The Glass Industry

Abstract

The use of industrial robots for material handling applications in the glass industry is becoming increasingly popular because of several robot attributes:Robots can not be injured by broken glass.Robots are not affected by high temperatures of glass furnaces.Robots can perform material handling tasks continuously without fatigue or boredom.Robots can lift heavier payloads than humans.Robots are not limited on the size of flat glass they can carry. Humans are limited to widths less than their arm span.Robots can be equipped with special grippers to handle fragile glass products. Once programmed, the robot will handle the glass with equal care every time. This results in reduced breakage.Since glass operations are continuous, a robot can be utilized 24 hours per day, 7 days per week to achieve a rapid payback.