New line in quality control
SoftSolution has developed a new all-in-one system, designed to pick-up all quality issues that have the potential to impact on processed glass, and particularly in IGU supply.
Unveiled last month, the All-in-One Scanner is designed to screen glass for defects from the very beginning of processing and right through the manufacturing process.
Joe Hague, managing director of the Promac Group, said this has the potential to save IGU manufacturers £thousands in remakes by picking up defects earlier in the production cycle.
“Glass is getting bigger,” he said. “The cost of getting it wrong, regardless of whether that’s a defect in edge quality, dimensional or surface defects or anisotropy, is also far greater.
“Quality control, not simply at final inspection but at key stages throughout the manufacturing process, can deliver significant savings, avoid remakes and the reputational damage caused by supply of products with underlying and hidden faults.”
At the start of the manufacturing process, this includes instant analysis of glass thickness and coating composition. The SoftSolution All-in-One Scanner also provides checks for edge and surface quality, picking up a range of defects from inclusions, scratches, finger prints, coating defects and dirt.
It also introduces new dimensional checks on cut and processed glass, without impacting on cycle time. Achieved using telecentric imaging technologies, this includes external contours, inner contours and edge cut-outs. The SoftSolution LineScanner will also inspect drill hole location and diameter.
The SoftSolution All-in-One LineScanner also provides a series of checks on tempering quality, including not only edge stress and anisotropy but the anisotropy pattern, and overall bending.
“The real plus is that this is delivered in real-time, providing critical feedback to glass processors and IGU manufacturers on the performance of their tempering furnaces,” Joe said.
At the other end of the process the SoftSolution LineScanner can also deliver a series of QC checks. This includes the composition and build of the IGU, including particles in the cavity and butyl defects, in addition to further checks for edge defects, scratches and contaminates.
It will also pick-up on-screen printing errors and errors on logos, including position and rotation, even down to ink thickness.
“This is a complete solution giving glass processors and IGU manufacturers the ability to pick-up imperfections earlier in the production cycle, without impacting on cycle times, and without passing problems down the line adding process and cost,” Joe said.