German Firm HORN Unveils Advanced Float Glass Roller Machine

In the vast world of glass manufacturing, float glass stands as an indispensable foundation for numerous industries including construction, automotive, and electronics, prized for its exceptional flatness, transparency, and consistency. Behind this seemingly simple perfection lies precise craftsmanship and cutting-edge technology. Among the critical components, edge rollers in the tin bath play a pivotal role—functioning like a sculptor's chisel to meticulously control the glass ribbon's width and thickness, ultimately shaping the flawless sheets we see.

HORN® Glass Industries has recently unveiled its newly developed premium edge rollers, bringing revolutionary breakthroughs to float glass production through outstanding performance, reliability, and innovative technology. These edge rollers not only represent HORN®'s profound expertise in glass manufacturing but also herald a future of greater efficiency, precision, and flexibility in float glass production.

Before delving into the exceptional capabilities of HORN®'s edge rollers, it's essential to understand their central role in float glass manufacturing. The heart of float glass production lies in the tin bath, where molten glass floats on molten tin to form a flat ribbon. Edge rollers are positioned at critical locations in the tin bath, working in pairs to precisely control the ribbon's width and thickness, ensuring final product quality and specifications.

Each pair of edge rollers operates synchronously, like coordinated dancers creating optimal conditions for smooth production. Through precise pressure and speed control, they adjust the glass ribbon's flow and expansion, achieving exact thickness control. This becomes particularly crucial when producing glass with thicknesses differing from the standard 7mm equilibrium thickness, making edge rollers the key to achieving diverse product specifications.

HORN®'s edge rollers support two primary production processes: Assisted Direct Stretch (ADS) and Reverse Assisted Direct Stretch (RADS), offering unlimited possibilities for float glass production to meet various thickness requirements.

• Assisted Direct Stretch (ADS): In this process, edge rollers rotate toward the tin bath exit, enhancing the glass ribbon's natural expansion to produce glass thinner than 7mm. ADS is particularly suited for ultra-thin glass used in electronic displays and touchscreens.
• Reverse Assisted Direct Stretch (RADS): Here, edge rollers rotate toward the tin bath entrance, restricting natural expansion to produce glass up to 15mm or thicker, ideal for architectural facades and automotive windshields.

To accommodate different production layouts and space requirements, HORN® offers two edge roller configurations: floor-mounted (HRTM-F) and suspended (HRTM-S).

The most critical component of each edge roller is the knurled wheel—a toothed gear with a specialized profile that screws onto a hollow shaft. Servo motors enable infinite speed adjustment for precise control, while a rotating union at the shaft end ensures optimal cooling water supply. The entire assembly operates within a water-cooled housing, maintaining stability in the high-temperature tin bath environment.

All machine movements—extension/retraction, angle adjustment, and positioning relative to the glass ribbon (known as "bite")—are electrically driven with manual override capability for safety. An emergency bite function activates via pneumatic lift cylinders if rotation fails, preventing ribbon deformation.

Operators can control all edge roller movements from both the control room and local machine panels. Control room operations are monitored through periscopes that display the rollers' tin bath positioning, available as either independent units or frame-mounted versions. Local operation features side-sealed viewing windows and plug-in touch panels for convenient adjustments.

Safety remains paramount, with flashing lights and audible signals preceding any machine movement to alert nearby personnel. The comprehensive control system includes a dedicated PC with specialized software and visualization for intelligent management of production parameters.

HORN®'s premium edge rollers combine advanced technology with robust construction to deliver:

• Precision thickness control via servo-driven mechanisms
• Process flexibility through ADS/RADS compatibility
• Installation versatility with floor or suspended options
• Enhanced safety with emergency systems and alerts
• Intelligent production management capabilities
• Durable performance in high-temperature environments

This innovation reflects HORN® Glass Industries' continued commitment to advancing glass manufacturing technology, building on decades of expertise to address evolving industry requirements for quality, efficiency, and customization.