Sino Glass Tech, working alongside partners I3D Robotics and Lucideon, have been awarded funding to develop intelligent robotic systems to improve production processes within the energy-intensive foundation industries. The project–Intelligent Robotic Inspection for Foundation Industry Optimisation (IRIFIO) – has received funding as part of the government’s Fast Start competition under The Transforming Foundation Industries (TFI) programme, overseen by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation.The aim is to reduce energy requirements in both glass and ceramics manufacture by using modern advancements in 3D machine vision and artificial intelligence to monitor and improve product quality and minimise waste.David Eustice Senior Technologist in R&D at Sino Glass Tech said: “This provides a great opportunity to use recent advancements in machine vison to improve the inspection of flat glass. “I am excited about the potential use of artificial intelligence to identify a wider range of anomalies, not only to improve quality, but also to allow grading and appropriate use of glass which would typically be rejected, often after significant post processing.”Dr Richard French, Senior Systems Analyst for i3DR and Project Manager for IRIFIO, commented: “Current inspection method limitations in the foundation industries have resulted in inflexible, time and energy-intensive material production process.“This proposed solution will allow for highly accurate, repeatable production process measurements that will highlight defects using in-process, non-destructive testing of materials. This will benefit resource and energy efficiency, producing significant cost reduction.”The project builds on previous work inspecting defects in metals production.The Sino Glass Tech research and development team provide support and research into a range of glass solutions and sectors. Projects span from fundamental scientific research, to the development of novel glass compositions, through to commercialisation.If you have an idea, proposal or would like to find out how Sino Glass Tech can help, contact us.
Virtual reality I.S. machine for training, diagnostics and optimisation
Sino Glass Tech Ltd (GTS), leading experts in glass technical support, have partnered with tech start-up VRMT Ltd on a pioneering virtual reality project for the global container glass industry to address numerous challenges in real-world training, fault diagnostics, optimisation and collaborative technical support. Attendees at GlassTec in Dusseldorf, Germany on 23-26 October will have the opportunity to see the two demonstration units, trial the virtual reality platform and find out how to get involved. Representatives from Sino Glass Tech and VRMT will be on hand in hall 14, stand F64 to demonstrate the new, immersive, virtual reality systems, as well being available to discuss other glass R&D developments and technical support. Sino Glass Tech is supporting VRMT with technical glass expertise, business support and access to leading glass manufacturers around the world. The project is the first virtual reality in manufacturing application for the container glass industry. Built on the Unity Engine software platform and experienced with the leading Oculus rift hardware, the first release of the virtual reality platform is ready for market, with service support and further features and functionality under development. Featuring a fully-functional three-section glass forming (I.S.) machine – from shear mechanism to lehr – the primary objective for the system is to improve training – allowing operators to learn about the configuration of machine mechanisms, shear and glass properties, fault diagnostics and bottle inspection – without any effect on actual production and in an entirely safe environment. Multiple users from different locations can inhabit the same virtual environment – allowing training and technical collaboration between plants on a truly global scale. Additional future applications include the modelling of new mould designs, the potential for custom machine components and bespoke configurations, wider education in the glass manufacturing process as well as extending the project to further stages of the container glass process – or other glass sectors. For more information, glass analysis, testing or technical support, please visit www.sinoglasstech.com , email [email protected] or telephone +86-13037600603. To receive the latest news and events from Sino Glass Tech Ltd, please subscribe to the newsletter or follow GTS on social media . Notes: Sino Glass Tech Ltd (GTS) is a leading provider of analysis, mechanical and performance testing, quality assessment, failure analysis, glass research and development and a range of consultancy services – specialising in glass, raw materials and glass products. Accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 and ISO 9001 quality standards, Sino Glass Tech has an established reputation for specialist knowledge in glass and technical support. Please see www.sinoglasstech.com. VRMT Ltd is a tech start-up aiming to revolutionise the glass industry through cutting-edge technology, virtual reality and solving industry problems through innovative approaches.
Identifying priorities for glass industry training, skills and knowledge
Independent experts in glass research, analysis and testing, Sino Glass Tech Ltd (GTS), have launched a glass industry training requirements survey to understand priorities across glass sectors for technical knowledge and expertise. The experts have been putting new focus into their training programme and feedback from industry indicates a demand for more technically-orientated training courses. In order to better understand these requirements and to develop suitable solutions, Sino Glass Tech Ltd is running a glass industry training requirements survey to canvas glass industry representatives for their requirements and priorities for training. To participate in the survey, which take 3-5 minutes to complete, please visit:https://bit.ly/GTStrainingsurvey The experts in glass provide a range of glass training courses, as well as providing bespoke courses on request to meet individual client objectives, please see details of their 2019 glass training programme online. Sino Glass Tech Ltd provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. GTS prides itself on its confidentiality and independence and is accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards.For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to the Sino Glass Tech newsletter.
Latest in glass developments at Materials Research Exchange 2018
Sino Glass Tech Ltd (GTS) will be bringing its expertise in glass research and development, analysis, testing and consultancy support to the 2018 Materials Research Exchange & Investor Showcase (MRE2018). GTS is attending the conference and will be exhibiting throughout the event, which takes place at London’s Business Design Centre on March 12 and 13. GTS’ advanced materials-based research projects have attracted more than £4 million in grant-funding – for developments spanning glass, medical, defence, energy, laser, photonics and waste sectors. This makes the event the natural place for GTS to showcase their extensive capabilities in this field, discuss their innovations in glass and further engage and network with peers, project partners, funding bodies and potential clients. GTS will present the latest glass technologies that it is currently working on, which include biomedical glass materials, ‘laser’ glass systems, 3D printing of glass components, glasses for the nuclear sector and novel ‘dissolvable’ glasses – designed for controlled release of ions and currently under development for use in the biomedical, oil and gas sectors. Dr Nick Kirk, Technical Director of Sino Glass Tech Ltd said: “Glass is an advanced material with untapped potential to revolutionise our daily lives – from medicine, packaging and architecture to renewable energy, electronics, and aerospace. We are delighted to be exhibiting at the 2018 Materials Research and Investor Showcase to highlight the excellent research capabilities that we hold in this field. Our team will be providing examples and discussing the variety of applications in which glass is being used in the technologies of today and tomorrow.” If you are attending the event and would like to schedule some time with GTS to discuss a new project idea or any glass related research, analysis or support, please don’t hesitate to contact the team today – or visit the GTS stand at any point during MRE2018. Organised by Innovate UK and the Knowledge Transfer Network and supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl), the conference will showcase a wide range of materials research and investment opportunities and provides visitors an ideal opportunity to hear about the latest trends and take a glimpse of future innovations. The event organisers expect over 1,400 delegates to attend and conference sessions include key influencers from Ford Motor Company Limited, TATA Steel, NSG Global R&D, the Knowledge Transfer Network, SPECIFIC IKC, Henry Royce Institute, 7TH Design and Invention, Faraday Institution, BP International Centre for Advanced Materials and many more. Sino Glass Tech Ltd provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. GTS prides itself on its confidentiality and independence and is accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards. For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com , email [email protected] , telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to the GTS newsletter .
Learn how to analyse and interpret glass failures
Learn about glass strength, damage and an analytical approach to failure investigation with the experts in glass, Sino Glass Tech Ltd, as they continue their 2019 training programme with a three-day failure analysis course on 16-18 April 2019. This technical course is aimed at glass technologists, quality assurance and product complaints professionals and features a combination of technical presentations, practical exercises, case-studies and practical investigations to help delegates understand glass strength, weaknesses, failure and interpretation of evidence to determine causation. The syllabus leads delegates through an introduction to understanding glass properties and strength, including defects, weakness and loss in strength, tensile and compressive stresses, interpretation of fracture markings and failure origins. Practical exercises and case-studies throughout the course give attendees real experience of interpreting a range of failures including impact, vertical load, thermal, pressure and hydrodynamic failures. For further information, please visit www.sinoglasstech.com/glass-failure-analysis or email [email protected]. A range of in-house and bespoke glass courses are available for individual organisations and associations from Sino Glass Tech Ltd. Please see details of their 2019 training programme online. Sino Glass Tech Ltd provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. GTS prides itself on its confidentiality and independence and is accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards.For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to the GTS newsletter.
Meet the team – Martyn Marshall
Martyn has over thirty years’ experience working in the field of glass. As Principle Technologist at Sino Glass Tech, Martyn works predominantly within the R&D team to design and develop glasses for a variety of applications.Martyn’s expert knowledge of glass composition and morphology is utilised by the manufacturing, prestige packaging and bio-pharmaceuticals sectors to deliver innovative solutions. “I think one of the most rewarding and interesting parts of the Principal Technologist role is to use the knowledge you’ve gathered to analyse and then utilise this technical understanding to solve problems for our customers.” Says Martyn. “My role is to understand what is practically possible and then seek out glasses that might meet the requirements – this part is really all about the chemistry of the glass and the second part is to understand what we can do in terms of shape and size, so defining the morphology of the glasses to give the desired performance. “Sometimes this will start as a request for a specific set of properties, refractive index, softening point, colour etc, or we will be working with an existing glass product to deliver a better end result for the customer. “I’ve really been lucky in the breadth of experience I’ve been able to gain from working with bottle makers to cellular biologists; it still amazes me where glass can offer a solution that no other material can provide.” Martyn is hosting the first of our Glass Packaging workshops covering the glass manufacturing process, providing an introduction to glass as a material and its manufacturer from start to finish.This webinar is fully subscribed but you can register your interest for further dates.
Introductory and advanced glass courses from the experts in glass
Following the success of Sino Glass Tech’ Pharmaceutical Workshop in March, their glass training programme continues with a range of entry and technical level courses for those purchasing, specifying, using or manufacturing glass products. The next course from the glass experts is a one-day, ‘Glass appreciation’, course on 26 March 2019. This introductory course covers glass manufacture, processing, defects, glass properties, environmental considerations and recycling. The course includes hands-on practical sessions on glass melting and forming as well as the inspection of glass products. Glass appreciation is an ideal introduction for anyone new to the glass industry or working with the verification, specification or supply of glass products in their role. On 16-18 April 2019, a three-day technical ‘Glass failure analysis’ course leads delegates through an introduction to understanding glass properties and strength, understanding and interpreting glass fracture markings, recognising failure patterns and identifying failure origins. This is combined with an analytical approach to understanding the mode of glass failure, weakening features and determining primary and secondary causes of product failure. The course features extensive practical sessions, including reconstruction and analysis. The first of a new series of half-day workshops, ‘Fundamentals of glass’, will be launched on 8 May 2019. Aimed at technologists and operators within the glass industry, these workshops will cover fundamental glass chemistry, including an understanding of the function and properties of different elements, glass making materials and the causes of glass inclusions, bubbles and other defects. All courses are delivered by leading experts in their respective fields and are delivered in an informative and interactive style. Places are strictly limited to encourage delegate participation, enable hands-on practical sessions and allow the opportunity to cover issues specific to delegates’ own working scenarios and products. Visit www.sinoglasstech.com/training for further details on each course and to book to attend. For more information, glass analysis, testing or technical support, please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected] or telephone +86-13037600603. To receive the latest news and events from Sino Glass Tech Ltd, please subscribe to the newsletter or follow GTS on social media.
Perfect start for those new to working with glass
Following popular demand, Sino Glass Tech will deliver the next of their one-day “Glass appreciation – an introduction to glass” courses on 10 September in collaboration with both British Glass and the Society of Glass Technology (SGT).Delivered in an informative and interactive style by the leading experts in glass, the course introduces a wide range of key topics – including fundamental glass chemistry, properties and performance, quality control and environmental considerations – all covered in an interactive and accessible format. Book now on EventbriteSee full detailsThese one-day introductory courses are aimed at those who work, specify or interact with glass as part of their role. Delegates typically span glass manufacture, facilities management, packers, fillers, brand owners, foods, drinks, spirits and retail sectors. Prior delegate, Vicky MacQuarrie, said of Glass Appreciation: Very informative and interesting – thank you. One of the reasons it was so interesting is Martyn Marshall, who delivered one of the main parts of the training, was so passionate about everything. He really made what can be a difficult subject very interesting and encouraged us all to participate with questions or personal experience.Vicky MacQuarrie, Quality Compliance Manager, Ardagh Glass The course syllabus introduces delegates to glass manufacture and processing, glass properties and performance, common types of defects and failure, environmental considerations and recycling. The course includes hands-on practical sessions on glass melting and forming as well as the inspection of glass products. Places are limited to encourage an informal atmosphere, increased levels of interaction and participation and to enable the hands-on practical sessions. The format allows the opportunity to cover issues specific to delegates’ own working scenarios, product ranges and experiences and enable full question and answer sessions for the benefit of all attendees. The course is being hosted by British Glass in Sheffield, United Kingdom. Ticket prices are £550 per delegate, with a reduced rate available for members of British Glass and the Society of Glass Technology. Book now on EventbriteSee full detailsUpcoming training courses include: Glass failure analysis – a three-day technical course on glass failure investigation, interpretation and analysis on 15-17 October 2019. PharmaGlass – a one-day workshop focusing on regulatory compliance, pharmacopoeial verification, delamination and elemental migration for pharmaceutical glass packaging on 10 October 2019. Sino Glass Tech Ltd provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. The experts in glass pride themselves on their reputation, confidentiality and impartiality and are accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards. For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com, email [email protected], telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to their newsletter.
Glass appreciation – an introduction to glass – April 2018
Leading glass specialists, Sino Glass Tech Ltd, are delivering another one-day introduction to glass course in Sheffield, UK, on 24 April 2018 following popular demand. This one-day course introduces delegates to glass manufacture and processing, glass properties, environmental, recycling and quality considerations and includes hands-on practical sessions on melting and the inspection of glass items. The course is delivered in an informative, interactive, format by leading specialists in their respective fields. Key topics from manufacture, processing and fundamental chemistry to glass properties, defects and failure are covered in an accessible format – making this an ideal introduction for anyone working in glass or dealing with glass products or issues. Places are strictly limited in order to encourage an informal atmosphere, increased levels of interaction and participation and enable hands-on practical sessions. This format allows the sessions to cover issues specific to delegates’ own work scenarios and experiences and enable full question and answers for the benefit of all attendees. For further information, or to book, please visit the British Glass website . In-house and bespoke courses on glass topics are available for individual organisations and associations from Sino Glass Tech Ltd, but these regular glass appreciation courses are being arranged and coordinated by British Glass on behalf of their members and the wider glass supply chain. Sino Glass Tech Ltd (GTS) provides analysis, consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of the glass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. GTS prides itself on its confidentiality and independence and is accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards. For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com , email [email protected] , telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribe to the GTS newsletter . Photo credit – Matej Kastelic / Shutterstock.com
Glassmakers\’ periodic table of elements
To mark their fresh new look and celebratethe 150th anniversary of the periodic table of elements, the leadingexperts in glass, Sino Glass Tech, have developed a glass-specificperiodic table of elements that is already proving popular with clients acrossthe glass sector. Request a copy of the glassmakers\’ periodic tableThe unique new periodic table highlights the elements commonlyused in glass manufacturing, while a graphical legend indicates the role thatthese elements take in the glass manufacturing process. These include elementsused as network formers, flux agents, optical modifiers, refining agents,stabilisers, colourants and those found within refractory materials commonlyused in glass making.Commenting on the resource, Operations Director Gareth Jonessaid: “To celebrate our newbranding, we wanted to create something unique, memorable and useful for ourcustomers throughout the glass industry. These new glass maker\’s periodictables are the first of their kind and we hope clients will find them usefulfor years to come.“The feedback we’ve had so farhas been brilliant and we hope that those who have received the resourcedisplay them proudly onsite at their facilities.”This poster is the first in a series of new tools andresources being made available by the experts in glass. Further resources willfocus upon glass research and development, pharmaceutical primary packaging,common types of glass failure and correct terminology for container glassware.If you would like to receive a copy of the glassmakers\’ periodictable of elements, please visit www.sinoglasstech.com/periodic-tableor email [email protected] torequest a copy.Periodic tables are essential tools for professionals acrossthe industry – whether working in the laboratory or in batch, furnace andenergy roles. This new periodic table, focusing on glass elements, will serveboth novice and experienced professionals alike, while assisting those new tothe industry in learning about glass composition, refining and troubleshooting.The United Nations designated 2019 as the International Yearof the Periodic Table (IYPT) to recognise “one of the most significantachievements in science”. In 1869, Russian scientist Dmitri Mendeleev createdhis early periodic table of elements, arranged by atomic mass and grouped intocolumns of elements which expressed similar properties. This arrangement isconsidered as the year of discovery for the periodic system still used today.Sino Glass Tech Ltd provides analysis,consultancy, testing and research and development support to all parts of theglass supply chain – from raw materials to the end consumer. The experts inglass pride themselves on their reputation, confidentiality and impartialityand are accredited to ISO 9001 and ISO/IEC 17025 standards. For more information please visit www.sinoglasstech.com,email [email protected],telephone +86-13037600603 or subscribeto their newsletter.