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Transforming the glass industry with environmentally clean and energy-efficient laser technology

Project description

Breaking new ground with eco-friendly glass processing

Glass processing requires multiple mechanically performed operations such as grinding and edge polishing that generate environmentally hazardous waste as well as the energy-intensive drying. Since the EU is one of the globally leading producers of glass, it is important to find solutions that address the need for cleaner and environmentally friendly methods to process it. The EU-funded GLAZER project proposes high-volume, precise and rapid industrial glass processing that reduces multiple mechanical works and eliminates the most polluting operations as well as hazardous waste production. The proposed versatile and robust laser-based solution has important environmental and societal impacts due to the elimination of the process stages that have the heaviest carbon footprint. Moreover, tests in a wide range of glass types from glassware to laminated construction glass have demonstrated its capacity to transform the very conservative manufacturing sector.

Objective

GLAZER is a breakthrough solution for high-volume industrial glass processing. It is based on a patented one-of-a-kind CO2 nanosecond-pulsed laser, which was invented, developed and manufactured by Hypermemo specifically for industrial glass processing. Unique features of the system allow precise and fast processing of glass, clearly outperforming all the conventional methods. GLAZER helps eliminate multiple mechanically performed processing operations, such as breaking, grinding and polishing, which produce environmentally hazardous waste. In addition, it eliminates washing and drying operations. This allows making the production process much cleaner, faster and cheaper, also decreasing the investment and maintenance cost. In addition, it provides significant environmental and societal impact, as the eliminated process phases carry the heaviest carbon footprint and are the most hazardous in terms of occupational safety. Being largely exploited by the industry, GLAZER has the potential to save an astonishing 41TWh of energy annually, reducing GHG emissions by 5Mt of CO2eq. GLAZER was prototyped and tested with different types of glass, providing excellent quality and confirming its capability to disrupt the traditional and dirty manufacturing sector with the total market size of €1+ billion. The project’s objective is to industrialize the technology and bring it to the market. Several first-tier glass manufacturers and glass processing machinery vendors confirmed their willingness to conduct GLAZER trials in the real production environment. They will support these trials with financial contribution. As a result of implementing GLAZER technology, the industry will recover within the EU and become cleaner, imposing much lower energy usage and associated carbon footprint. This is a very important impact, as the EU is the world's biggest producer of glass with a market share of around one third of total world production. In 2012, the sector employed 100 thousand people

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-EIC-SMEInst-2018-2020

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Coordinator

HYPERMEMO OY
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 2 137 625,00
Address
JUKOLANKATU 18C
80160 Joensuu
Finland

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SME

The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed.

Yes
Region
Manner-Suomi Pohjois- ja Itä-Suomi Pohjois-Karjala
Activity type
Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments)
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 3 053 750,00
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