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.

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 system for producing articles from glass tube includes 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 system further includes a thermal imaging system that includes a thermal imager coupled to the turret for movement with the turret. The thermal imaging system may also include a mirror coupled to the thermal imager and positioned to reflect infrared light from one of the plurality of holders to the thermal imager. The thermal imaging system may measure one or more characteristics of the glass tube during the conversion process. Processes for controlling the converter using the thermal imaging system to measure one or more process variables are also disclosed.

In a method for manufacturing a glass container, an additional step which removes oil used in forming from the glass container is simplified.

The device (14) which processes a glass member (10) a portion of which is heated to a processable temperature is configured such that at least a portion of the device which comes into contact with the heated portion of the glass member is formed of an impregnated graphite material.

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.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a glass product including the following steps. An intermediate glass product is provided. A portion of the intermediate glass product is heated to a predetermined temperature. A tool and the heated portion of the intermediate glass product are brought into contact. Under a state that a tool contacts the heated portion, at least one of the tool and the intermediate glass product is rotated so that the tool and the intermediate glass product relatively rotate, wherein a part of the tool that contacts the heated portion comprises or is made of glassy carbon.

A system for producing articles from glass tube includes 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 system further includes a thermal imaging system that includes a thermal imager coupled to the turret for movement with the turret. The thermal imaging system may also include a mirror coupled to the thermal imager and positioned to reflect infrared light from one of the plurality of holders to the thermal imager. The thermal imaging system may measure one or more characteristics of the glass tube during the conversion process. Processes for controlling the converter using the thermal imaging system to measure one or more process variables are also disclosed.

Systems and methods for displaying art in a manner which resists tipping from external forces while preserving artistic impression are disclosed. An art piece includes an inner core extending from a bottom of a display portion and an outer stabilizing core formed about the inner core. A base includes a recess located within a housing. The recess is configured to snugly receive the stabilizing core. A number of illumination devices are located within the recess and electrically connected to a power supply for illuminating the art piece. In some embodiments, holes may be formed in the base for fastening the base to a surface.

A method of processing a glass member having a portion to be heated to a processable temperature uses a device configured such that at least a portion of the device to come into contact with the heated portion of the glass member is formed of an impregnated graphite material.

In a fabricating method for a quartz vial having a body part for containing a substance, a bottom part closing a lower end of the body part, a cylindrical neck part disposed at an upper end of the body part, a cylindrical mouth part disposed above the neck part and having an outer diameter larger than that of the neck part, and a tapered portion connecting the mouth part and the neck part to each other, outer peripheral surfaces of the tapered portion and the neck part are formed by shaving, and the body part that is separately fabricated is welded to the neck part. Thus, quartz vials having a predetermined shape can be mass-fabricated.