Measurement systems for glass industry

 

Glass market has always been requiring measurement and inspection devices to guarantee the quality of the final products. The world of glass is made of several segments and each of them requires specific technologies, solutions and integrations.

Nowadays, our sensors and systems are mostly used in Pharmaceutical, Electronic, Scientific and Automotive Glass. Our portfolio of solutions is continuously increasing and expanding to other market segments, as we face everyday new challenges from our valuable customers.

DIAMETER, OVALITY, LUMP and NECK

ODK is a family of optical micrometers which allow measuring outer diameter. Different measuring ranges are available for different market segments. The multiple axis models allow measurements of product ovality.
Main applications in the glass market are:

  • Pharmaceutical tubes for primary packaging
  • Glass bar, rods and other
  • Fiber optics manufacturing
  • Capillaries drawing plants

WALL-THICKNESS

m-Thick optical sensors measure total thickness of any transparent or semi-transparent material, including coating. Main applications for Glass industry are:

  • TFT e LCD panels
  • thin glasses for electronics
  • pharmaceutical tubes and lighting tubes
  • glass plates for watchmaking

LAYERS MEASUREMENT

multi-Thick optical sensors can analyze layers of any transparent or semi-transparent material, including coating over substrate. Main applications for Glass sector are:

  • automotive laminated glass
  • coating over glass
  • glass panels for electronics
  • capillaries
  • safety and fire glass
  • slimming of glasses for electronics

GLASS SLIMMING

OTS optical sensors have been designed for glass slimming process. This is a fundamental process in the production of mass-market electronics based on TFT/LCD and OLED displays, because it allows to reduce weight od devices such as TV and mobile phones, by reducing the encapsulating glass thickness.

OTS sensors can measure panels thickness directly in the slimming chamber and  with micrometric precision.

TUBES – INLINE INSPECTION

NIROX’s NCSline tubes measurement systems allow to measure directly in production line with micrometric precision:

  • wall thickness
  • concentricity
  • outer diameter
  • ovality
  • inner diameter

of glass tubes for vials, ampoules and syringes; lighting tubes; transparent and amber glass; preform tubes.

TUBES and PREFORMS – OFFLINE INSPECTION

NIROX’s NCSlab automatic offline system is a powerful tool that quickly provides tubes measurements for quality control, quality assurance, inline machines qualification and supplier’s incoming check. Additionally, it can be equipped with camera module for cosmetic inspection, like airline, bubbles, stone, knots, and other inclusions.

The system software offers an intuitive management of the system, comprehensive reports, available over the network for historicization.

MEASUREMENTS

  • Wall-thickness and concentricity
  • Outer diameter and ovality
  • Inner diameter and ovality
  • Eccentricity
  • Bow/Deflection
  • Conicity
  • Defects (optional with camera)

VIALS AND AMPOULES – BOTTOM MEASUREMENTS

NIROX‘s VISline glass vials and ampoules measurement systems allow the in-line control, with micrometric precision of:

  • bottom thickness
  • bottom concavity
  • container length

of pharmaceutical vials and ampoules and glass containers; they can be customized according to specific requirements.

VIALS – DIMENSIONAL and COSMETIC INSPECTION

NIROX’s VISline family of camera-based systems covers all the requirements from dimensional to cosmetic inspection.

Dimensional inspection is usually performed on the forming machine and, after this, before annealing oven, on the after-forming line, to measure inner diameter and length.

After the annealing oven, the cosmetic inspection is typically performed as the latest step before packaging. Here, systems have different viewing angles and multiple cameras, to ensure a whole inspection and guarantee the container’s quality.

In both cases, the object is usually taken from the line with a push-up or rotating mechanism to present the product in front of the cameras with the best repeatability.

TUBES – INLINE INSPECTION AFTER GLAZING

NIROX’s EVline is a family of systems designed to inspect glass tubes after the end-forming. Being stand-alone it can be easily mounted, and its modularity allows to integrate several controls in a single inspection station.

Depending on the layout the classified features are:

  • END TAPER
  • SQUARE-CUT
  • CRACKS/DEFECTS
  • VENT-HOLE
  • TUBE LENGHT
  • GLAZING
  • BOTTOMING
  • BOW

CAPILLARIES – INLINE INSPECTION

NIROX‘s CMSline glass capillary measurement systems allow to inspect directly in line:

  • wall thickness
  • concentricity 
  • outer diameter
  • ovality
  • coating thickness
  • inner diameter