Methods and systems are provided for automated shaping of a glass sheet. The methods comprise preheating the glass, bending the glass through selective, and focused beam heating through the use of an ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic wave, and computer implemented processes utilizing thermal and shape (positional) data obtained in real-time, and cooling the glass sheet to produce a glass sheet suitable for use in air and space vehicles.

Methods and systems are provided for automated shaping of a glass sheet. The methods comprise preheating the glass, bending the glass through selective, and focused beam heating through the use of an ultra-high frequency, high-power electromagnetic wave, and computer implemented processes utilizing thermal and shape (positional) data obtained in real-time, and cooling the glass sheet to produce a glass sheet suitable for use in air and space vehicles.

A loading apparatus for glass plates includes first and second frames facing each other and supporters extending in a first direction, disposed between the first frame and the second frame, and coupled with the first frame and the second frame. Each of the plurality of supporters includes a supporting bar and a coating layer covering at least a portion of the supporting bar. The plurality of supporters supports the glass plates arranged in the first direction, and the coating layer includes at least one of Teflon, molybdenum, ceramic, and metal oxide.

A quench arrangement for quenching glass sheets includes a main quench station having upper and lower main quench heads for performing a primary quench operation on a glass sheet, a first lower secondary quench head located downstream of the main quench station, and a second lower secondary quench head located downstream of the first lower secondary quench head. The arrangement further includes an upper secondary quench system positioned above the first and second lower secondary quench heads, and the upper secondary quench system is cooperable with the lower secondary quench heads to perform further cooling of the glass sheet. The arrangement further includes a conveyor located above the second lower secondary quench head for moving the glass sheet away from the second lower secondary quench head.

Apparatus and methods for processing a glass sheet that includes a threading tool movable between an open position and a closed position, a glass sensor, a gripping device sensor and a controller in communication with the glass sensor and the gripping device sensor, and configured to coordinate and control movement of the threading tool between the open position and the closed position based on the detected presence of the glass sheet and the detected presence of the gripping device. A control system is also provided.

A cooling frame for a bent glass sheet, includes a support track for the sheet and a removable bearing piece that is able, in a bearing position and during cooling of the sheet by air blowing, to bear on the top face of the sheet and at the periphery thereof. The bent sheet cooled on the cooling frame maintains contact with the frame during the cooling operation and its shape complies better with that which is desired.

A glass sheet forming and annealing system disclosed provides control of edge stresses by maintaining a press formed glass sheet on an annealing ring (72) below a heated upper forming mold (58) within a forming station (12) for slow cooling toward the glass strain point temperature.

A device and a method for bending and cooling sheets of glass including bending the glass by gravity on a gravity support during which the glass rests on the gravity support in the peripheral zone constituted of the 50 mm from the edge of its first principal face, then separating the glass from the gravity support when the glass is at more than 560° C., then cooling the glass during which its first principal face is free of any contact in its peripheral zone, between a temperature termed the upper homogeneous temperature, of at least 560° C., and a temperature termed the lower homogeneous temperature, of at most 500° C., termed the critical temperature range, the zone of the first principal face at a distance greater than 200 mm from the edge being at a temperature at least equal to that of the peripheral zone at the moment when the peripheral zone reaches the upper homogeneous temperature.

A mold shuttle positioning system in a glass sheet forming system includes a mold mounted on a support frame. A shuttle frame including a pair of generally parallel elongate beams for receiving and supporting the mold support frame thereon. At least one support wheel assembly including a wheel and a shuttle guide is mounted in proximity to each of the shuttle beams to position and support each one of the beams as the shuttle frame is moved to position the mold supported thereon at one of multiple desired processing locations. At least one mold guide is mounted on the support surface of one of the beams for receiving and fixing the position of the mold support frame relative to the shuttle frame to align and prevent movement of the mold support frame with respect to the shuttle frame in any direction as the mold support frame is supported thereon.

A method for bending panes, includes providing a pane heated to bending temperature, securing the pane against a contact surface of a first bending mould, pressing the pane between the first bending mould and a press frame, transporting the pane on the press frame to a second bending mould, pressing the pane between the second bending mould and the press frame, securing the pane against the contact surface of the second bending mould, wherein surface pre-bending occurs in the inner region of the pane, transporting the pane on a tempering frame to a cooling device for the thermal tempering of the pane, wherein during transport, surface final bending occurs in the inner region of the pane by gravity.