We are the only global fabricator that offers a complete range of complementing technologies for glass manufacturers across all sectors. We make tailored recommendations for your needs to help minimise costs and maximise benefits.
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Our platinum group metal (pgm) products are inert in contact with molten glass, providing unequalled resistance to corrosion during glass melting and forming. They offer financial benefits through:
Increased output
Lower downtime
Extended campaign life
Ceramic shape retention
Reduced glass defects through reduced erosion of ceramic parts by the molten glass
Producing more conforming products and less re-working.
We offer full precious metal recovery with typical metal returns exceeding 95% for ACT™ coatings and 98% for fabrications and linings.
Advanced Coating Technology
ACT™ coatings protect ceramics through a thin coating (200-500 µm) of platinum or 10% rhodium/platinum. Ideal for long runs and limited thermal cycling, they provide:
Protection at the glass line
Protection against corrosive vapour condensates
Complete corrosion resistance against the attack of any molten glass, including soda lime, crystal, borosilicate and opal
100% shape retention for the lifetime of the coating, allowing a stable forming process and reducing costs.
The flexible process allows the coating to be applied to complex shapes. The coating configuration and thickness can be tailored.
Our ACT™ coatings allowed one of our customers to extend the service life of their feeder consumable set from three weeks to over a year. This reduced their operational cost through less downtime, while increasing their product quality through fewer defects.
Feeder consumable set
Our ACT™ coatings provide essential dimensional stability and durability for the automated feeding process. We supply single items or a set with a spout bowl, orifice ring, stirrer tube and plungers - recommended for maximum durability and high quality glass.
Specialised Products
ACT™ coatings produce superior quality products that consumable ceramics can't match. They minimise ceramic particle solvation into the finished product and remove contact between the glass and ceramic surfaces in the critical zone.
We offer:
ACT™ danner sleeves and ribbon blocks for the tubing industry
ACT™ pin stirrers, lip stones and tweels for the flat glass industry
ACT™ feeder chambers and screw plungers for the crystal industry.
Additional options available include:
Polished ACT™ coatings for exceptional glass quality
Electrical suppression
Integrated thermocouples
Direct heating.
Furnace blocks
ACT™ coated furnaces protect the throat and extend the campaign length. The coating is fully bonded to the block, eliminating sagging and removing the need for welds or straps.
The coating provides additional dimensional stability and durability compared to bare fused cast ceramics. It involves minimal risk with the fuse cast material underlying the thin metal layer. It also requires less metal compared to platinum/rhodium linings or molybdenum shields, offering substantial returns on investment through metal recovery.
We supply coated fused cast ceramics as a single item or as a set of three to five blocks. We can provide you with recommended designs and assistance during installation.
Thermocouple Wires and Assemblies
As the market leader in precious metal thermocouples, our wires and assemblies are renowned for accuracy and reliability. We supply type R, S and B thermocouple wire as well as other precious metal combinations.
Our thermocouple assemblies are proven to last the full furnace campaign, while withstanding high temperature applications. We also offer full technical support, including advice on safeguarding thermocouple performance and minimising drift.
ACT™ coatings protect ceramics through a thin coating (200-500 µm) of platinum or 10% rhodium/platinum on the surface. Ideal for limited thermal cycling, our proven technology reduces the amount of metal required.
We can supply standard designs, use your drawings, or provide different configurations including a thicker coating at the glass line. And we provide information on installation and removal of every ACT™ thermocouple.
Protective Tubes
Our platinum/rhodium protective tubes are inert with molten glass, providing unequalled resistance to erosion. They withstand thermal cycling, ceramic cracking and several removals and insertions. For more demanding applications we disperse zirconia grain stabilised particles in the alloys to increase their mechanical strength and durability.
Platinum and Iridium Fabrications and Linings
As a long-established supplier of platinum group metals, our fabrications and linings withstand thermal cycling, ceramic cracking and exchange of contacting parts. We can provide:
Sheet, to standard or customised tolerances with full traceability
Tube for bubblers, drains and thermocouple sheaths, manufactured seamless or with a seam weld to the highest possible quality and tolerances
More complex parts such as stirrers, spout bowls, refiners or feeder chambers, customised to your designs and tolerances.
We offer several options for fabrications and linings but we provide a tailored recommendation to minimise costs and maximise benefits.
We weld sheet from 0.35mm- 10mm thick to achieve full penetration with minimum distortion. If desired we can dress welds so they aren't visible.
Zirconia Grain Stabilised Alloys
For high temperature applications and as an alternative to high rhodium content alloys, we offer Zirconia Grain Stabilised (ZGS) platinum or ZGS 10% rhodium platinum. Dispersing zirconia particles into the metal considerable improves the performance by:
Slowing down the degradation, extending the operating life
Increasing its mechanical strength and durability
Dramatically increasing resistance to grain growth, contamination and deformation.
Iridium
Iridium is an ideal alternative to platinum/rhodium alloys for the most innovative and demanding applications. Its benefits include:
Stability in air up to 2000°C
A higher mechanical strength than zirconia grain stabilised alloys
Being stable to reduction (although they may require some oxidation protection, which we can provide)
Opportunities for new glass applications, giving competitive advantages.
