To provide a method for forming a thermal spray coating film, by forming a thermal spray coating film of an AlFe based intermetallic compound having a high hardness, on a metal substrate.

A method for forming a thermal spray coating film, by forming a thermal spray coating film of an AlFe based intermetallic compound, from a mixture of an AlFe based intermetallic compound powder composed mainly of FeAl.sub.2 and a metal powder composed mainly of Fe, as feedstock, on the surface of a metal substrate.

An optimization bench for glass plates is configured to move the plates in a longitudinal direction of the bench in order to arrange the plates in positions suitable to achieve optimal occupation of the available area on the bench. The bench includes a plurality of belt conveyors parallel to each other, selectively driven by motor means through a plurality of electrically operated clutches which are respectively associated with the belt conveyors. An electronic controller is configured to convey each plate by activating only the belt conveyors on which the plate rests, until all plates are arranged in an optimized manner on the bench area.

Disclosed here are a glass forming apparatus and a method of forming a glass. A glass forming apparatus of the present invention includes a transfer unit which moves a material, a preheating unit which preheats the material supplied by the transfer unit, a curved surface forming unit which forms the material in a curved shape, and a cooling unit which cools the material in the curved shape transformed by the curved surface forming unit, wherein the curved surface forming unit includes a moving mold in which a plurality of curved surface-shaped cores configured to seat the preheated material are formed and the moving mold is provided to be movable, a first mold disposed to face the moving mold, a plurality of cavities formed between the moving mold and the first mold, and a pneumatic device which generates a vacuum pressure in the plurality of cavities to adhere the material to the curved surface-shaped cores.

A frame for supporting a sheet of glass, referred to as a suction frame, includes a contact path for receiving the periphery of the underside face of the sheet of glass, and includes a suction system able to apply suction to the underside face of the sheet in order to enhance the retention of the sheet by the frame. This frame may form part of a device for the hot-bending of the sheet and convey the sheet with high acceleration or deceleration through a heating enclosure for the purposes of the hot-bending of the sheet.

A glass manufacturing apparatus includes a forming apparatus forming a glass ribbon. An enclosure is positioned downstream from the forming apparatus and includes a first chamber, a first end defining an inlet opening, and a second end defining an outlet opening. A first enclosure wall of the enclosure includes an enclosure wall opening defining a gas travel path from the first chamber to an exterior of the enclosure. A ribbon travel path extends through the first chamber. A first conduit extends along a first side of the enclosure and includes a second chamber. A gas opening provides fluid communication between the first chamber and the second chamber. A first gas source is in fluid communication with the second chamber. The first gas source delivers a first gas to the first chamber through the second chamber. Methods of manufacturing a glass ribbon are provided.

A press station (12) and system (10) for forming glass sheets that are initially formed with an upwardly concave curved shape with end portions (86) and an intermediate portion (88) having straight line elements that are subsequently formed with curved shapes to provide curvature along transverse directions. The forming is performed by initially providing curvature to the straight line elements of the glass sheet end portions (86) while the intermediate portion (88) still has the straight line elements. The glass sheet intermediate portion is subsequently formed to provide curvature to its straight line elements so the entire glass sheet has curvature in transverse directions.

A press station (12) and system (10) for forming glass sheets that are initially formed with an upwardly concave curved shape with end portions (86) and an intermediate portion (88) having straight line elements that are subsequently formed with curved shapes to provide curvature along transverse directions. The forming is performed by initially providing curvature to the straight line elements of the glass sheet end portions (86) while the intermediate portion (88) still has the straight line elements. The glass sheet intermediate portion is subsequently formed to provide curvature to its straight line elements so the entire glass sheet has curvature in transverse directions.

An assembly is provided that includes a mineral-based monolithic support for full-surface supporting of a workpiece during processing and transportation and a workpiece supported thereon, wherein the surface of the support is designed so that adherence of the supported workpiece is prevented, and wherein the support has provisions with means inserted therein, which permit to lift the workpiece from the support from below and/or to shift the workpiece laterally, and furthermore relates to a mineral-based monolithic support suitable for this purpose.

There is provided an apparatus for molding a glass substrate, the apparatus including a pre-heating unit, a molding unit, and a cooling unit sequentially arranged, wherein the pre-heating unit includes a pre-heating body and a glass substrate holder, wherein the molding unit includes: a molding body having a vacuum port, a molding support on the molding body, the molding support being configured to support an edge of a glass substrate, and a heating element configured to heat the molding body, and wherein the cooling unit includes a cooling body and a cooling plate.

The invention relates to a device for bending sheets of glass, comprising an upper bending form and a bending support, the upper bending form and/or the bending support being laterally mobile relative to one another, the bending support comprising a pre-bending mold for the gravity bending of a sheet of glass and a press-bending mold configured for pressing the sheet of glass against the upper form, of these two molds of the bending support one being surrounded by the other when viewed from above, at least one of these two molds of the bending support being able to be given a relative vertical movement with respect to the other.