LasMaPlasma

The manufacture and processing of glass often requires energy-intensive processes. These are also demanding and can only be automated to a limited extent. Laser-based manufacturing technologies can partially solve these challenges. However, glasses with a higher coefficient of expansion require a preheating process, which in turn limits the flexibility and automatability of the processes. This limitation can be overcome by using plasma-based burners, which, however, offer less depth effect than laser beams.
The project therefore aims to develop a hybrid laser-plasma processing method for glass. This combines the high energy density and targeted controllability of laser beams with the flexible thermal properties of plasma. This will ensure the necessary thermal stress reduction with full process automation. The project results will enable companies to replace gas-powered glass processing methods with electrical alternatives using green primary energy, which also offer further advantages over conventional methods.