Gob

Watch

Gob

Monitoring, Inspection and Control

The GobWatch is an innovative gob monitoring, gob weight control and gob inspection system. The GobWatch system uses two high resolution cameras to create 3D images of all gobs from single, dual, triple or quad gob feeders.

The gob weight control function of the GobWatch system is very precise (±0.05% achievable) and works with single weight and multi weight gob feeders.

The GobWatch system can automatically reject glass products with gob weight deviations, gob length deviations or gob falling angle deviations.

The GobWatch system inspects flint glass gobs for inclusions like seeds, bubbles and stones. The system counts the number of seeds and bubbles and provides information about their sizes. The GobWatch system rejects a formed glass product when an inclusion is detected in the glass gob.

The GobWatch system comes with different options, is easy to use, improves the quality and productivity, shortens the Job-Change time and has a fast payback time.

Gob

Monitoring

The 3D gob images are processed and analysed in real-time in order to monitor the following parameters:

• Gob Weight
• Gob Diameter
• Gob Length
• Gob Speed
• Gob Shape
• Gob Falling Angle X-direction
• Gob Falling Angle Y-direction
• Gob Temperature
• Gob Temperature Profile
• Seed Count and Bubble Count (flint glass)
• Inclusion Size (flint glass)

All measured parameters are stored and displayed in trend graphs together with the gob images on an interactive Touch Screen.

Warning and alarm levels can be set in order to inform personnel when a gob parameter drifts away from a setpoint. Direct remedial action can take place preventing the production of low quality glass gobs and glass products.

Gob

Reference

For each article the GobWatch system stores a Gob Reference containing the gob weight, gob shape, gob temperature and other gob parameters. After a job change the gob reference can be used to quickly produce the optimum gob. This significantly reduces the job change time.

Automatic

Gob Weight Control

The GobWatch system automatically controls the gob weight by making small adjustments to the tube height, individual plunger height or tube rotation speed.

The gob weight control can start directly after a job change because the GobWatch configures the cameras automatically!

Benefits of the GobWatch automatic gob weight control are:

• Stable and precise Gob Weight (±0.05% achievable)
• Stable and precise product volume
• Reduction of overall product weight
• Reduction of Job Change time (>30 minutes achievable)
• Stable Gob Temperature
• Stable Gob Shape
• Better Glass Distribution in formed glass products
• Less Defects in formed glass products

Multi

Gob Weight Control

The automatic gob weight control function of the GobWatch system works with multi weight gob feeders or variable gob weight feeders producing two, three or more different gob weights in a machine cycle.

The setup of multi weight gob feeders becomes much easier with the GobWatch system. Creating the correct plunger profiles for multi weight production is a difficult and iterative process. The GobWatch system reduces the setup time considerably because the system provides for each gob the necessary weight and shape information needed to adjust the plunger profiles.

Seed,

Bubble and Stone Inspection

The GobWatch system inspects each flint glass gob for seeds, bubbles and stones.

The seed count and bubble count information is stored and shown in various trend graphs. A size-distribution chart shows the sizes of the detected seeds and bubbles.

With the seed and bubble count information process engineers can quickly analyse their root cause. Optimum process settings for the gob feeder, forehearth, fining and melting processes can be found, resulting in a higher product quality. Operators are alarmed when the number of detected bubbles becomes too high, for example when a crack occurs in an orifice ring.

Hot

End Reject

The GobWatch system automatically rejects glass products made from gobs with gob weight deviations, shape deviations, temperature deviations and drop angle deviations.

The system can also reject a glass product made from a flint glass gob with a bubble, blister, cord or stone directly after the IS-machine.

The detection of these inclusions in non-round glass products, products with engravings or in the finish can be very difficult at the cold end. By detecting them in the gob, the GobWatch system prevents these glass products from reaching the cold end, decoration facilities or the customers.

Process

Data Analysis

The measurement data of the GobWatch system is stored in a database and can be easily retrieved and displayed. This makes it possible to compare job runs and to perform statistical data analysis.

Issues with the production from days or months ago can be tracked and analysed. For example, customer complaints of bubbles and blisters can be traced back to their production date and time, significantly lowering resorting costs.

Ease

of Use

The GobWatch system has a very easy to use touch screen interface which is one of the key features of the system. Different views can be used for users at operator, job-change and process engineer level. All data belonging to a job (products settings, gob references, warning levels, reject levels, etc) are stored in a database and are automatically retrieved at the start of a job change. The GobWatch system automatically configures the cameras without user-intervention, even when the production is changed from for example single gob to double gob.

The GobWatch system can be serviced and updated with new software remotely by Cortex Glass. With a connection to the company network users can log on to the system remotely from their office.

Gob

Watch Benefits

• Precise Gob Weight Control (±0.05% achievable)
• Reduction of Job Change time (>30 minutes achievable)
• Reduction of Bottle Weight (>1.5% achievable)
• Reduction of Material Waste
• Reduction of Energy consumption
• Rejection of Inclusions and other gob defects
• Reduction of Sorting and Resorting costs
• Reduction of Reclamations

• Higher Product Quality
• Higher Productivity
• Lower Production Costs
• Less Pollutant Emissions
• Fast Payback Time

Gob

Watch Specifications

• Single, Dual, Triple and Quad gob operation
• 2 High Resolution Air Cooled Cameras
• 22" Remote Industrial Touch Screen
• 19" Remote Electronics and Computer Cabinet
• Warning and Alarm Lamp output
• Remote Diagnostics and Support
• Easy Installation, Maintenance and Service

Gob

Watch Options

• Tube Height Controller
• Individual Plunger Height Controller
• Tube Rotation Speed Controller
• Multi/Variable Gob Weight Feeder Controller
• Inclusion Inspection Module
• Hot End Reject
• Tube Height Sensor
• Cortex Tube Height Motor
• Cortex Individual Plunger Height Motor
• Tandem IS-Machine Version
• Industrial Weight Scale

References

The GobWatch system is installed at the following glass manufacturers:

• Ardagh Glass
• Asia Pacific Glass
• BA Glass
• Bormioli Luigi
• Bormioli Rocco
• Gerresheimer
• Heinz Glas
• KC Glass
• O-I Glass
• Saverglas
• Stölzle Glass
• SGD
• Pacificglas
• Verallia