A breakthrough laser technology for all types of glass processing (ordinary, laminated, tempered, smart, low-energy and other)

Project Information

GLAZER

Grant agreement ID: 827331

DOI

10.3030/827331

Project closed

EC signature date 1 August 2018

Start date 1 September 2018

End date 28 February 2019

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Innovation In SMEs

Total cost

€ 71 429,00

EU contribution

€ 50 000,00

Coordinated by

HYPERMEMO OY
Finland

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - GLAZER (A breakthrough laser technology for all types of glass processing (ordinary, laminated, tempered, smart, low-energy and other))

Reporting period: 2018-09-01 to 2019-02-28

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Hypermemo Oy in Finland has studied the feasibility of commercial launch of its GLAZER next-generation laser technology for glass post-processing. GLAZER is an industrial hardware/software solution, based on a one-of-a-kind CO2 nanosecond-pulsed laser, developed and manufactured by Hypermemo. This solution commercializes the team’s 30+ years experience in laser technology and its proprietary IP. The study took place between September 1, 2018, and February 28, 2019.

90% of glass in the world is now cut with centuries-old methods – mechanical scribing, breaking and grinding. To obtain the best quality, these processes require many pieces of different equipment, generate a lot of waste, and use a lot of consumables. The GLAZER project addresses this problem by dramatically reducing waste, the costs and ecological impact in glass products manufacturing. Also, GLAZER can support the broad market takeoff of environment-friendly thermally insulated windows.

The project’s objectives are to make glass processing 30 times faster, 3 times cheaper, to bring down the whole glass products manufacturing to the only one machine, and to make it commercially available globally.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

To the moment, the technology was tested with GLAZER prototype hardware, using different types of glass, and has proven its expected capabilities. Hypermemo has developed and successfully tested new processes for cutting ordinary flat, hot, laminated glass, polycarbonate, flat glass chamfering, coating deletion, grooving, engraving, and 3D cutting of curved glass products concerning customers demands.

Also, Hypermemo has been successfully working with various market players to popularize GLAZER and to invoke initial commercial interest. Some valuable customer insights were discovered, including GLAZER applications in automotive, architectural, tableware and consumer electronics segments.

Currently, Hypermemo is conducting a GLAZER trial in a real manufacturing environment.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

GLAZER is advancing the state of the art in the glass industry by streamlining and simplifying its processes. The fully industrial-grade equipment kit is in development, to be introduced to the market in the second half of 2019.

The project is going to make its contribution to reducing industrial ecological impact: directly by cleaning-up industrial processes, and indirectly by fostering wide adoption of ecologically-friendly “smart” windows worldwide. Since glass is now being widely adopted in construction, the impact made by GLAZER will lead to significant benefits, helping develop a sustainable society.

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