A glass product stress evaluation system is provided. The glass product stress evaluation system includes a background light source to selectively transmit light of different wavelengths and illuminates a glass product. An imaging device is mounted in proximity to the glass product and develops digitally encoded representations of internal annealing stresses formed within the glass product. The imaging device converts the digitally encoded internal stress representations into digital signals. A plurality of optical devices provides a converging view of the glass product. A plurality of filters is mounted in proximity to the plurality of optical devices and selectively transmits light of different wavelengths to the optical devices, thereby transforming detected imaged stresses in the glass product into visible colors. A processing unit receives the digital images from the imaging device and converts the digital images into visible images. The digital images can be classified into annealing grades.

The present disclosure relates to a method for producing an optical element from glass, wherein a glass blank is placed on an annular contact surface of a support body with a hollow cross-section, and heated on the support body, in particular in such a way that a temperature gradient is created in the blank in such a way that the blank is cooler on the inside than in the outer region thereof, wherein the contact surface is cooled by means of a coolant flowing through the support body, wherein, after heating, the glass blank is blank-pressed, in particular on both sides, to form the optical element, wherein the contact surface spans a base area that is not circular.

The present disclosure relates to a method for producing an optical element from glass, wherein a glass blank is placed on an annular contact surface of a support body with a hollow cross-section, and heated on the support body, in particular in such a way that a temperature gradient is created in the blank in such a way that the blank is cooler on the inside than in the outer region thereof, wherein the contact surface is cooled by means of a coolant flowing through the support body, wherein, after heating, the glass blank is blank-pressed, in particular on both sides, to form the optical element, wherein the contact surface spans a base area that is not circular.

A furnace for relieving glass products of stress is provided. The furnace has a furnace interior and a thermal element that measures temperatures in the furnace interior. The thermal element is enclosed by an enveloping tube composed of an inorganic material.

The invention relates to a transportation system for annealing a glass container having a barrel and two extremities, said transportation system including a lath provided with at least two non-metallic inserts, the at least two non-metallic inserts being positioned such that, when a glass container is seated on said transportation system, said glass container is exclusively held by contact between said at least two non-metallic inserts and said barrel in substantially horizontal position which is fixed relative to the lath. The transportation system further includes securing means configured to reversibly firmly secure a clipping portion of said at least two non-metallic inserts into a respective slot of the lath.

The invention relates to a transportation system for annealing a glass container having a barrel and two extremities, said transportation system including a lath provided with at least two non-metallic inserts, the at least two non-metallic inserts being positioned such that, when a glass container is seated on said transportation system, said glass container is exclusively held by contact between said at least two non-metallic inserts and said barrel in substantially horizontal position which is fixed relative to the lath. The transportation system further includes securing means configured to reversibly firmly secure a clipping portion of said at least two non-metallic inserts into a respective slot of the lath.

The present disclosure provides a thermoforming method and a thermoforming device for a glass product. The method comprises the following steps of: providing a thermoforming mold, wherein the thermoforming mold comprises a lower mold and an upper mold arranged above the lower mold and matched therewith, and providing a mold opening component; a pressurizing process, wherein a glass sheet placed in the thermoforming mold and at a softening point temperature and above is hot-pressed to form a glass product; a cooling process, wherein the glass product placed in the thermoforming mold is cooled, and when the temperature of the glass product drops to a glass point transformation temperature and below, the upper mold is opened by the mold opening component so that the upper mold is separated from the lower mold; and taking the glass product out when the temperature of the glass product in the thermoforming mold drops to a room temperature. The thermoforming method improves the molding quality of the glass product and enhances the manufacturing yield of the glass product.

A glass tube element having a hollow cylindrical section with a shell having an outer diameter is provided. A first ratio is a difference value to a mean value. The difference value is a difference of a minimal and maximal value of the outer diameter. The mean value is a mean of the minimal and maximal values. A sub-section having a start, an end, and a distance of 1 meter measured along a straight line from the start to the end and intersecting with a center axis of the sub-section at the start and the end. The sub-section having, for every point of the center axis, a shortest distance to the straight line. A second ratio of a specific distance to 1 meter, the specific distance being defined as a largest of all shortest distances. A product of the first and second ratio is smaller than 4?10.sup.?6.

A method is provided for measuring the wall thickness of hollow glass articles in a hollow glass production system, wherein the IR radiation emitted by each hollow glass article exiting the hot end of a glass forming machine is detected at least in areas mapped by a function, the same hollow glass article, after having passed through an annealing lehr, being measured in the circumferential direction with respect to a wall thickness distribution, and the detected wall thickness distribution being mapped by a function. Using correlation methods, it is checked whether the progression of the function is contained in the function, wherein if so, measured values of the wall thickness can be associated with the measured values of the IR radiation at the hot end, so that the wall thickness distribution of the hollow glass article is already known at the hot end and implementable for monitoring purposes.

The invention relates to a transportation system for annealing a glass container having a barrel and two extremities, said transportation system including a lath provided with at least two non-metallic inserts, the at least two non-metallic inserts being positioned such that, when a glass container is seated on said transportation system, said glass container is exclusively held by contact between said at least two non-metallic inserts and said barrel in substantially horizontal position which is fixed relative to the lath. The transportation system further includes securing means configured to reversibly firmly secure a clipping portion of said at least two non-metallic inserts into a respective slot of the lath.