Page 52 - Glass-Technology International no. 1-2019

GLASS QUALITY PILKINGTON ITALIA

uous commitment and high tural changes in the
levels of attention in order shape of the furnace
to obtain a superior prod- and in the construction
uct. This is all in line with of a new system aimed at
NSG Group policy, which eliminating NOx (nitrogen
every day invests in workers’ oxides). The process also
safety and product quality. requires constant attention
from its state-of-the-art
How important was 2018 for production management NSG GROUP
the Porto Marghera plant? system.
Maurizio Pesce: Following Special raw materials from
the furnace restart in Octo- selected quarries are essen-
ber 2017, this was the first tial in achieving the trans-
year in which we were able parency and neutrality of
to produce Pilkington Op- the glass. Careful logistics
tiwhite™ extra-clear glass, control and experienced
one of the products of the process management are
wide range of Pilkington also vital. In addition to ap-
glass that is recognised by plying strict environmental
architects and glaziers as a controls, special attention
leader in its field. to the thermodynamic and
kinetic aspects that regu-
What operations are nec- late the forming of glass is
essary for its production? essential.
Which controls and strate- Last but not least, it is vi-
gies must be implemented? tal that we hit the colour
Maurizio Pesce: Pilkington rendering index target
Optiwhite™ extra-clear that ensures the continu-
glass is a wonderful prod- ity that is required by our
uct. Its manufacture is customers. We achieve
more complex than ordi- this through continuous
nary clear float glass. This process monitoring and quality controls on glass include continuous preci-
called for important struc- by implementing specific samples in the laboratory. sion monitoring by a latest-
generation scanner that
Can you give us some exam- detects any defects such as
ples? halo, residue or stains. With
Maurizio Pesce: Every hour this scanner, which is in-
we implement quality con- stalled on-line, we are able
trol of physical parameters, to guarantee quality to our
such as thickness, size, customers’ satisfaction. The
squaring and absence of scanner, in turn, is verified
micro-defects, as well as and checked every day, and,
checks on all optical param- if necessary, re-calibrated,
eters, such as distortions, to ensure its reliability.
streaks and corrugations.
Every six hours we carry So you carry out numerous
out laboratory-controlled checks on the optical-quali-
chemical analysis, which ty aspects of glass?
guarantees colour con- Maurizio Pesce: Yes, but
stancy. These checks that’s not all. The control

50 Glass-Technology International 1/2019