Glasstech Builds Upon Tradition Of Technological Innovation With Introduction Of External Press Bender

Utilizing new technologies based on four recently issued patents, the EPB provides an innovative process to meet the cost reduction needs of automotive glass fabricators.

“We designed the EPB to meet customer demands for a system that, among other things, produces high-quality glass parts having accurate shape and excellent optics,” said James P. Schnabel Jr., Glasstech’s Vice President of Development. “Perhaps more important to many of our customers, the EPB is easily expandable, offering them a cost-effective solution to their glass bending needs that can grow with them over time.”

In its most advanced form, the EPB utilizes a patented FanRoll System, which helps pre-form glass inside the furnace, reducing the final press motion. This innovative technology reduces processing time, since the glass already is being formed before it arrives at the pressing station.

Reducing processing time outside of the furnace, in turn, means that the glass suffers less heat loss which improves optical quality and allows thin glass to be processed. The optical quality produced by the EPB meets all known automotive quality requirements, including the Audi-Volkswagen test.

“All our customers, especially those in the automotive industry, are always looking for fast cycle and changeover times and inexpensive tooling,” Schnabel said. “The EPB uses low-cost, quick-change tooling and incorporates other design features that dramatically cut glass-part changeover times.”

The EPB meets customer requirements for high productivity and cost reduction by using a universal quench whose shape can be changed through the use of simple templates, without removing the quench from the system. An optional, numerically controlled glass aligner sets glass position precisely on the load table, ensuring the glass arrives in proper position for processing in the shortest possible time.

The EPB system can be customized to a customer’s needs. Systems can be configured for high output in the range of 7 seconds per part, to moderate output in the range of 15 seconds per part to lower output in the range of 30 seconds per part. Because the system is built in modules, a customer can start with a basic EPB system and upgrade and expand it at a later time.

Currently targeted at the automotive industry, the EPB processes glass parts with cylindrical, compound, complex, symmetrical and nonsymmetrical curvatures. The standard EPB processes parts ranging from 381mm by 406mm to 1220mm by 864mm. A small-parts option is available which allows processing of parts down to 254mm by 228mm.

Glasstech is the leading, world-class innovator and producer of highly productive bending and tempering systems used by glass fabricators supplying the worldwide automotive and architectural safety-glass market. Its architectural and automotive glass processing systems have become world standards for efficient production of high-quality safety-glass products.