Innovation Exchange Challenge: Inspection Techniques for Complex Shape Glass Manufacturing

Background

With the development of more autonomous vehicles comes more user centric design balanced with maintaining vehicle aerodynamics and efficiency. Designers are requesting more complex windshield shapes with potential for greater functionality.

Sag-bending is a non-contact method of shaping where the action of gravity on glass with a carefully controlled temperature distribution forms the desired multidimensional shape. The method can form highly complex glass shapes, with good clarity, using lightweight thin glass layers, because the glass shape is formed slowly, without contact, and with continuous heating. These strengths make it a potentially suitable technique for the advanced windshields now and in the future.

However, the application of sag-bending is limited by surface tolerances; process control (nature of the furnace), materials (the glass, any additional functional materials), and tooling variability (how the glass is supported). These interrelated parameters mean that the method cannot consistently achieve the quality required for head-up display (HUD) projection and can create issues for camera alignment.

Pilkington’s challenge focuses on incorporating smart manufacturing techniques to overcome these limitations and align the process with future vehicle requirements.

The challenge

Pilkington’s concept is to modernise sag-bending by incorporating smart manufacturing techniques. We would like to measure the concave surface of glass at multiple locations within the furnace, creating live information for a digital twin that allows real-time optimisation of furnace conditions. By managing the inherent variability, the process will be aligned with future vehicles requirements. The technology would be applicable to original equipment glazing manufacture, and aftermarket windshield production where small batch sizes increase furnace instability and control challenges.

In the sag bending process, a glass panel is placed onto tooling and moved into the furnace. The panel is heated to achieve different temperatures at different locations causing the glass to sag under its own weight. The desired shape is achieved through several heating stages conducted in different zones of a continuous furnace. The typical throughput for one furnace is 300,000 panels per year.

Pilkington are looking for a technique to measure the shape of the glass either during heating or between heating zones. The technique should not affect the glass surface, therefore, non-contact methods are more likely to be suitable. The shape must be measured at multiple locations but it is not necessary to measure the complete glass surface. The technique should be suitable to be integrated into the high volume manufacturing process.

Eligibility

Entrants to this competition must be:

• Micro, small or medium-sized enterprise (SME)

Rewards

Successful applicants will be given an opportunity to pitch to Pilkington Automotive. If selected as the chosen solution, the applicant will be awarded £25,000 from Innovate UK to develop the solution towards the challenge in a 3-month project. Successful completion of this project will lead to further collaboration with Pilkington to develop the final solution for use on the manufacturing line.

Additional benefits package for a successful applicant may also include:

• Support from Innovate UK Business Connect
• Support in the development of a prototype or pilot
• Technical support
• Invitation to attend or present at Innovate UK Business Connect events
• A potential business collaboration
• Investor introductions (if investment is required)
• Support if any Innovate or similar competitions are relevant.