In a series of articles that started in the September/October 2020 issue of Glass Worldwide, industry experts from Bucher Emhart Glass have discussed the importance of data being translated among the different systems in the glass container manufacturing process. In this final installment, Mike Rentschler discusses how cold end inspection systems are the ultimate smart sensors in the process. As noted in the first article in the series, speaking the same language is the key.

Bucher Emhart Glass, the leading global supplier of machinery and parts to the glass-container industry, has revealed the latest iteration of its advanced FleXinspect vision inspection range. 

Bucher Emhart Glass secures major order from CP Glass, Poland, for seven ID Mark units. This laser marking unit inscribes a unique code allowing to track each glass container through its life-time with 150 units already installed worldwide. 

Data is power but only if the data is accurate. Andreas Helfenstein and Martin Grönblad detail how smart sensors developed by Bucher Emhart Glass allow automatic adjustments and process improvements that can translate into significant time and cost savings. 

The appearance and color scheme of a glass forming machine were typically driven by its function, where paint had the function of a protection layer, the look of the equipment was not really considered. Machines were painted typically in grey. Grey inside, grey outside, knowing that a machine will look grey after a period of production anyway.

Glass container production lines are equipped with an increasing number of sensors and equipment to stabilize the production. With the availability of data from these sensors, it becomes obvious that this data must be analyzed to optimize glass container production. The challenge in obtaining a complete and meaningful data set is to assign the data of all involved systems to the ‘right’ container. A lot of different components from both HE, CE and Traceability equipment have to work hand-in-hand and speak the same language.