Glass Cutter: Quick, Precise, with Low-maintenance Requirements

The speed’cut is an extraordinary cutting table for glass that is used in preparation of insulating glass and is also proves to be of great value in the solar industry Picture: Bystronic

The handling and processing of glass are important process steps for the photovoltaic industry, which can learn and profit from the tried and trusted methods employed in the glass industry. The establishment of cutting centres that are exclusively oriented towards the processing of special glasses is an emerging trend in the photovoltaic industry. For the start of the production chain, Bystronic glass offers flexible loading systems for all common raw glass formats with individual stock dimensions which ensure a safe glass loading. Cutting of the glasses to the desired dimensions with automated X, Y, and Z breaking, as well as subsequent rotation and turnover of the glasses depending upon the coating, then follows. The modular concept enables the customer to appropriately configure the machine to individual requirements in the project planning stage, for example based upon the cutting table: Large glass format sizes (7000 × 3300 mm) are processed with a single cutting bridge whereas small formats (2130 × 1600 mm) are achieved with two cutting bridges operating in parallel. The speed’cut belongs to a new generation of machines that work with a linear drive technology. Previously common and maintenance-prone machine parts such as racks and sprockets are no longer necessary. This reduces maintenance outlay, replacement part costs, as well as possible downtimes. Despite the speed and level of saving, precision is a crucial topic, especially in the solar industry. The customer obtains highly precise results with regard to the desired glass dimensions thanks to the measuring system used on the speed’cut. At the same time, this reduces the necessary grinding tolerances to a minimum. The requirement for operator intervention is substantially reduced thanks to the system’s automated tool changer and the establishment of multiple cutting oil circuits for various glasses. The controls connected to the network simplify the preparation and monitoring of the production on the speed’cut: various cutting plans can be loaded into the machine with the aid of ByFlow software. Furthermore, it records production data complete with details concerning cut glass plates, information about the wear of cutting wheels, and details of cutting parameters as well as the operating state of the unit. In combination with the ByStore storage management software, the user also obtains online information concerning the content of the glass warehouse complete with details concerning glass amounts, glass dimensions, and the lot numbers of the raw formats located in the warehouse. The integration of visual inspection systems guarantees the panel quality in each phase of the value creation chain and prevents additional costs over the course of the entire processing procedure.

CONTACT www.bystronic-glass.com

EU PVSEC Hall A4 — C24