Scanner Systems Supply Data for Production Control

They do it better than the most experienced worker: Merciless and reliable, quality scanners detect faults and irregularities in single sheets, IG units, and toughened sheets. Suppliers like VIPROTRON, SOFTSOLUTION, LISEC, or GLASTON with their brand-new iLook system provide these infallible, optoelectronic eyes for production lines and toughening furnaces. Integrated in comprehensive production control systems, they compare default and actual data and return precious information which are the basis for remakes, machine adjustment, or quality assurance.

Scanners as part of the production line combine the verification of sheet sizes with an efficient and reliable quality check of the glass surface. Modern solutions can even handle the third dimension, checking the edge quality.

These systems serve their purpose only if the precious information they supply is processed to the best effect. When a quality scanner detects a damaged sheet, the desired consequence is not that a worker picks up a sheet of paper and takes it to the cutting table in order to have the sheet cut by hand. Scanners should not work as an isolated unit but should be integrated in the production network. ALBAT+WIRSAM’s production control system ALCIM demonstrates how this is done to the user’s benefit. The sheet data determined by the barcode scanners are compared with the production control settings; differences are registered online. If necessary, the machine operator can react quickly without interrupting the production flow. Breakage reports from the quality scanners will trigger remakes and are made – real-time of course – by the flick of a switch, or automatically. This way, the essential target of automation is achieved: The constant flow of glass.

ALBAT+WIRSAM closely cooperates with VIPROTRON but also if required with all suppliers mentioned above. Kai Vogel, Managing Director of VIPROTRON: „We do highly appreciate ALBAT+WIRSAM as an excellent integration partner and are currently working together on several interesting projects. Another advantage in our common projects is that ALBAT+WIRSAM has been successfully cooperating with our machine partners for years so that we can form small, project-related innovation networks.“

Günter Befort, Managing Director of ALBAT+WIRSAM, adds: „The scanner systems of our partners are ultra- precise and gain on importance as efficient production control modules all the time. We have implemented internationally exemplary projects together with VIPOTRON, especially in the field of IG and pre-processing.“

The use of scanner technology in toughened glass production is rapidly progressing. These are systems for analysing and graphically displaying the furnace bed. Sheet sequences, sheet sizes, shapes, and processing steps will be viewed and analysed. GLASTON iLook or the VIPROTRON PG scanner reliably detect all discernible defects like blisters, scratches, small stones, pewter, dirt, burns, roller impressions, etc. iLook checks the entire furnace bed and individual sheets alike for waves and warped waves. The result of the scan can be compared with the settings in the ALCIM production database by means of new software tools which can be adapted to the customer’s needs. Differences and errors will be reported back to the system.

Especially in highly automated productions it seems the obvious thing to collect the individual information and present it at a control unit in the shape of a graph – production manager or shift foreman will be getting permanently reliable real-time information from all production areas and can intervene where and when necessary. at glasstec 2010, ALBAT+WIRSAM have presented this type of production control unit as a neat completion of the ALCIM system.

Altogether, ALBAT+WIRSAM’s latest-generation production systems supply much more customised, real-time information based on the fact that modern machinery include more and more information technology which cannot only process information and instructions, but also create data ALBAT + WIRSAM systems can import and process further. Take toughened glass for example: Toughening automation systems like GLASTON’s iControl provide scanner systems and production control with data right from the „hot heart“ of the furnace. This makes the entire  production process more exact, and more accurately controllable: It becomes faster and is optimised. In such a production environment, a „twisted“ toughened glass sheet or batch will not even reach the stage at which it could cause annoyance and unnecessary costs: Damaged sheets – if there are any in this largely automated and electronically monitored process – will be removed from the production process right away, and are not only immediately cut again thanks to the ALCIM production network, but also integrated in the following processes – without much ado. The entire material flow is adapted real-time.

Günter Befort: „ALBAT+WIRSAM does not only connect machinery but also the electronic systems of all leading manufacturers – including scanner systems. The customer selects the technologies that suit him best – we provide the network!“

Info:
Glaston UK Ltd
7 Swanwick Court
Derbyshire
DE55 7AS, U.K.
United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1773 545850
Fax +44 1773 545851
E-Mail: software@glaston.net
www.a-w.de • www.glaston.net



The VIPROTRON quality scanner (left) reports breakage via the machine-related ‚interlayer‘ A+W PANORAMA to ALBAT+ WIRSAM’s production control system. The line ‚knows‘ that the dirty or damaged sheet and its counterpane will be removed from the line and the following sheet pair is produced instead.


GLASTON’s iLook checks complete furnace beds or individual sheets alike for waves and warped edges. The results can be compared with the settings in the ALCIM production database which can be adapted to the customer’s requirements. Differences and errors will be reported to the ALBAT+WIRSAM system right away; remakes will be triggered automatically. As a result, the quality of the toughened sheets is guaranteed, the entire processing process is sped up and optimised.