Methods for controlling a converter for converting glass tubes to glass articles include preparing condition sets including settings for a plurality of process parameters, operating the converter to produce glass articles, measuring attributes of the glass articles, operating the converter at each of the condition sets, associating each glass article with a condition set used to produce the glass article and the attributes measured, developing operational models from the attributes measured and the condition sets, determining run settings for each of the plurality of process parameters based on the operational models, and operating the converter with each of the process parameters set to the run settings determined from the operational models.

A method of manufacturing a tip for use with smokable substances. A tube is rotated while applying heat in a horizontal and vertical direction to an end of the tube. The heated end is squeezed with rollers and while a rotating t-shaped plug is inserted into the heated end of the tube. The rollers and t-shaped plug are removed and a scoring wheel is applied to the tube to create a scratch. Then heat is applied to the scratch. An end of the tube is clamped with a rotating chuck and water is sprayed at the scratch to create a thermal shock which separates the tube into two pieces. Heat is applied to a section of one end of the pieces. Tapered rollers are applied to the heated section to taper a diameter of the piece along the heated section.

A method of manufacturing a tip for use with smokeable substances. A tube is rotated while applying heat to a section. The heated section is squeezed with tapered rollers and a pivoting rod is inserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is again applied. The heated portion is squeezed a second time with the tapered rollers and the rod is reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is again applied. The heated portion is again squeezed with the tapered rollers and the pivoting rod is again reinserted. The rollers and rod are removed and heat is applied to the end of the tube. The tube is scored above the end to form a scored line. Heat is applied to the scored line. Water is sprayed onto the scored line to split the tube into two pieces. Heat is applied to the tube at the split end.

A fire blasting device for manufacturing a medical glass container prevented from breakage and deformation. A glass container is placed on the outer peripheral surface of each of a first roller and a second roller, which are disposed side by side in such a manner that the axis lines are parallel to each other. The axis line of the glass container is parallel to the axis lines of the first roller and the second roller. The entire outer peripheral surface in an inner surface of the glass container corresponding to a region deteriorated by processing is made to abut on the outer peripheral surface of each of the first roller and the second roller. A flame is ejected from a point burner to the region deteriorated by processing in the inner surface of the glass container while rotating the glass container by rotating the first roller and the second roller around the axis lines.

An apparatus for shaping a workpiece made of glass using minimum lubrication is provided. The apparatus includes device for heating the workpiece, a shaping station with at least one forming tool for shaping the workpiece, and at least one spray nozzle for applying an oil as a lubricant onto the surface of the forming tool. The forming tool exhibits heat dissipation such that the temperature on the contact surface of the forming tool during the shaping process is kept below 300° C. The amount of oil dispensed by the spray nozzle per forming step and application instance is less than 0.1 g.

A hollow glass article is a container or part of a vessel having a neck or shoulder region and a wall. The glass article encompasses the wall and the neck or shoulder region of the container. The wall has a round or oval cross section and the container has a characteristic surface region on an outer glass surface of the hollow glass article. The following applies for a ratio between a mean tangential gradient value and a mean axial gradient value in the characteristic surface region: mean tangential gradient value/mean axial gradient value <0.6.

A glass tube for pharmaceutical containers and a process for the production of a glass tube are provided. The glass tubes have low alkali leachability and are devoid of a lamp ring.

Methods for producing articles from a glass tube include securing a working end of the glass tube in a glass tube holder of a converter having a plurality of processing stations including a heating station and a forming station. An initial length of the glass tube includes a plurality of serial segments, each of the plurality of serial segments corresponding to one article and having an article number. The methods include heating the working end of the glass tube in the heating station, adjusting an amount of heating of the glass tube in the heating station based on the article number at the working end of the glass tube, and forming a feature of the article in the forming station. Adjusting the amount of heating based on the article number reduces variation in tube temperature, article dimensions, or both, from one article number to the next article number.

Methods for producing articles from a glass tube include securing a working end of the glass tube in a glass tube holder of a converter having a plurality of processing stations including a heating station and a forming station. An initial length of the glass tube includes a plurality of serial segments, each of the plurality of serial segments corresponding to one article and having an article number. The methods include heating the working end of the glass tube in the heating station, adjusting an amount of heating of the glass tube in the heating station based on the article number at the working end of the glass tube, and forming a feature of the article in the forming station. Adjusting the amount of heating based on the article number reduces variation in tube temperature, article dimensions, or both, from one article number to the next article number.

Methods for producing glass articles from glass tube includes securing a glass tube in a holder of a converter; rotating the glass tube; and passing the glass tube through processing stations, which include at least a heating station and a forming station, to form one or more features at a working end of the glass tube. An active time is an amount of time the glass tube is engaged with a heating element or a forming tool while in a processing station, and an exposure index for the processing station is the rotational speed of the glass tube multiplied by a number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing station multiplied by the active time. An absolute difference between the exposure index and a nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30, which reduces temperature and dimensional inhomogeneity around a circumference of the glass tube.