The cutting edge

GS-MR’s IG-L robotic loading system, which loads glass onto IGU lines by the edge, rather than using suction on the face of the glass, is being heralded as a game changer for the industry. Offering consistent, improved quality and safety, Glass Times magazine finds out more about the exciting innovation.

An unplanned meeting, which took place in 2018 between two long-standing and respected UK glass processing industry professionals, has led to the successful design, development, and manufacture of what is being heralded as, ‘the most advanced automation to be incorporated into the global glass industry in 20-years.’

Robert Owen, co-director of GS-MR Glass and Stone (Machinery and Robotics) UK & Ireland and Khaled Elleboudy, managing director of IGU manufacturer, Glass Systems, are said to have ‘candidly discussed’ the tangible benefits of incorporating bespoke automation within the glass processing industry.

The end result of that initial conversation is a unique, automated system that loads glass on the edge from racks to an IG line – rather than via traditional suction/vacuum handling – a method that eliminates the potential for damage to special coatings, improves safety and has the capacity to process 180 glass panes per hour.

Robert Owen and Khaled Elleboudy’s business relationship reaches back to 2015 during Robert’s 12-year tenure with Lisec, covering UK & Ireland southern regional sales.

Robert Owen said: “With my extensive engineering background, I always pushed for improvements in functionality, promoting much needed industry automation, especially due to manual loading being such a potentially unsafe and uninspiring employee environment.

“Designing a solution which affiliated ‘Industry 4.0 principles’, further evaluating and improving safety, alongside enabling improved quality and production was an absolute must. Without question, automation must be able to contribute to future proofing the global glass industry.”

Paula Owen, co-director of GS-MR, said: “Responsible employers recognise that certain processing areas of industry have the scope to change for the better.

“Automation isn’t about removing labour, far from it. Ultimately, it’s about increasing employee retention by upskilling your existing team, harnessing the abilities of employees who are, without doubt, any company’s greatest asset, whilst addressing already recognised industry wide safety issues. From an HR and safety perspective, the IG-L exceeds this remit.”

The IG-L is secured within a safety cell which utilises a similar footprint to that required for a manual operation. The IG-L dedicated software pre-loads automatically prepared batch files from the customer’s existing software platform and processes the pre-loaded racks automatically.

Khaled Elleboudy said: “Our IG-L at Glass Systems has quickly developed into a standard processing feature – put simply, we wouldn’t want to operate without it.

“The functionality of the IG-L has completely exceeded the original plan. The specification improved substantially as the design progressed and it was clear when GS-MR completed functionality testing during late 2021 that what it had designed and produced was nothing less than a glass industry game changer. To be a part of this exciting automation at the very start gives Glass Systems a significant leading edge.”

Khaled continued: “The glass industry knowledge and integrity repeatedly demonstrated by GS-MR throughout the automation development has resulted in establishing its IG-L robotic loading system as the clear industry success it is, leading Glass Systems to invest in further automation with GS-MR. Glass Systems are harnessing the undisputed benefits automation is bringing to our industry.”

Glass Systems

Glass Systems has six sites located throughout the UK. The company employ in excess of 1,100 personnel and manufactures and delivers – on average – over 100,000 insulating glass units per week, for a wide range of business platforms. Originally founded in the 1980’s, Glass Systems has been owned by the Press Glass Group since September 2015 and is headed up by Khaled Elleboudy.

Khaled continued: “Growth and development are key areas for Glass Systems, and we were able to increase sales volume by approximately 15-20% in 2021 compared to previous years. With the global challenges experienced more recently, it is more important than ever to focus on customer service and the consistent quality of deliverables. The business relationship we have developed with GS-MR is key not only to our business strategy of implementing improved automation processes, but also contributes to Glass Systems maintaining its UK premier industry status.”

GS-MR Glass and Stone

Based in Shrewsbury, GS-MR Glass and Stone designs and builds bespoke robotic and automated solutions for the glass and stone industries – solutions that are driven by customer manufacturing and production requirements.

Robert Owen said: “The interest shown in the IG-L throughout the industry has been incredible, with companies recognising and acknowledging the undisputed benefits the IG-L affords. Moving forward, further automation solutions designed by GS-MR will complement and bring much needed automation to long standing industry wide processes.”