This disclosure is directed to techniques for utilizing various sensors and models to evaluate glass as it progresses through the tempering process in order to ensure that the tempered glass is of a proper quality. If, according to any of the various sensor measurements, the tempered glass is not of a proper quality, the system may automatically adjust one or more settings in any of the various components of the system in order to bring future panes of tempered glass back to having the proper quality. The system can measure for any number of glass characteristics or system characteristics, including edge quality, vertical flatness, haze, washing process variables, thermal imaging, distortion, blower information, production data, and furnace process data.

A system for positioning an optical preform in a furnace is provided that includes an upper muffle and a downfeed handle assembly with a tube defining a first end and a second end, the second end extending into the upper muffle. A handle is disposed within the tube. A second end of the handle extends into the upper muffle and a seal assembly is positioned around both the tube and the handle. The first end of the handle extends through the seal assembly and a drive assembly is coupled with the downfeed handle.

The computer-implemented method for glass bending includes obtaining a deviation of a real shape of a glass from a desired shape of the glass, the glass is produced by a glass bending process; determining a variation of at least one parameter associated with the glass bending process, at least in part based on the deviation of the real shape from the desired shape; and adjusting the at least one parameter based on the variation for compensation of the deviation.

An actuating mechanism control method for a glass plate tempering process, comprising: after a glass plate is conveyed into a heating furnace, a monitoring unit monitors in real time energy consumed by a heating element of the heating furnace, and sends the energy consumed to a control unit to compare with a set threshold; and when the energy consumed by the heating element of the heating furnace is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the control unit sends an instruction to an actuating mechanism to control actions of the actuating mechanism to complete a corresponding tempering process procedure. Through the method that the monitoring unit monitors in real time the energy consumed by the heating element of the heating furnace, a heating procedure of the glass plate is more scientifically and precisely controlled, and, therefore, a discharging moment of the glass plate can be accurately determined.

An actuating mechanism control method for a glass plate tempering process, comprising: after a glass plate is conveyed into a heating furnace, a monitoring unit monitors in real time energy consumed by a heating element of the heating furnace, and sends the energy consumed to a control unit to compare with a set threshold; and when the energy consumed by the heating element of the heating furnace is greater than or equal to the set threshold, the control unit sends an instruction to an actuating mechanism to control actions of the actuating mechanism to complete a corresponding tempering process procedure. Through the method that the monitoring unit monitors in real time the energy consumed by the heating element of the heating furnace, a heating procedure of the glass plate is more scientifically and precisely controlled, and, therefore, a discharging moment of the glass plate can be accurately determined.

The present disclosure relates to a rotary transition section and a tempering and forming apparatus for forming bent glass. The rotary transition section includes a main rack and an auxiliary rack. A plurality of flexible shaft rollers for forming glass are arranged at intervals on the auxiliary rack along the glass conveying direction. An end of the auxiliary rack that is closer to a heating furnace is rotatably connected to the main rack. An end of the auxiliary rack that is away from the heating furnace is connected to a traction mechanism arranged on the main rack. In the tempering and forming apparatus employing the rotary transition section, a forming and tempering section has a lifting function to achieve abutment against a roller surface after the rotation of the transition section, which in turn solves the technical problem that the edge of the glass is difficult to form.

The present disclosure relates to a rotary transition section and a tempering and forming apparatus for forming bent glass. The rotary transition section includes a main rack and an auxiliary rack. A plurality of flexible shaft rollers for forming glass are arranged at intervals on the auxiliary rack along the glass conveying direction. An end of the auxiliary rack that is closer to a heating furnace is rotatably connected to the main rack. An end of the auxiliary rack that is away from the heating furnace is connected to a traction mechanism arranged on the main rack. In the tempering and forming apparatus employing the rotary transition section, a forming and tempering section has a lifting function to achieve abutment against a roller surface after the rotation of the transition section, which in turn solves the technical problem that the edge of the glass is difficult to form.

A tempering furnace for a glass sheet has a conveyor for the glass sheet, and first convection blow means over the conveyor to heat the glass sheet by hot air jets blown onto its top surface. With second convection blow means, pressurized air external to the tempering furnace may be led to second blow nozzles from which air is discharged as jets towards the bottom surface of the glass sheet. The heating effect of the air jets of the first convection blow means onto the glass sheet is adjustable by adjusting the feeding of electric current to electric elements inside blow enclosures, and the heating effect onto the glass sheet of the jets discharging from the second blow nozzles is adjustable by adjusting the blow pressure of feed pipes.

A tempering furnace for a glass sheet has a conveyor for the glass sheet, and first convection blow means over the conveyor to heat the glass sheet by hot air jets blown onto its top surface. With second convection blow means, pressurized air external to the tempering furnace may be led to second blow nozzles from which air is discharged as jets towards the bottom surface of the glass sheet. The heating effect of the air jets of the first convection blow means onto the glass sheet is adjustable by adjusting the feeding of electric current to electric elements inside blow enclosures, and the heating effect onto the glass sheet of the jets discharging from the second blow nozzles is adjustable by adjusting the blow pressure of feed pipes.

A method for manufacturing a formed glass includes using a heating apparatus. The heating apparatus includes a heating element and a heat reservoir having a transmittance of 50% or more in a wavelength of 0.5 um to 2.5 um. The heat reservoir is arranged between the heating element and a glass substrate as an object to be heated. The glass substrate is heated with the heating element, and the glass substrate is formed into a desired shape.