New insulating glass unit production line launched

A new line for the production of insulating glass units has been launched at the private unitary enterprise "LepelTransService". I was particularly interested in the features of the new piece of equipment. For this purpose, I visited the enterprise.

The line extends for more than 15 meters and is over three and a half meters high. It stands in the workshop, occupying it lengthwise. Hundreds of rollers, on which glass sheets are apparently supposed to roll, two "cabinets" tightly closed with doors, and complete confusion as to what is what – these were the initial impressions. Although I have some understanding of technology myself, the unit I saw (I couldn't find another word at first) left me bewildered. Commercial Director of "LepelTransService" Sergey Gonchar came to the rescue. However, his explanation did not initially bring clarity: "LepelTransService" was one of the first, if not the very first, to start the production and installation of plastic profile windows and insulating glass units in Lepel. We immediately set out not to trade someone else's goods, but to produce and offer our own to the customer. Over time, we reached industrial volumes. Today, individual orders account for only one to two percent of the total output of insulating glass units at our enterprise. The rest are orders from firms, house-building and repair enterprises, and organizations involved in the capital repair of housing stock. They install windows in tens, hundreds of apartments. It is unprofitable for them to have their own equipment for manufacturing insulating glass units; it is much more profitable to purchase a batch of units for standard-sized windows. Therefore, we decided to maximize the automation of the production process for insulating glass units in order to fulfill large volumes of orders for standard-sized insulating glass units in the shortest possible time.

What parameters were used to select the line, and what criteria were applied to it, besides the ability to increase production volumes?

1. Automated assembly. Manual labor in any production process must be minimized. This increases efficiency, speeds up the process, and at the same time reduces the probability of defects by reducing the so-called human factor.

2. Capability to produce double-glazed units of large and extra-large sizes. For example, full-wall panel windows have recently become popular. This line allows for the production of double-glazed units up to three meters wide and 2.7 meters high.

3. Compression and sealing in a panel press, rather than a roller press. This ensures uniform processes and achieves the highest possible quality and hermetic sealing of the unit.

4. Capability to produce gas-filled double-glazed units. According to modern standards and technical regulations, it is permitted to produce double-glazed units and windows with extremely low heat transfer coefficients. This indicator is most effectively achieved when the double-glazed unit is filled with the inert gas argon, due to its minimal thermal conductivity. This line provides for the sealing of the unit in an argon environment.

In the area and for the operations where 11 people used to work, there are now five. The process has significantly accelerated. The average speed of this line is one double-glazed unit per minute. Up to 600 units can be produced per shift. And the quality of the products has undoubtedly risen even higher.

Vasily MATYRKA.