Published by Greg Morris on May 30, 2018

German glass technology supplier Bystronic Glass builds an insulating glass (IG) production line

Bystronic Glass has built B'Jumbo XXL, a 165-meter insulating glass production line that can automatically produce insulating glass up to 18 meters in length.

The production line was recently put into use at the German glass manufacturer Thiele Glas.

Stephen Kammerer, Product Engineering Manager of Bystronic Glass, said: "This production line is a huge and unique step that has never been seen before, providing a comprehensive new choice for the glass processing industry.

"We are proud to be able to combine our experience in innovation with our knowledge of glass processing machines, which can be traced back more than 50 years, and then we can bring production lines such as B'Jumbo XXL to the market."

Bystronic Glass calls this production line "the longest glass production line in the world." It is also resource efficient and sustainable.

Mr. Kammerer said: “However, sustainability is also extremely important to us.

"Although the size is too large, energy efficiency and sustainable production are extremely important in the design process of the production line."

B'Jumbo XXL can produce new sizes of insulating glass or exterior wall glass. Its maximum size is 3.30 meters high and 18 meters long. The maximum glass volume that can be processed can reach 10 tons.

Mr. Kammerer explained: “The difference between it and other sealing robots in the glass industry is also its automatic material change system, which allows operators to change the sealing material within two minutes without the operator—for example, from polysulfides to silicone.

"In addition, there are several lower clamping options in the discharge area to support the removal of the fully sealed Jumbo device."

Compared with other robots commonly found in the industry, this production line can even seal rectangular cells and deep spacers in shape formats at the current maximum size.

Pictured: B'Jumbo XXL's semi-automatic frame positioner

Since 2012, Greg Morris has been the editor of Glass International and the organizer of Glassman conferences, specializing in glass packaging. Prior to this, he worked in newspaper journalism for five years.