The Top Tools Available for Glass Cutting and Processing

If you have a project that requires delicate glass processing, you understand the importance of having the right equipment. When you are looking for glass processing and glass handling equipment, you need to make sure you use the right class machine for the job. There are numerous types of glass manufacturing machinery and equipment. What are examples of tools you may put to work for certain projects?

Glass Drilling Equipment

If you are looking for glass drilling equipment, it goes without saying that the machine must be well designed to ensure against breakage and chipping. A heavier duty machine is a must for drilling to reduce vibration. The drill table must also be precisely level, especially for thin glass. There are numerous configurations of drilling machines. You must determine if you are looking for a manually loaded machine for one hole, or if you need many holes then a machine such as an XY Table, or even a Combo CNC Drill and Grind machine. Or perhaps you need an inline machine with automatic load/unload and precise automated positioning, such as an Inline Drilling Machine for Rectangles or a Linear/Polar Machine for shapes Your selection must take into account the products you need to run.  For example, how many holes and how many different hole sizes are needed for your various parts to be run, and the cycle time required.  Some machines have special features, for example, laser light indicator (to assist setup), drill bit height measurement(to assist in setting height after tool change). Or, you may be interested in a slotted table drill, which you can use to drill numerous holes in a straight line. If you have questions or concerns about the specific machines you should use for your project, be sure to reach out to a professional for help.

CNC Glass Cutting Machines

If you have a need to ship in larger glass sheets and cut them down to smaller pieces, then you may be interested in using a CNC glass cutting machine. With this machine, you can significantly reduce the amount of time you spend cutting, with improved size tolerances. Determine your throughput needs to select the right style of cutter – belts, rack and pinion, or linear motors. With extreme acceleration and deceleration speeds, as well as low maintenance needs, the linear motor drive style is the best throughput, and seldom needs but allows for easily and precisely calibrating your glass cutting machine. Furthermore, the cutting head style is important.  Some manufacturers provide a free spinning cutting wheel, which rotates only after the head begins moving, can be ok for simple straight cuts.  For more precision, a rotation axis is required.  The most precise is a direct drive servo with no belts or gears used for rotation.  A low-friction air cylinder is also recommended, as well as a proportional valve controlled directly from the CNC.

Edge Deletion Machines

It is common in the Insulated Glass market to remove the coating from the edges of the glass.  Of course the selection depends on the coating, but there are numerous options available: manual, semi-auto, and automatic(including double edger style or CNC edge deletion). Typical Low-E coatings use an abrasive wheel, but pyrolytic coatings may require a diamond wheel edge deletion system, in order to remove a small amount of glass to fully remove the coating.

Specialized Glass Machines

There are other specialized glass processing machines you may require. For example, some applications may require the use of a glass lathe, which can hold stacks of glass and turn multiple pieces into precise circles.

Use Glass Manufacturing Machinery and Equipment from Glassline™

These are just a few of the many tools you may use to complete your upcoming glass project. If you need help with your glass work, then look no further than the specialized equipment from GLASSLINE™. We have a wide selection of high-quality machinery and diamond tooling you can use to ‘kick glass’ every time. Take a look at our selection at www.glassline.com, and contact us today to learn more!