The present disclosure relates to a tempering furnace for a glass sheet, which has a conveyor for the glass sheet, first convection blow means over the conveyor to heat the glass sheet by hot air jets blown on its top and/or bottom surface, and second convection blow means to help lead pressurized air from outside the tempering furnace to second blow nozzles from which air is discharged as jets towards the top and/or bottom surface of the glass sheet. The heating effect of the air jets on the glass sheet is adjustable by adjusting the feeding of electric current to electric elements inside blowing channels. Blow nozzles of the second convection blow means form blow zones. The heating effect on the glass sheet of the jets discharged from the second blow nozzles inside the blow zones is adjustable by adjusting the blowing pressure of feed pipes.

A method for producing an automotive glazing with an optical sensor device, with the glazing having superior optical qualities, including the steps of applying an enamel obscuration mask on at least one face of at least one glass sheet, where the obscuration mask extends to an area where the at least one optical sensor device will be fixed and includes at least one opening on the automotive interior side so as to be capable of acquiring information through the opening from the optical sensor device intended to be fixed at the at least one opening; drying or firing the enamel obscuration mask; applying a washable cover layer resisting at a temperature of at least 620° C. on the surface of the at least one opening; submitting the glass sheet to a heat treatment above 450° C. during a bending or tempering process; and removing by washing the washable cover layer.

An article of fire rated glass and method of producing the same prepared by selecting a sheet of clear float annealed glass of at least 19 millimeters in thickness and providing the edge of the sheet substantially free of imperfections. The glass sheet is then specially tempered at a temperature of at least 575 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 750 seconds, followed by a cooling step.

This disclosure is directed to techniques for utilizing various sensors and models to evaluate glass as it progresses through the tempering process in order to ensure that the tempered glass is of a proper quality. If, according to any of the various sensor measurements, the tempered glass is not of a proper quality, the system may automatically adjust one or more settings in any of the various components of the system in order to bring future panes of tempered glass back to having the proper quality. The system can measure for any number of glass characteristics or system characteristics, including edge quality, vertical flatness, haze, washing process variables, thermal imaging, distortion, blower information, production data, and furnace process data.

This disclosure is directed to techniques for utilizing various sensors and models to evaluate glass as it progresses through the tempering process in order to ensure that the tempered glass is of a proper quality. If, according to any of the various sensor measurements, the tempered glass is not of a proper quality, the system may automatically adjust one or more settings in any of the various components of the system in order to bring future panes of tempered glass back to having the proper quality. The system can measure for any number of glass characteristics or system characteristics, including edge quality, vertical flatness, haze, washing process variables, thermal imaging, distortion, blower information, production data, and furnace process data.

Methods and systems are provided for automated shaping of a glass sheet. The methods comprise preheating the glass, bending the glass through selective, and focused beam heating through the use of an ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic wave, and computer implemented processes utilizing thermal and shape (positional) data obtained in real-time, and cooling the glass sheet to produce a glass sheet suitable for use in air and space vehicles.

Methods and systems are provided for automated shaping of a glass sheet. The methods comprise preheating the glass, bending the glass through selective, and focused beam heating through the use of an ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic wave, and computer implemented processes utilizing thermal and shape (positional) data obtained in real-time, and cooling the glass sheet to produce a glass sheet suitable for use in air and space vehicles.

This disclosure is directed to techniques for utilizing various sensors and models to evaluate glass as it progresses through the tempering process in order to ensure that the tempered glass is of a proper quality. If, according to any of the various sensor measurements, the tempered glass is not of a proper quality, the system may automatically adjust one or more settings in any of the various components of the system in order to bring future panes of tempered glass back to having the proper quality. The system can measure for any number of glass characteristics or system characteristics, including edge quality, vertical flatness, haze, washing process variables, thermal imaging, distortion, blower information, production data, and furnace process data.

An article of fire rated glass and method of producing the same prepared by selecting a sheet of clear float annealed glass of at least 19 millimeters in thickness and providing the edge of the sheet substantially free of imperfections. The glass sheet is then specially tempered at a temperature of at least 575 degrees Celsius for a period of at least 750 seconds, followed by fluid quenching.

Methods and systems are provided for automated shaping of a glass sheet. The methods comprise preheating the glass, bending the glass through selective, and focused beam heating through the use of an ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic wave, and computer implemented processes utilizing thermal and shape (positional) data obtained in real-time, and cooling the glass sheet to produce a glass sheet suitable for use in air and space vehicles.