Hegla at Glasstec: Creating Added Value Together

“Creating added value together” is the motto under which the HEGLA Group is inviting accredited visitors to return to its exhibition. “We have focussed on the here and now, and want to show solutions that our customers can use to create sustainable added value,” said Managing Director Bernhard Hötger.

Laser diode technology shortens heating time and increases value creation in LSG cutting

“In mechanical engineering, one project that was close to our hearts was to significantly improve cycle time in LSG cutting,” Hötger explained. This resulted in the laser diode heating system. The new laser technology precisely focuses on the film in the scoring contour and reaches the transformation temperature much faster than conventional heating tubes can. “Thanks to bundled heat application, the productivity of the entire cutting process improves by 20 percent, and considerably higher pane throughput can be achieved,” added Hötger. The surrounding pane surface remains cold, which makes subsequent cuts possible without waiting.  The technology also benefits edge quality, as it systematically prevents subsequent delamination. For the first time, HEGLA are also showing a vertical remnant system for reducing glass waste.

Next-generation software

With Cut+, HEGLA-HANIC introduced completely reprogrammed software (HMI) for cutting table organisation last year. At glasstec, the company from Bochum will be giving visitors insight into the next generation of the ERP system that can integrate all processes: from digital order collection, storage and individual machines to delivery at the construction site. “Standard OPC UA, digitalization and an increasing level of automation all motivated us to make our ERP even more open with the Dynamics 365 development platform from Microsoft,” said Managing Director Jan Schäpers from HEGLA-HANIC. The new software basis now makes it possible to enable many add-ons, such as for financial bookkeeping or controlling via the Microsoft platform. On the other hand, a wide range of programs can be integrated with only minimal effort. As completely redeveloped software, it is perfectly adapted to all current systems.

The standard becomes added value

Be it bird protection glass, antibacterial panes, heatable glass or an RF-transparent IG unit: HEGLA boraident from Halle/Saale want to prove how easily a standard product can become a commodity with added value. “With a range of samples, we want to give the impression of how flexibly glass can be finished by removing or transforming the functional layer, or via non-destructive printing with our Laserbird,” explained Dr Thomas Rainer, the Head of Development at HEGLA boraident. In addition to the option of creating functional glass without tooling time or an additional service provider, Thomas Rainer sees the “single piece” option as a major advantage: “Via the user-friendly GUI or connection to the ERP, each individual pane can be coated with various finishing treatments without any waiting time.”

Greater efficiency and automation for tempering furnaces

“Tempered glass, as perfect as only glass can be” is what HEGLA TaiFin from Finland aspire to achieve. The company is known for convection technology and closely controllable heating zones with qualities much higher than the industry standard. “We have one of the best tempering furnaces on the market and at glasstec, we now want to show what is possible when strong partners work together,” said Teemu Kolka, Manager of HEGLA TaiFin. The optimal bedload is determined with bed optimisation from HEGLA-HANIC. For maximum automation, the glass can be put together with automated batch creation from HEGLA – no operator required. Through “de-batching”, the batch can be separated again. Optional quality scanners monitor quality and, in conjunction with the intelligent optimisation of HEGLA New Technology, they adjust the furnace recipes if necessary. Thanks to this holistic view, using such a system increases total throughput significantly and saves a great deal of energy.

Cross-manufacturer information and perfect maintenance with an app

The Shop-Floor app from HEGLA New Technology meets the challenge of increasing demand for information and defined processes. Irrespective of the manufacturer, machines and systems can be integrated into the maintenance area of the app and documentation and spare parts lists, for example, can be stored there. An automatic ticket system alerts users when maintenance is required and saves the information when maintenance work is completed. Operations managers can also use the app to assign work to employees, putting work organisation on a platform as well.

The Shop-Floor Assistant app can be used as a tool for initiating processes such as writing shipping documents or notifying breakages. It also has a function for location-independent product tracking. The QR code in the glass marking or production label can be scanned and read to access the default data. “The Shop-Floor Assistant app from HEGLA New Technology supplies flexible options and information anywhere, at any time,” said Dr Markus Schoisswohl, the Managing Director of HEGLA New Technology.

“We look forward to glasstec and meeting up with the global glass industry,” added Bernhardt Hötger. “We live in dynamic times, and we have not seen many of our customers for a long time. We hope to have ample opportunities for spontaneous technical and personal conversations.”

You will find the HEGLA Group at glasstec in hall 14, booth A55.