Float bath furnaces

Ancillary equipment for Float bath furnaces by IOCCO

Ancillary equipment for float bath furnaces by IOCCO helps flat-glass plants improve yield, traceability and safety. We design cold-end handling, storage and inspection systems for new and existing furnaces. This keeps lines smooth and reduces stops.

How the float process works. First, silica sand, soda ash and cullet melt at ~1500 °C. Then the molten glass flows into the float bath. Liquid tin carries the ribbon and sets a uniform thickness. Next, the ribbon moves on rollers through the annealing lehr for controlled cooling. At the end, the glass is cut into jumbo sheets and stacked. Inline checks at every step protect optical quality.

In the past, many lines made 6 mm glass. Today, plants draw from below 1 mm up to 25 mm by changing speed and recipes. The cold end must adapt and stay reliable. IOCCO supplies integrated equipment for float bath furnaces at the cold end. We also support maintenance, cold repair and new machines. Our approach is simple: robust mechanics, clean handling and clear HMIs.

Product range

• Ancillary equipment in hot zone
• Cold-end equipment
• Storage System · Automatic storage / end caps packing (video)

Cold-end scope examples

• Conveyors and buffers for steady flow
• Barcode/RFID tracking and sheet genealogy
• End-of-line inspection and packing
• Internal logistics and kitting automation

IOCCO Flat Glass Catalog (PDF)

Equipment and complete plants for the glass industry: float cold-end, storage, inspection and handling.

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