Glass Manufacturing

• Why is compressed air vital for glass manufacturing?
• Why is high-quality, oil-free air so important for glass manufacturing applications?
• How can Ingersoll Rand help you optimise your system & air quality with our centrifugal solutions?

Why Is Compressed Air Vital For Glass Manufacturing?

Compressed air plays a fundamental role in the glass industry for a variety of essential processes and applications. This includes:

• The handling of raw materials, like limestone, soda ash and sand
• The powering of the pneumatic tools used for shaping, assembly and finishing
• Blow moulding
• In furnace combustion, to ensure efficient melting
• Dust removal for a clean working environment
• Cooling the glass once formed to ensure stability, shape and that it's prepared for cutting.

Why Is High-Quality, Oil-Free Air So Important For Glass Manufacturing Applications?

The air used for all of these glass manufacturing applications must be oil-free and of high quality, but why? Product quality is of optimal importance in the glass industry, with stringent requirements regarding humidity, oil and particle content dominating the global industry. Typically, all glass manufacturing applications will require a reliable, consistent stream of ISO 8573-1 compressed air to ensure your processes and products are adhering to regulations. Regarding oil content, any oil contamination in your system will impact the quality of your finished glass. This is the same for any particles, which can cause clogging, clumping, and contamination. Dry air is important because moisture, although a natural by-product of compressing air, can impact your manufacturing equipment by causing rusting and corrosion. Not only can this contaminate your glass, but it can also lead to unexpected downtime, safety risks, and sometimes maintenance and replacement costs due to equipment breakdowns.

How Can Ingersoll Rand Help You Optimise Your Compressed Air System And Air Quality With Our Centrifugal Solutions?

At Ingersoll Rand, we understand that for most, if not all, glass manufacturers, they have the same requirements for their compressed air system:

          1. 100% Oil And Contamination-Free, High-Quality Air

          2. Maximum Efficiency

          3. Maximised Uptime At A Minimal Cost

In our Glass Industry White Paper, we set out our 6-step, foolproof plan to help you optimise your compressed air system and air quality. Here’s a quick overview:

Step 1: Assess Existing Equipment

Step 2: Conduct A Compressed Air Assessment

Step 3: Check To See If Current Compressors Are Equipped With Automated System Controls

Step 4: New Equipment May Be The Answer

Step 5: Making Sure Air Treatment Is Updated To Prevent Wasting Energy

Step 6: Start With A Total System Solution If It’s Time For New Equipment

The secret weapon, ensuring the success of this plan, is our centrifugal air compressors. Ingersoll Rand’s Centac® ISO-certified compressors are designed to operate at the highest level of efficiency at full load, partial load and no-load. Not only does this ensure optimal energy-saving flexibility, but it also ensures a continuous flow of reliable, oil-free, and contamination-free air. Renowned for their reliability in blow moulding and other glass manufacturing applications, they really are the ideal solution for your production facility. Interested? Please contact us or download our White Paper for more information on how we can optimise your compressed air system and air quality, with our 6-step plan and the help of our centrifugal solutions.