HEGLA presents new products and solutions for cost-optimization at this-year's Vitrum

HEGLA will exhibit at the upcoming Vitrum trade fair with a focus on new products and solutions for effecting cost-reductions and process-optimization. One product which they will be present in Italy is the linear-driven RAPIDCUT KT, a newly-developed standalone-system for cutting float glass.   

Producing even higher acceleration values and even more exact cutting results, the new drive technology is low-wear and requires minimal maintenance. 


RAPIDCUT KT - Stand-alone Cutting Table for Float Glass

Long-Life Accuracy

Managing Director Manfred Vollbracht em­phasizes the functionality and long-life of the construction. "Regardless of the operation time, the cutting system retains the high cutting precision."

Special features from the former version Formline KT were retained to protect the technology. Loading requires only that a segment of the table is placed in an almost vertical position. The cutting bridge remains protected in a vibration-free parking position on the edge of the RAPIDCUT KT. The electro-mechanical drive manages the tilting motion for a smooth transition to protect the material.

Conitnuous Guide Rails

One advantage of the standalone solution is the continuous guide rails of the linear drive which is attached to the sub-frame and is never tilted or divided. This maintains precise alignment of the drive components over the long-term according to HEGLA.

For all those who want to expand their glass storage capacity and increase the number of glass types to which the floor and gantry loading systems have direct access, the RAPID­STORAGE represents an interesting new development.

Increased Number of Glass in Direct Access of Loor Loading

The glass is stored on mobile storage racks which are positioned closely together for a compact footprint.

The storage racks are transported to a designated loading position by a rail-guided mobile shuttle to allow direct removal of the glass panes. The shuttle of RAPIDSTORAGE doesn’t require more space than a standard L-rack, but is able to move lateral as well as sideways. The storage location is even possible in an adjoining hall. The low installation height of the unit means that the glass can be taken from adjacent halls or areas in which the gantry loading system does not have a crane runway or does not have the necessary ceiling height. HEGLA Managing Director Manfred Vollbracht is convinced: "RAPIDSTORAGE represents the ideal solution for all glass processing companies who use a limited number of primary glass types or who are seeking to increase their range with minimal available space required." The shuttle brings the glass required to the cutting line and moves it back when a change of glass type is required. During this time, the fixed racks are loaded from, or the returned shuttle with a new storage rack.

The high-performance cutting of laminated glass and automated shape cutting in particular will be the topic of many conversations at the booth. For example, HEGLA focuses on highly automated line solutions for high throughput rates with high accuracy, where several cutting modules can be combined using a corner transfer unit or glass sheet rotating station as required. The ProLam Combi that can be used to cut float glass as well as laminated glass has proven its worth as a compact cutting option.

Shape Cutting of LSG

Special highlights include the Shape equipment patented by HEGLA for automated shape cutting of laminated glass. The special advantage of the patented HEGLA concept is that the motor-driven cutting wheels are guided according to the shape producing an exact scored shape even at the start and end points.

Fully-Automated Glass Handling

The HEGLA SortJet and ReMaster are the most important solutions for reducing costs and optimizing processes. With SortJet for online production, the glass transfer between the cutting and the production of insulation glass is fully-automated, the material flow improved and greater scope for optimization releases additional potential for increasing the glass benefits. SortJet accepts the panes into the random optimized cutting sequence without the need for an operator and buffers them in the dynamic interim storage system. At the same time, the panes requested from the insulating glass production are discharged from the storage, turned if necessary and transferred in the required production sequence directly to the IG line. The flow of glass is continuous. Damage from manual handling is avoided. 

The HEGLA ReMaster placed above the cutting system produces significant improvements to the remnant glass handling. The usable remnants are automatically stored in multiple-lite storage shelves where they are stored until they can be put to optimal use for further cutting. The glass is then taken (no operator required) from the ReMaster and returned to the cutting operation almost without any interruption to process.

ReMaster Increases Glass Benefit

Fully-automated processes enable even better use of the potential provided by the remnants. The glass benefits increase considerably in comparison to manual handling. The costs resulting from damaged panes are significantly reduced. Incorrectly placed glass which has to be disposed of later becomes a thing of the past.

The sorting compressor SortJet and the remnant glass handling system ReMaster are a component part of many cutting lines, which HEGLA has developed and built in recent years. They are also provided for in a number of current projects for future addition in the short-term. "Together with our customers, we are planning line solutions which are usually multi-stage, in order to provide for increasing future requirements of the system" explained Manfred Vollbracht. "The integration of the ReMaster and SortJet thus makes sense, so that they can be integrated in the system at a later point with the minimum of difficulty."

We are looking forward to your visit in hall 22, stand N01.