Eric Thompson

Glass Tube-End Coating Station

Glass...Oil..everywhere.

Something had to be done. 

 

During the glazing process that rounds the edges of glass tubing using intense flames, a protective coating is burnt off of the glass. This coating, applied to the tubing before it is cut to length, protects the tube from scratches and allows it to be packed more smoothly. As a result end coating stations were added to reapply coating to the tube ends prior to packing, post glazing. The main issue is that the mildly hazardous wax coating is atomized and sprayed into the air of the factory. 

 

I designed an enclosure and collection system to be installed to each of the glass lines.  I was able to complete a design to be fabricated that would link with the existing vacuum system and could be mounted to the tube conveyors. I also fabricated a prototype and successfully tested the concept.