Spectacular breakthrough for mould lubrication of glass bottle production machines


Glass container technology finally succeeded to replace unsafe manual lubrication by a robot, resulting in higher production rate. Highly automated production machines for glass bottles are, usually, still operated with manual swabbing to lubricate the moulds.


However, it only succeeded in meeting the required results with the development of a specially designed lubricant by the Belgian Company VDV Lubricants: Glassline®


SwabMatic 180.


The hollow glass market has to catch up on new technologies to achieve higher efficiency and reach customer expectations. A lot of innovations have already taken place, but there is still a lot to do. In this context a huge contrast exists: highly automated Individual Sections (IS) production machines for hollow ware are, usually, still operated with manual swabbing to lubricate the moulds.


The Belgian company Socabelec, known in the glass industry for turnkey automated production lines, developed an automatic spray system for Heye International, manufacturer of glass production machines. The whole project was under supervision of a project team at the Ardagh Glass factory at Moerdijk who worked closely with all parties to create a system providing significant productivity, cost saving benefits and much better environmental benefits by reducing workers’ exposure. The spray system efficiently replaces the manual operation of swabbing the blank moulds.


However, it only succeeded in meeting the required results with the development of a specially designed lubricant by the Belgian Company VDV Lubricants: Glassline®


SwabMatic 180.


Based on their respective know how in the glass industry, the companies have demonstrated that the machine and appropriate lubricant can generate substantial results: zero rejects after swabbing, no need for section stops, a 75% saving on lubricant consumption and improved operator safety by lowering workers’ exposure.


On site testing, at the Ardagh Plant in Moerdijk on a Heye IS Machine, has proven these results and the glass plant was happy to see a higher production output within the required specifications.


Challenges


Beside the automation approach, it was challenging for VDV Lubricants to develop the appropriate lubricant. The combination


LINKS www.glassline.be


Swabbing robot from Socabelec & Glassline® already patent pending.


SwabMatic 180 is


For a demonstration video of the swabbing robot please click this link http://www.glassline.be/?page_id=578


of know how present in the Glassline®


product range for


manual swabbing and the technical team of the company have contributed to a successful conclusion to the project.


Lubricating a blank mould is a specific process and requires the following criteria: a good friction coefficient between glass and mould and stable in time. An additional requirement for automatic swabbing was to have a formulation able to be sprayed on the blank mould surface at a temperature of 500°C while the glass is at 1200°C. Glassline®


with a combination of oils, solids and additives. VDV Lubricants and Glassline®


will now, in partnership with


Socabelec and Heye International, further update the Glassline® SwabMatic accordingly to other types of production process.


VDV Lubricants is looking ahead to a promising innovative and worldwide scaled future, as the total potential IS production machine lines is over 12000 worldwide; so far, a significant number of robots have been ordered.


SwabMatic is formulated


36


LUBE MAGAZINE NO.134 AUGUST 2016


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