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.

Methods for producing glass articles from laminated glass tubing include introducing the glass tubing to a converter. The glass tubing includes a core layer under tensile stress, an outer clad layer under, and an inner clad layer. The methods include forming a feature the glass article at a working end of the laminated glass tubing and separating a glass article from the working end of the laminated glass tubing, which may expose the core layer under tensile stress at the working end of the glass tubing. The method further comprises remediating the exposed portion of the core layer by completely enclosing the core layer in a clad layer. Systems for re-cladding the exposed portion of the core layer as well as glass articles made using the systems and methods are also disclosed.

Methods for producing glass articles from laminated glass tubing include introducing the glass tubing to a converter. The glass tubing includes a core layer under tensile stress, an outer clad layer under, and an inner clad layer. The methods include forming a feature the glass article at a working end of the laminated glass tubing and separating a glass article from the working end of the laminated glass tubing, which may expose the core layer under tensile stress at the working end of the glass tubing. The method further comprises remediating the exposed portion of the core layer by completely enclosing the core layer in a clad layer. Systems for re-cladding the exposed portion of the core layer as well as glass articles made using the systems and methods are also disclosed.

A process for preparing a glass container that includes: providing a glass tube with a first portion, a second portion, and a longitudinal axis (L.sub.tube); holding the first portion in a first clamping chuck and the second portion in a second clamping chuck; rotating the glass tube around the longitudinal axis (L.sub.tube); heating, via a heater, the glass tube above a glass transition temperature; separating the first and second portions from one another by pulling apart along the longitudinal axis (L.sub.tube) while the heated glass tube is still rotating by moving the first and the second chucks away from each other; and moving the heater, while moving the first and second chucks away from each other, so that the heater follows a mass that remains at a circular end region of the first and/or second portion.

A method for thermally treating an annular region of an inner surface of a glass container produced from a borosilicate glass tube is provided. The annular region is disposed at a tubular portion of the glass container and is disposed adjacent to a glass container bottom. The method includes: forming the glass container bottom from the glass tube; heating the annular region of the inner surface of the tubular portion to a treatment temperature T.sub.Beh above the transformation temperature T.sub.G, wherein the annular region is adjacent to the glass container bottom; maintaining the treatment temperature T.sub.Beh for a certain time period; and cooling the glass container to room temperature.

A method for thermally treating an annular region of an inner surface of a glass container produced from a borosilicate glass tube is provided. The annular region is disposed at a tubular portion of the glass container and is disposed adjacent to a glass container bottom. The method includes: forming the glass container bottom from the glass tube; heating the annular region of the inner surface of the tubular portion to a treatment temperature T.sub.Beh above the transformation temperature T.sub.G, wherein the annular region is adjacent to the glass container bottom; maintaining the treatment temperature T.sub.Beh for a certain time period; and cooling the glass container to room temperature.

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.

The present disclosure provides a tube catcher for a hot forming machine comprising a foot for mounting the tube catcher in the hot forming machine, an upper contact surface for catching a glass tube as it falls into the hot forming machine, and a damping element, which is arranged below the upper contact surface in such a way that it allows the upper contact surface to elastically recede in the direction of the falling direction of the glass tube. This minimizes damage to glass tubes on impact and permits a high production speed. For this purpose, the damping element includes a compressible chamber that can be filled with a gas.