used. For this reason, the Chrocodile chromatic confocal sensors sourced by Heye International from Precitec Optronik of Neu-Isenburg, employ complex signal analysis technologies, whose particular strength becomes apparent on highly scattered or semi-transparent (coloured) surfaces that defeat other 3D measurement processes.

An advantage of this technology is its suitability for contactless in-line measurement of container glass, the bottles being axially rotated in the star wheel pocket while the glass thickness

is captured using compact chromatic measuring heads. So fast is the bottle rotation in this process that visual assessment of surfaces is no longer feasible.

Wall thickness measurement is unaffected by the rotation or movement of bottles on the turntable. The decisive factor in the use of this technology is that high precision wall thickness measurement is not dependent on the measured object being static or held in an exact position. A further advantage is that, unlike other contactless measurement processes, thin wall thicknesses can be measured over a large measurement range. In addition, this process can handle greater separations and angles between the measuring heads and glass surface.

Heye International’s Mark Ziegler* and Gerd Schütz** discuss the importance of wall thickness measurement in the high-speed manufacture of lightweight glass containers, and the use of Chrocodile chromatic confocal sensors from Precitec Optronik in Heye cold end inspection machines.

� The indexed star wheel of an inspection machine

receives articles from a conveyor and performs

a rotate-and-stop cycle. Each time the wheel

stops, static measuring heads

perform one of a number of tests,

checking parameters such

as wall thickness.


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ins heye inspection 1.indd 1 5/9/16 12:35 PM

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The measurement technology employed in Chrocodile sensors can potentially achieve even higher speeds. The upper limit is set by the container output and transfer mechanisms related to the star wheels.

The modular construction of Heye International inspection machines allows further testing/checking equipment or sensors to be retrofi tted at a later date. Crack testing is always performed, generally followed by wall thickness checking. The ovality of the bottle body is a further criterion, together with the outer neck diameter, a key factor in ensuring proper sealing of the bottle.

Set-up and adjustment of the inspection machines is performed using appropriate reference bottles. Regular sampling for the laboratory serves to check the internal pressure and to ensure that the whole

process is under control.

Multi-point sensorsThe latest fi lling techniques bring with them increased demands on the quality of glass containers. Quality assurance also has a part to play, with major advances continuing to be made in the measurement technology employed in inspection machines.

At the glasstec 2014 exhibition, Heye International presented its latest generation of sensors, which for the fi rst time do not use only single points to determine glass thickness but can measure container wall thickness along a line. This is achieved by arranging several measuring points along a 10mm line, enabling the area to be checked for thin spots to be increased by a factor of ten, without extending the time needed for measurement.

This considerably increases the equipment’s ability to detect thin spots on the surface of the bottle (in locations

whose precise location cannot be predicted to within a millimetre).

The sensors downstream of the special measuring heads support up to 12 individual points that can be measured in parallel. This sensor technology can again be retrofi tted to existing star wheel machines. This allows the benefi ts of the contactless chromatic confocal measuring technique to be extended into other areas of application.

Together with the additional container properties testing provided by Heye’s SmartLine product range, which can comprise up to six inspection units, this technology ensures that glass producers are able to meet the ever-increasing demands imposed by bottlers. �

*Marketing Manager, **Head of R&D Cold End, Heye International, Obernkirchen, Germany www.heye-international.com

� A multi-point sensor simultane-

ously measuring the container’s

wall thickness at fi ve points.

The measurement points are

arranged along a line 1cm in

length.

ins heye inspection 1.indd 2 5/9/16 12:35 PM

Inspection

Flat glass melt tank monitoringErhard Niessner* describes how improved monitoring of the glass temperature can help ensure product uniformity and improve efficiency by controlling the melting process and thus reducing cycle time.

Energy consumption represents approximately 21% of the total cost of float glass production. The glass

melting tank is where the process starts with sand, limestone, soda ash and cullet fed into a furnace for melting.

Furnaces can use fossil fuels or electricity for the heating process, which represents about 80% of the total energy use. While fossil fuels still remain relatively economical, electrical boosters are often used today to enhance capacity or temperature uniformity.

Temperature concernsIn glass production, viscosity is the most important parameter and is directly related to the glass temperature. Bulk glass temperatures can be measured with radiation pyrometers more accurately and economically than traditional thermocouples. Choosing the proper pyrometer wavelength allows one to penetrate deep into glass and measure the bulk temperature accurately.

Improved monitoring of the glass temperature can help ensure product uniformity, as well as reduce cycle time by controlling the melting process, thereby improving efficiency.

Protecting critical assetsWith the high temperature required for glass processes, the refractory in the melting tank faces severe challenges and should be monitored carefully. Molten glass is corrosive, so the refractory for the bottom of the melting tank is of special grade and is expensive. The refractory used for the crown area always encounters the highest temperature in the melting

tank, so its life can be shortened if

temperature is not monitored and controlled well. Port arch temperature provides good information of the furnace condition and is important for combustion monitoring as well. Monitoring the bridge-wall temperature can provide a furnace temperature profile to avoid overheating.

All of these applications can be addressed with radiation pyrometers or thermal imagers. When electrical boosters are used, radiation pyrometers also offer an advantage in that the measurement is immune to the electrical current.

SolutionLumaSense Technologies has developed a complete solution for monitoring the glass melt furnace. This rugged, industrial design incorporates field proven components and is easy to retrofit into existing thermocouple wells such as on the crown refractory. The system can help optimise the furnace operation by measuring the bulk glass temperature, monitor or controlling burner output, and monitor the health of the refractory components. This will enable the user to maximise production efficiency. The system includes the following components and features:

*IS 50-LO & LO/GL pyrometers: Short wavelength infrared pyrometers that can be mounted in existing thermocouple wells, or through viewports, for internal refractory monitoring. The /GL pyrometer is tuned to measure the bulk glass temperature. Both pyrometers are provided in industrial housing with flexible fibre-optics and lensing withstanding 250°C for ease of installation.

zIMPAC IS 50-LO/GL Plus pyrometer.

Themalimager with special enclosure and borescope lens.

LumaSense FurnaceSpection thermal imagers: Revolutionary design to continuously monitor the internal furnace refractory and glass temperatures through natural gas flames.

A wide-angle, water-cooled and air-purged borescope lens penetrates through a port in the furnace side to provide a high resolution thermal image of the interior. The solution includes a fail-safe auto retraction system.

FurnaceSpectionLumaSpec real time software: Windows-based thermal imaging software that offers real-time data acquisition and image analysis capabilities. Users can validate theory, isolate areas of specific interest, or identify uses for monitoring and alerts.

User Benefitsr Direct, accurate measurement of

the glass bulk temperature for improved control of the melting process;

r Full thermal image profiles of the glass furnace to monitor and control firing profiles, and visualise furnace uniformity;

r Improved monitoring of critical crown, bottom and side refractory components; and

r Increased lifetime, with minimal installation and maintenance required.

*Senior Sales Consultant, LumaSense Technologies, Frankfurt, Germanywww.lumasenseinc.com

30


ins lumasense inspection.indd 1 5/11/16 8:52 AM

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The world market for flat glass is set to rise by 7% in 2016, to exceed levels of US$90bn. It’s being fuelled by

demand for value-added glass from the construction, automotive and solar energy industries. The recovery of the global economy is helping to drive demand as technological advances increase the functionality of glass and create a larger market for speciality products.

The increase in demand for energy efficient products such as insulating and solar control glass, glass with increased impact resistance, low-e glass, advanced acoustic control and water management features, means that temperature measurement is even more important to maintain product quality and consistency. On top of this, glass production remains a competitive market with producers constantly seeking new

ways to increase efficiency and reduce costs, while maintaining quality. It is here that accurate and efficient temperature measurement can help to control the process and optimise the quality of the end product.

Consistent temperatureEnsuring a consistent temperature of the glass melt tanks is an essential part of maintaining good quality glass production. Conventional methods for monitoring melt tanks include visual inspection, which can take hours to complete and is not continuous; visual camera recordings, which doesn’t provide temperature readings; and thermocouples, which are subject to regular failure or loss of connection.

Unsurprisingly, today manual inspections are used less than ever as they

are recognised as being labour intensive, time consuming and associated with increased risk. As a result, glass producers are turning to automatic temperature measurement using infrared technology because it gives the operator real-time access to data that could have previously been inaccurate or a safety concern.

As demand increases, particularly for flat glass in the construction sector, technology such as the NIR Borescope provides real-time, continuous, remote monitoring, as well as improved accuracy and efficiency. This type of infrared technology can easily be retrofitted to the melt tank.

Many plants see this as a way to better protect their assets as it has been proven that tank life can be extended by

Quality control


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Optimising efficiency in glass melt furnacesRichard Gagg* looks at how non-contact temperature measurement can help improve efficiency and optimise quality within glass production.

Continued>>

Ener

gy e

mitt

ed

Wavelength µm0.1 0.2 0.6 2 4 6 10 20 40 60 10010.4

Energy distribution across a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Temperature of the object is expressed in Kelvin (k).

The wavelength at which maximum energy occurs becomes progressively shorter and shorter as temperature increases

z Energy emitted by an object vs

wavelength and temperature.

The output of the thermometer will be: Vout = x ΣTt + r x Bt

Thermometer surroundings at temperature (Bt)

Incident radiation from surroundings

Energy radiated from hot target at temperature (Tt)

= target emissivityr = target reflectivity (1-Σ)Hot target

z Measurements of targets in various surroundings

Batch

RegeneratorTank base

Glass flow

Meltermelting end

Crown

Ports Bridge wall

Melt tank working end

Installation typically above the hot end

Typical configuration 90°C FOV lens & 900mm borescope length with

auto-retract configuration 10090

80

70

6050

40

30

20

1000 1

100mm

10mm

6mm

1mm

0.1mm

2 3 4

Wavelength (µm)

Tran

smis

sion

(%)

5 6 7 8 9

Radiation transmission through various thicknesses of soda lime glass

ametek.indd 1 5/11/16 8:59 AM

Quality control


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achieving a more consistent temperature, which limits the damage to the refractory wall. It also results in a more homogenous product quality and optimises batch production.

Glass producers are also using infrared temperature measurement to reduce energy costs. This can be done using an Image Processing System in which the operator has the ability to set specific points or areas of interest and measure live data points, as well as storing and trending this data for future analysis.

Monitoring the live video allows the operator to configure the correct, most efficient firing pattern and achieve optimum performance from the burners.

This can save costs by reducing fuel usage and gaining the best possible performance from the furnace/melt tank.

Optimising the processThere are several elements that need to be closely monitored within the tanks.

One is the crown and wall temperatures to help ensure that the refractory is not overheating and operating at a level that could cause damage. Another is to monitor the blanket (or melt line), another critical area. Innovation in infrared measurement means that thousands of measurement points can be taken every minute. This gives the operator a greater picture of the temperature profile of the melt tank. Technologies such as the NIR Borescope provide continuous monitoring and display a visual image that can be used to optimise flame length.

Using accurate thermal imaging devices such as this to measure, monitor and log refractory temperature allows information to be transmitted instantly and so trigger alarms if temperature differences occur. Thermal imaging cameras are regularly positioned underneath the melt tank to detect hot spots early, potentially having a major impact on product quality and asset protection. As latest infrared temperature measurement systems allow real time data to be streamed in time lapse modes, this allows process engineers to visualise the flow of the glass melt batch over the process time. As a result of this, alarms can be set in the control equipment to alert operators and ensure optimum glass quality production.

The melt tank is obviously a critical part of the glass making process and investing in infrared imaging technology provides operators with access to real-time, accurate temperature data at any point within the scene. This approach

results in much greater controllability, which ultimately leads to improved product quality and reduced production costs, as well as providing a rapid return on investment.

Remote temperature measurement gives the operator much more information, such as providing the ability to field areas of interest and measure live data points, as well as storing and trending this data for future analysis. Monitoring the blanket (or melt line) video in real-time can allow the operator to configure the burner flame length and firing pattern, achieving optimum performance from the burners and hence maximising fuel efficiency.

Prior to the introduction of real-time infrared measuring technology, this would have been a time consuming process, by which time the data would have aged to an extent that is was of little use. Infrared technology allows adjustments to be made in real time, because the data readings are live.

Being able to measure temperature in this level of detail can also reduce maintenance and repairs costs in what is one of the most capital intensive elements of the production process. For example, pixel level temperature readings provided by the infrared measuring technologies can identify even the smallest air leak in the side of the tank lining.

Likewise, it can instantly identify when the lining is becoming too hot and edges around the exhaust on the port side are in danger of becoming damaged, allowing corrective action to be taken. The ability to monitor port arch temperatures minimises the chance of damaging the refractory in those critical areas.

Temperature measurement It is easy to see how the latest infrared imaging technology offers the operator advantages over traditional methods of measurement. The key benefit is that it provides a high resolution radiometric image of the process, meaning a live temperature value can be obtained from any point on the image. As it provides continuous measurement, automated alarm outputs can instantly alert the user to any problems within the process. Many operators value this feature because it helps reduce unplanned maintenance.

Take the situation, for instance, where an internal image identifies an area of much cooler temperature in the melt tank wall that could be an indication of an air leak. This level of detail enables corrective action to be taken, again

improving the energy efficiency of the operation. Likewise, providing clear visibility of the profile of the flame, the operator has access to more than 324,000 live temperature data points combined with coverage 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Infrared thermal imaging also alerts an operator to areas that are overheating, and improves plant safety and reduces risk by removing personnel from the application environment. By locating data points in the displayed scene, the operator can ensure that readings are taken consistently with none of the variables possible with manual measurements.

Latest advancesOne of the latest innovations in this area that is being rapidly adopted by glass production plants is the auto-retract version of the NIR-b borescope.

This was developed as a solution specifically for use in glass melt tanks. The auto retract NIR-b Borescope is designed to extend the lifespan of the melt tank and provide greater asset protection through more accurate, remote infrared temperature measurement and live thermal imaging.

NIR-b withstands the high temperature environment as it is protected by integral cooling and air purging. The auto retract function provides a further level of protection from damage by overheating, should the water or air services fail.

The competitive nature of the marketplace means it is no longer effective for glass production plants to use traditional, manual-based methods of temperature measurement.

By using infrared technology and capturing accurate, live data, the operator can begin to increase the efficiency of the furnace/melt tank, improve product quality and reduce energy usage.

Infrared temperature measurement offers advantages over traditional methods of melt tank monitoring and the installed thermal imaging cameras only require an aperture of around 60mm (2.125”) through the wall and refractory insulation lining.

Recent advances in measurement technology have helped plants to make vast improvements in the melt tank process both in quality of output and reduction of costs. r

*Global IR Product Manager, Ametek Land, Dronfield, UKwww.landinst.com

ametek.indd 2 5/11/16 8:59 AM

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Company profile: UAS Messtechnik


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Bavarian group is furnace focused

UAS Messtechnik gave a talk at the Glassman Latin America conference on advanced combustion and control solutions for glass furnaces. Sally Love spoke to Thomas Donaubauer, Managing Director, to find out more about the company itself and its role in the glass industry.

Continued>>

What does the company specialise in?Automation and control of the furnace, energy saving technology and ways to recover it – this is our principal scope.

Can you give a history of the company?The company was founded in 1984 and we are based in the south of Bavaria. We are close to Munich, the airport and the Czech border – an innovative area in the glass industry. There is the history of forest glass in that area, which was in use 400 years ago, so there are a lot of experienced glass companies present there.

How much of your business is in glass?We have four business lines. One is glass, which I would say is 70% of our work. The second one is polysilicon, and then environmental – which is of course near our glass part – and then motion control, which is important.

How many employees do you have?We have around 50, engineers, technicians, software, and of course manufacturing and steel workers.

“Our main

market was,

and still is,

China.”

Can you explain the relationship between you and the company Zippe?We have worked closely together in the past: they provide batch houses and batch preheating technology; we have the furnace and feeder control knowledge as well the technology for gas and oxygen preheating.

We are able to together provide a total integrated automation solution, with a lot of extra benefits for the customers.

What regions and markets do you primarily serve? We are international, so it depends on the markets. I would say the last five or six years in China, which is a great market, and the Middle East as well.

Now we are also across Europe, and we are starting to find more business in the US and Latin America.

Have any of those regions grown more than others?Our main market was, and still is, China.

z Mr. Donaubauer,

MD of UAS Messtechnik.

UAS messtechnik.indd 1 5/10/16 9:09 AM

Company profi le: UAS Messtechnik


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Going forward, what regions do you expect to be interesting? We see a very big potential in Latin America, especially in Mexico. There are a lot of international companies and also glass producers that are involved here.

From the projects we have seen in the last two years, I think there’s huge potential here.

Looking ahead, what will your main focus be for the company?I see our main target as making the production and the quality better, and the costs lower. You can achieve this by saving energy, increasing the quality and using environmental technology to use, for example, waste heat.

We have a specially developed heating technology particularly for oxy-fuel fi red furnaces.

We take the waste heat and preheat our oxygen up to 400°c and this results in a saving of around 10% of energy. This makes you more attractive in the market.

What are the main challenges and opportunities facing the glass industry?The cost savings, by which I mean fuel savings. This is something that will optimise your process, and optimise the complete melting side. I think in that area there is a huge potential. The production side in the past was squeezed out with new machines with higher productivities, and in the past the energy side was not such an issue, so there is a potential there.

Are you investing in any new technology or R&D that you can tell us about?We have invested in preheating technology, so we are unique with this sort of technology in the market. Of course, we focus on waste heat recoveries of Organic Rankin Cycle technology for the big tanks, but we can see that there is also a lot of smaller energy, waste-gas producing areas in glass production.

In particular, you can bring in machines with 100 or 200kW to fi nd a solution at that size, and that must be in a way that means the costs and the effi ciency fi t together. These are small units, for waste heat recovery for energy producing, so we see this as very practical for the future.

*Managing Director, UAS Messtechnik, Viechtach, Germany. www.uas.de

z The Oxyfi re-Pro. The equipment heats gaseous fuels, such as natural gas,

and oxygen to temperatures of up to 400°c by using the waste heat of the fl ue

gases after a furnace.

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UAS messtechnik.indd 2 5/10/16 9:09 AM

History


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A drop of liquid in free space naturally forms a sphere, the shape which minimises its surface area. This

is because the species that make up the liquid prefer being surrounded by similar units to partial isolation at its surface. Many glass items make use of this.

Beads were among the earliest glass artefacts made millennia ago. They were created by winding a trail of hot molten glass around a metal wire to create a doughnut and then allowing heat to soften the shape. Blobs of different glass could be melted into the surface and so coloured clay beads could be copied. Strings of beads made elaborate decorations for humans and for animals.

In the same era, natural crystals ground spherical, balls of clay or glass, even circular nut cases were being used for games. Today many of us will recall a childhood populated with marbles, mostly elaborate and colourful and glass.

Their elastic collisions belie suggestions that glass at room temperature is still liquid but their shape tells of its fluidity in manufacture. These modern marbles were first made by hand in the 1840s in Germany. Machine-made marbles from the USA began to take over the market in WW1. Now most come from Mexico.

Hand-making starts with glass rods either carefully heated and worked into a sphere at one end or snipped into short lengths using cup-shaped marble scissors.

A pontil mark on the surface is a useful diagnostic characteristic. One machine for making marbles uses a pair of rotating screws that transports the hot molten glass, averaging out the distorting effects of gravity and allowing surface tension to do its work.

Many colours and patterns have been developed, a simple example being a coloured spiral that is introduced into the

rods, and thus into the marbles.While many glass marbles are 25mm in

diameter or less (20g), they also come in larger sizes and have acquired a rich seam of dialect names – in my home town, the heavier, more highly prized marbles were called ‘bollies’. 5cm art glass marbles in the US are known as ‘toe breakers’.

Now top of the range art glass marbles exceed 30cm.

Lutz marbles made in the early 20th century are based on an aventurine glass with large copper crystals and are particularly prized. ‘Allies’ mimic alabaster.

World ChampionshipGames with marbles are universal and a British and World Championship has been held annually since 1932 in West Sussex, UK.

Time Magazine suggests that some form of the game has been played there since 1588. By tradition, play is restricted to Lent, before Easter, being permitted only from Ash Wednesday to midday on Good Friday.

Glassmakers themselves have used marbles. The Codd bottle created for carbonated beverages used a glass marble as a seal, and contributed another of their dialect names, ‘bottle washers’.

The fibre glass industry makes marbles first and remelts them in smaller furnaces before fiberisation.

Glass marbles are not the only spheres made from glass though. Smaller fragments, basically crushed glass cullet, falling down a chimney with a counter flow of hot gas, produce Ballotini (Italian for small balls), which has numerous applications. For example, like raindrops they reflect light efficiently and can do this in paints or even clothing. Blown at high velocity, such beads are used for metal

finishing. In the 1960s the oil industry experimented with such glass beads as an alternative to sand grains for propping open the fissures the industry created in oil bearing rocks in order to release the content. Special glass compositions were patented with optimised mechanical and chemical durability.

Larger 2-8mm glass shots in a closed bottle rotated at high speed can also assist the homogenising of tissue samples in a biopsy. The goal is to release any bacteria present in the tissue, for example to test whether bacterial infection is the cause of a problem implant.

The reflective behaviour of the small beads now in road paints also underpins the so-called cat’s eyes used to define road lanes. Patented first in the UK in 1934 a pair of glass spheres mimics the eyes of a cat caught in the car headlamps.

Other clever design features include a rubber eyelash that acts as a wiper whenever a car runs over the housing and depresses the unit. A hollow underneath even sequesters rainwater for washing. Many drivers on foggy nights have been very grateful for their invention.

While such applications are for nighttime, another use of large glass spheres is in meteorology to measure hours of sunlight. The spheres become lenses focussing the sun’s rays onto calibrated paper and blackening it. Because of the sun’s motion across the sky, a line is created and the number of hours of sunlight is easily measured.

Some even say that future applications of glass may be foreseen in a suitably large clear glass sphere. r

*Curator of the Turner Museum of Glass, Sheffield University, [email protected]

Well rounded

Prof. John ParkerTurner Museum of Glass and ICG

Prof. John Parker explores the evolution of the marble, from its hand-made origins in Europe to how it is now mass-produced in Mexico.

History.indd 1 5/9/16 11:10 AM

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Technical Topics


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Everyone reading this column knows the value of cullet, both internal and recycled to the glass

manufacturer. This is, of course, an assumption, but a realistic one (I hope) based on the technical abilities and wide industry knowledge of the typical reader of Glass International. Also there have been several news and magazine articles relating to record investment in recycling, partnerships between recyclers and particular manufacturers and the formation of a new pan-European recycling association. Industry bodies report that recycling rates are over 70% when compared with the number of containers made within the EU.

Why, then, does the successful use of cullet in the glass making process still cause so many problems?

The majority of glass manufacturing plants recycle their internal cullet as its characteristics are, or should be, identical to the parent glass. However, by the very nature of the process this supply is limited as the prime focus is on turning each tonne of molten glass into good saleable product. Internally produced cullet is a self limiting resource!

When I was involved in practical glassmaking it was in a factory producing specialist glasses. At a basic level these glasses were used for sealing to metal or other glass components to make various forms of electric light, electronic valves and CRT’s (cathode ray tubes – shows you how long ago it was!). Each glass was defined by its thermal expansion and

softening point and these were closely controlled on a daily basis by measuring glass density and weekly by measuring actual expansion. A certain amount of waste was inevitable as most of the components were blown by hand and the ‘overblow’ went for recycling as cullet once it was removed from the component. Also, any unused glass still in the pot or furnace after the production numbers were completed was ladled out and kept for cullet.

The reasons for doing this were almost exactly the same as those given today as the benefits of cullet recycling. Firstly, using cullet saves money by reducing the use of virgin raw material. Secondly, it saves on energy use to the tune of about 2 to 3% for each 10% of cullet that substitutes for primary batch. Thirdly, it reduces CO2 production as a proportion of carbonates are replaced by cullet. We also had a further benefit in that we knew a lot technically about the cullet we had. If, for instance, the thermal expansion of one of our borosilicate glasses was towards the bottom end of the specification, we could mix in a proportion of cullet with a higher expansion to compensate and bring the resulting glass to the middle range. We could also fine-tune the glasses, as knowing as much as we did about the cullet allowed us to make small adjustments to the batch additions to keep the glass within specification.

Modern glass manufacturers do not have this luxury as their external cullet supplies come from a variety of sources

and may contain clear, green (several shades) and amber. Lately the industry has seen the introduction of blue and black glass, which makes the container stand out from the crowd (a marketing department’s dream) but plays havoc with recycling equipment and any clear glass it gets recycled into.

Many recycling processes rely on colour separation to produce well specified and controlled cullet that can be used directly in a clear glass furnace (the gold standard for many). The standard for clear will allow for a very small percentage of green and amber glass to be present as the additional colour introduced can often be handled by the batch chemistry and does not materially affect the perceived colour of the clear glass.

However, any blue or black that gets through will add colour to the glass that cannot be modified. It may not be noticeable at first but its effect is cumulative and eventually the clear glass will have an unwelcome tint.

All this has not answered the question posed earlier, but offers a possible insight to the answer in that the use of cullet is not as simple or straightforward as many would believe. As with many things in the glass industry, it helps to have an understanding of the many interactions and dependencies that take place when you melt glass. r

*Henderson Technology, Sheffield, [email protected]

Cullet and recycling

John HendersonHenderson Technology

John Henderson* discusses the issues surrounding the use of cullet in the glass manunfacturing industry.

may.indd 1 5/9/16 11:11 AM

Country focus: Russia


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Russia’s container glass market endures roller coaster rideRussia’s container glass market has endured a roller coaster ride over the past 10 years. At one stage container production growth was at 25% but has since stagnated due to government restrictions on alcoholic beverages and a drop in the worldwide economy. Alex Gurov* reports.

In the past 10 years the Russian container glass market experienced a rapid rise, a sharp drop and a recovery before fading

into further stagnation (Fig. 1).At the dawn of the 21st century, the

container glass market was one of the fastest growing and most promising. The growth rate in production volume steadily outpaced the rate of growth of the Russian industry as a whole. It is not Continued>>

� Fig 1. Russian container glass production vol-umes between 2006-2015.

� Fig 2. The share of glass jars in total production

of glass containers.

2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2015

16,0%

15,0%

14,0%

13,0%

12,0%

10,0%

9,0%

11,0%

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Glass bottle Glass jars

2012 2014 2015

8000

surprising that in the fi rst decade of the 21st century, funds were actively invested in the construction of new plants or existing facilities were modernised.

But in 2006, when the growth rate of container production exceeded 25%, the experts predicted the imminent onset of stagnation. Production volumes in real terms were almost equal to consumption volumes, and export volumes balanced import volumes.

The following year it was impossible not to notice the signs of saturation within the domestic market. The growth rate fell sharply. Production grew only by 18%, and export volumes exceeded imports for the fi rst time. In 2008, production reached record levels (at that time) to 13.5 billion units. Then, the global economic crisis reached Russia. For the fi rst time in 12 years volumes fell. Not by much, just by 16%. This is only a small decline if the growth rates of 18% from a few years

before are taken into consideration.

ClosuresThe crisis provoked bankruptcies and the closure of several companies.

These were generally plants with out-dated equipment and technology. But then, the container glass market began

� Fig 4. Production of strong alcohol in 2006-2015

(million litres).

� Fig 5. Russian production of sparkling wines

between 2006-2015 (million litres).

� Fig 3. Russian beer production 2006-2015 years

(million litres).

12000

10000

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6000

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02006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2015

1400

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02006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2015

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Russian overview.indd 1 5/9/16 12:53 PM

Country focus: Russia


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to rebound sharply. New companies entered the sector and production volumes grew. In 2012 the Russian container glass industry broke its own record by releasing more than 14 billion units of glassware. However, the threat of overstocking did not go away. For a time it was possible to neutralise it by reducing imports and increasing exports. But the Russian government launched another anti-alcohol campaign that was followed by another systemic crisis in the economy.

As a result, the production of glassware began to decline and has done so ever since: in 2012, 14,124 billion units were produced; in 2013, 12,648 billion units; in 2014, 12,108 billion units; and in 2015, 11,869 billion units.

As in 2009 the market decline was accompanied by the bankruptcy and closure of glass container plants. But, if six years ago only old and small companies faced closure, today even large glass holdings have closed that were once in the top ten of market leaders.

Demand decline One trend, which has been observed for the second year in a row, is the growth in the market share of glass jars in the total production of glassware. Something similar occurred in the crisis year 2009. Since the end of 2008, the rate of decline in demand for glass bottles was much higher than the rate of decline in demand for jars, and this was a sign for glass container manufacturers. However, if in 2009 the share of glass jars grew by 14.47%, in 2015 it reached 15.5% (Fig. 2).

Production volumes have fallen for the third consecutive year in the Russian bottle market. The only calming factor is the fact that the rate of decline has gradually reduced.

In 2015 Russian companies made 1003 billion units of glass bottles - 4.66% less than a year before. It is not surprising. After all, the main consumer of bottles, the alcohol industry, is going through a hard time caused by rising prices due to higher taxes, a ban on advertising on television and radio, the introduction of a time limit on alcoholic sales and a lower disposable income among the population.

Beer consumptionAs a result, the consumption of beer and its production has steadily declined for nine consecutive years.

In 2007, 11472,15 million litres of beer was brewed in Russia, in 2015, 7,265,76 million litres was brewed – 36.6% less than at peak production (Fig. 3).

It is a similar situation with vodka and other strong alcohol. Production is falling, although not as consistently as beer. In 2007, Russian companies produced 1,234,29 million litres of cognac, vodka and liqueur-vodka products, but in 2015 only 735,18 million litres was produced – 40.4% less (Fig. 4).

Things are a little better with sparkling wines, although in the past fi ve years a negative growth was also recorded in this segment. Moreover, this segment is four times less than the vodka segment, and 45 times less than the beer sector, with a total of 171,4 million litres produced by the end of 2015 (Fig. 5).

In general, the reasons for the current production recession in the industry are purely economic. Life is getting more expensive; prices are rising but salaries are not. When Russians had to choose: to be well fed or drunk, the natural choice was made.

*Glass International Russian agentMir Stekla takes place June 6-9, 2016, in Moscow, Russia.www.mirstekla-expo.ru/en/

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Events world: China Glass show


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Glass industry experts from around the globe said they were happy with this year’s China Glass show.

Global exhibitors said they had met and done business with glass manufacturers from China, South East Asia and India at the annual event, which was this year held in Shanghai.

More than 20,000 visitors attended the exhibition, which covered 80,000m2 in the New Shanghai International Exhibition Centre. A total of 885 companies exhibited from 31 countries. The show also included pavilions from Germany, Italy and the USA.

The show focuses on flat and hollow glass and alternates between Shanghai and Beijing each year.

RelationshipsExhibitor Stuart Hakes, Managing Director of FIC UK, said China, in spite of the economic slowdown, remains potentially one of the most important glass markets in the world.

“You need to be here and need to show them your support. We are here meeting existing customers, maintaining

relationships, which is particularly important in China, and, as always, we’re looking for new opportunities.

“The quality of visitors to our stand has been good. As you would expect we’ve had mostly Chinese visitors, but we have also had Indonesian, Iranians and Indians.”

Mr Hakes lived in China for four years, a fact which he says helps build relationships with domestic glassmakers.

“You do need to know the culture to break into the Chinese market because they operate slightly differently. If you know the foibles and things that are important it gives you a tremendous advantage.

“Once you’re established your name in China it’s about relationships, it’s about the long term. The longer you’ve been here and been consistent, it’s absolutely key to it.”

Exhibitor José Luis Velez, Managing Director of Mexican group Interglass, was introducing the company’s range of speciality lubricants and swabbing compounds.

He said: “We have been trying to push the Chinese market for a couple of years

now, it has huge potential. It’s a growing market for the glass industry in general and I think all of us are interested in getting a position here.

“We are trying to get the Chinese producers to know our range of products, getting to know that we develop and produce our own products and that we can create new solutions for them if

Continued>>

Sky’s the limit at China Glass

More than 20,000 people attended this year’s China Glass flat and hollow glass show. Greg Morris was among them and spoke to exhibitors about the event.

Glass china review.indd 1 5/9/16 11:27 AM

Events world: China Glass show


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needed. At this point it’s a case of getting the brand known in China. Fortunately we are already working with some glass plants and have had growth, and we hope to continue to push this.”

Mr Velez reported that it had been a successful show for the company. As well as meeting several Chinese manufacturers he had met a Thai manufacturer and other regional manufacturers.

“It’s these shows where you can meet

all these people at once. Even if it’s just a starting point, sometimes that can be the whole difference.”

Qian Noble, Technical Sales Manager for Asia at Sheppee International said the company had started exhibiting in 2009 at China Glass. In that time there had been many changes to the Chinese industry.

“Since I started coming here to visit I have seen a difference in the factory, the equipment they use and the type of containers they produce. The environmental requirements from the Chinese government have become much more important and there is an intent now to produce lightweight bottles and to save energy. There is a massive difference now in the factories from before.

“Factory management on a day to day basis has changed. They have adopted a European management style in their factories. There is spare parts and equipment maintenance management for example, while before it was all over the place.

“Sheppee International is here because China is a developing market for us, we have had some successful orders here and broken the ice at some factories. There is huge potential in this market but it is a difficult market to access because it is a huge country. A trip to visit some customers can sometimes require a day’s travel internally, unlike in the UK where you can see two or three in a day.”

InterestSam Leaper, International Sales Manager at E W Bowman, described an ‘excellent’ show.

“We have seen a lot of people who we wanted to see, some that we didn’t expect, and had some high quality meetings. We have met a mixture of Koreans,

Indonesians, Australians as well as a number of local manufacturers. We have managed to set up a few local meetings for the next week and have met more people from the region than I anticipated.”

The company was promoting its annealing and decorating lehrs but had also had a lot of interest in its sidewall mould ovens.

Mr Leaper continued: “The Asian market is very important to Bowman right now, we have many customers from China, Eastern Asian and South East Asia. There has been some significant investment in this part of the world. The Chinese economy may be slowing down but in Asia there is a lot of new equipment being purchased.”

Tecno5 Sales Manager, Enrico Andreozzi, has been exhibiting at the event for more than 20 years.

“The Chinese market has been important so far for selling small size machines, but we hope that due to the changes in the Chinese labour market in the future more automatised and sophisticated machines will be implemented.

“It’s been an interesting few days, the exhibition has become more international over the years. It is not just Chinese customers who visit but more regional, including the Middle East and India.

“An exhibition is a way to reinforce existing cooperation with customers and to also find new potential ones. Exhibitions help sow the seeds from where the flowers will come.” r

China Glass 2017 is set to take place between May 24 and 27 at the China International Exhibition Centre, Beijing.www.chinaglass-expo.com

“You need to know the

culture to break into the

Chinese market because

they operate slightly

differently.”Stuart Hakes,

Managing Director

of FIC UK

Glass china review.indd 2 5/9/16 11:27 AM

Events world: Mir Stekla


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This year is the 18th international exhibition for glass products, manufacturing processing and

finishing technologies.The event combines the annual

exhibition and the 21st Glass and Modern Technologies technical forum.

The international exhibition focuses on flat and hollow glassmaking. Exhibitors are generally suppliers to the glassmaking industry and visitors are usually glass manufacturers.

Mir Stekla is the largest trade fair for the glass industry in Russia, the CIS and Eastern Europe and the 2015 edition confirmed this. Now the organiser is preparing for the 2016 event, which is looking to be bigger and better than ever. It has 5000m2 of exhibition space and last year had 8,000 visitors.

As exclusive General Media Partner to

the Mir Stekla event, Glass International has a stand and will distribute free copies of its English language and Russian language issues.

Statistics The exhibition covers a series of products such as: glass production (equipment and technology); glass processing (equipment, technology, consumables); glass application (tools, auxiliary equipment); test and regulating equipment, software; glass packing, transportation and storage; and new glass technologies.

Mir Stekla is an effective promotional tool, generating important sales leads: 67% of the visitors come to see new products; 85% of the visitors achieved their goals (generated sales leads); 90% of the visitors recommend their colleagues to visit Mir Stekla; 75% of the exhibitors

are coming back in 2016; 87% of the exhibitors are second-time or regular participants; 63% of the visitors come to find new contacts and refresh the old ones; 80% of the exhibitors are satisfied with the quality of sales leads; every second visitor looks for suppliers; 75% of the exhibitors achieved their goals including increased sales; 87% of the visitors prefer face-to-face meetings with clients, partners and suppliers.

ForumThe 21st Glass and Modern Technologies forum will bring together leaders and experts of the global glass industry, representatives of research institutes and design organisations and independent experts.

The main idea of the forum is to demonstrate alternatives and proposals for the further development of the Russian glass industry.

The outcome of the forum will be the development of a number of areas of the glass industry, and proposals to the Russian Government.

The Forum will be an important link between the needs of the glass industry, the initiatives of science and business and objectives of the government. The forum takes place on June 7 and 8.

The Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology of the Russian Federation, Sergey Tsyb, said: “As the result of holding this exhibition, competitiveness on the domestic glass market has grown, latest developments have been introduced to Russian companies, the quality of products has increased, and cooperation between producers and consumers of glass products has widened.” r

Mir Stekla, Moscow, Russiawww.mirstekla-expo.ru/en

All set for this year’s international Mir Stekla eventThis year’s Mir Stekla event takes place between June 6 and 9 at Pavilion No.2 (halls 1,2,3) in Expocentre, Moscow, Russia.

z Last year’s event in Moscow.

Mir Stekla.indd 1 5/9/16 11:27 AM

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Glass International May 2016

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