Systems for producing articles from glass tube include a converter having a base with a plurality of processing stations and a turret moveable relative to the base. The turret indexes a plurality of holders for holding the glass tubes successively through the processing stations. The systems further include a gas flow system or a suction system for producing a flow of gas through the glass tube during one or more heating, forming, separating or piercing operations. The flow of gas through the glass tube produced by the gas flow system or suction system may be sufficient to evacuate or purge volatile constituents of the glass from the glass tube and/or pierce a meniscus formed on the glass tube during separation, thereby reducing the Surface Hydrolytic Response (SHR) of the interior surface of the glass tube and articles made therefrom.

A device for manufacturing SiO.sub.2TiO.sub.2 based glass by growing a glass ingot upon a target by a direct method. The device includes the target, comprising a thermal storage portion that accumulates heat by being preheated, and a heat insulating portion that suppresses conduction of heat from the thermal storage portion in a direction opposite to the glass ingot.

Disclosed is a method for the production of a tube having, in sections, a non-circular profile by deforming, comprising: a) providing a tube, which has a circular initial profile; b) conveying the tube in a hot, malleable state through a nip, which is formed by squeezing rollers and has a first nip width, which is larger than or equal to an outer dimension of the initial profile; c) adjusting the squeezing rollers for setting a second nip width, which is smaller than the outer dimension of the initial profile, and deforming the initial profile in said hot, malleable state for obtaining said non-circular cross section; and d) adjusting the squeezing rollers for setting a third nip width, which is larger than or equal to the outer dimension of the initial profile, and severing said tube in a region having a circular cross section; so that respective end portions of said tube have a circular cross section According to the invention, the tubes can be connected reliably with connecting-members or other tubes via the end portions having the circular profile using proven tube connection technologies. At the same time there is at least one central section having a non-circular cross section which is of advantage, for example for applications in photobioreactors.

Disclosed is a method for the production of a tube having, in sections, a non-circular profile by deforming, comprising: a) providing a tube, which has a circular initial profile; b) conveying the tube in a hot, malleable state through a nip, which is formed by squeezing rollers and has a first nip width, which is larger than or equal to an outer dimension of the initial profile; c) adjusting the squeezing rollers for setting a second nip width, which is smaller than the outer dimension of the initial profile, and deforming the initial profile in said hot, malleable state for obtaining said non-circular cross section; and d) adjusting the squeezing rollers for setting a third nip width, which is larger than or equal to the outer dimension of the initial profile, and severing said tube in a region having a circular cross section; so that respective end portions of said tube have a circular cross section According to the invention, the tubes can be connected reliably with connecting-members or other tubes via the end portions having the circular profile using proven tube connection technologies. At the same time there is at least one central section having a non-circular cross section which is of advantage, for example for applications in photobioreactors.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for modifying the shape of a hollow structure. The method may comprise steps of providing a hollow structure having a cross-section with first and second diameters defining a first aspect ratio; heating at least a part of the hollow structure to at least its glass transition temperature, forming a malleable hollow structure; maintaining a positive pressure inside the malleable hollow structure to form a pressurized hollow structure; and pressing against a first side and an opposed second side of a heated part of the pressurized hollow structure, forming a hollow tabular structure having first and second opposed generally flat faces and a second aspect ratio greater than the first aspect ratio.

The present disclosure provides an apparatus and method for modifying the shape of a hollow structure. The method may comprise steps of providing a hollow structure having a cross-section with first and second diameters defining a first aspect ratio; heating at least a part of the hollow structure to at least its glass transition temperature, forming a malleable hollow structure; maintaining a positive pressure inside the malleable hollow structure to form a pressurized hollow structure; and pressing against a first side and an opposed second side of a heated part of the pressurized hollow structure, forming a hollow tabular structure having first and second opposed generally flat faces and a second aspect ratio greater than the first aspect ratio.

The invention relates to a method for producing a syringe having a piercing means, comprising the following steps: a) providing a syringe body having a distal end section, which comprises an inner channel that discharges at a distal opening, wherein the distal end section is in a formable state; b) providing a piercing means; c) inserting a proximal section of the piercing means through the distal opening into the inner channel of the distal end section; and d) shaping the distal end section by means of a first shaping tool in such a way that an inner surface of the distal end section contacts at least portions of the piercing means, as a result of which at least portions of the piercing means are secured.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a glass tube having a cross section that deviates from a circular shape by reforming with high precision and quality of the surface. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of this process for producing housings for mobile electronic devices. The process comprises at least provision of a glass tube, heating of the glass tube, provision of at least one reforming tool, where the reforming tool is suitable for exerting a compressive force on the heated glass tube, provision of an inner mandrel which comprises at least one open-pored material, insertion of at least one section of the inner mandrel into the glass tube and forming of the glass tube by application of a compressive force perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the glass tube, where the compressive force is exerted by the reforming tool and acts on the outer surface of the glass tube and where the glass tube does not rotate around its longitudinal axis.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a glass tube having a cross section that deviates from a circular shape by reforming with high precision and quality of the surface. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of this process for producing housings for mobile electronic devices. The process comprises at least provision of a glass tube, heating of the glass tube, provision of at least one reforming tool, where the reforming tool is suitable for exerting a compressive force on the heated glass tube, provision of an inner mandrel which comprises at least one open-pored material, insertion of at least one section of the inner mandrel into the glass tube and forming of the glass tube by application of a compressive force perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the glass tube, where the compressive force is exerted by the reforming tool and acts on the outer surface of the glass tube and where the glass tube does not rotate around its longitudinal axis.

A method for manufacturing an SiO.sub.2TiO.sub.2 based glass upon a target by a direct method, includes: an ingot growing step of growing an SiO.sub.2TiO.sub.2 based glass ingot having a predetermined length on the target by flame hydrolysis by feeding a silicon compound and a titanium compound into an oxyhydrogen flame, wherein the ingot growing step includes: a first step of increasing a ratio of a feed rate of the titanium compound to a feed rate of the silicon compound as the SiO.sub.2TiO.sub.2 based glass ingot grows until the ratio reaches a predetermined value; and a second step of gradually growing the SiO.sub.2TiO.sub.2 based glass ingot after the ratio has reached the predetermined value in the first stage with keeping the ratio within a predetermined range.