Glass melting technology of the future: a project of the glass manufacturing industry council

摘要

The need to move beyond the traditional melting furnace design used by most high-volume flat, container and fiberglass manufacturers has intrigued industry leaders for many years. Millions have been spent exploring possible alternatives that have, at best, produced only incremental improvements. On February 22, 2001, the glass industry took a first step to develop the next generation furnace in the course of a full-day workshop titled "Glass Melting Technologies of the Future." Over ISO glassmakers vendors, engineers, and scientists attended the workshop, hosted by the Glass Manufacturing Industry Council, in Washington, DC. Several months later the task force formed at the workshop is moving forward at full speed. A brief summary of the background information is presented. The progress of the benchmark effort conducted by the task force and the development of the criteria established for the melter of the future are also discussed.