Gasperlmair is pilot user of the new LiSEC applicator for processing Super Spacer®
Glas Gasperlmair has invested in a new insulating glass line from LiSEC at its Wagrain site. At the heart of the system is the fundamentally redesigned FSA-A spacer applicator for processing Super Spacer®. The corner sealing unit has also undergone further design development. Both innovations increase precision and process reliability in the automated processing of flexible spacers.
“The precision of the application is exceptional. The way the Super Spacer is applied with millimetre accuracy and always parallel to the glass edge is unique in my experience. The new applicator really is a great piece of equipment,” enthuses company founder Josef Gasperlmair.
Since 1975, when Glas Gasperlmair invested in its first glass washing machine from LiSEC, the insulating glass manufacturer from Wagrain has worked with LiSEC equipment and has made itself available as a pilot user on several occasions. The Super Spacer® spacer system, which is used on two of the five insulating glass lines, has also been part of the production setup for many years. Accordingly, a great deal of practical experience went into the design of the latest insulating glass line for flexible spacers.
Greater process reliability in spacer application
“Flexible spacers demonstrate their strengths particularly with large façade elements, high visual requirements and constructions requiring increased inherent stability. For us, it was therefore crucial to transfer these advantages reliably into the production process: with more precise spacer application, consistent butyl application, simpler changeovers and greater flexibility for different spacer types,” says Albert Haider, Product Manager at LiSEC Austria GmbH.
Process reliability starts with material preparation. At Gasperlmair, the modular magazine holds six rolls of Super Spacer®, with up to eight possible in the maximum configuration. Under controlled climatic conditions, the material properties remain constant until processing. Two different spacer widths can be fed to the application head simultaneously. This reduces changeover times, particularly for triple insulating glass with different cavity widths.
From there, a caterpillar feed takes over the controlled transport of the flexible spacer, while length compensation supports exact positioning on the glass even at high cycle speeds. LiSEC has also developed a new solution for applying the primary seal. A gear pump conveys the butyl and meters it volumetrically, enabling a consistent butyl bead to be produced even during starting and stopping. The redesigned punching technology ensures precisely formed corners. A continuously adjustable punching blade also enables different angles for special shapes.
Designed for Structural Glazing and large formats
On the new line, Gasperlmair processes Super Spacer® T-Spacer™ SG with a height of 7.3 mm in widths ranging from 8 to 24 mm. Quanex Edgetech developed the spacer specifically for Structural Glazing and XXL insulating glass. The sides provide more surface area for PIB application, which is particularly relevant for the gas tightness of the edge seal in Structural Glazing. The geometry of the SG variant supports precise automated application and helps ensure that the spacer can be positioned parallel to the glass edge with tight tolerances, even in large multi-pane insulating glass units.
The line is designed for glass formats up to 4,000 x 2,700 mm, glass thicknesses of up to 32 mm and insulating glass units up to 100 mm thick. In addition to rectangular units, Super Spacer® can also be used to produce special shapes and three-sided stepped units.
A tight seal at the butt joint too
Josef Gasperlmair commissioned his first insulating glass production line in 1974. Just as in the early days, the company founder was involved down to the smallest detail in the design of the new line. Particular attention was paid to the question of how the spacer can be reliably sealed at the start-stop point. The separating cut also interrupts the factory-applied barrier film of the Super Spacer® at this point. The redesigned RTV-A-SC corner sealing unit therefore automatically seals the joint with butyl adhesive tape.
“When it comes to the edge seal, absolute tightness and durability are essential. And the butt joint must not be a weak point either. With this small trick, we ensure that it remains gas-tight and resistant to water vapour diffusion,” explains Josef Gasperlmair.
The larger and heavier the glass formats, the more demanding it becomes to guide the spacer parallel to the glass edge over its entire length. This is precisely where the new applicator comes in. Horst Matias, Area Manager DACH at Quanex: “Our thanks go to the two Managing Directors, Josef and Dr Peter Gasperlmair, who contributed their many years of experience with Super Spacer to the development, as well as to LiSEC for the constructive collaboration.”
About Edgetech Europe GmbH, A Part of Something Bigger
Edgetech Europe GmbH, located in Heinsberg, Germany, is a fully owned subsidiary of Quanex Building Products Corporation, (NYSE: NX) a global, publicly traded manufacturing company primarily serving OEMs in the fenestration, cabinetry, solar, refrigeration and outdoor products markets. Edgetech Europe GmbH services markets in continental Europe with a total of 490 employees and 17 extruders. We are “A Part of Something Bigger” by improving the performance and aesthetics of end products through continuous innovation, helping customers achieve greater production efficiencies, and giving back to communities where we operate. Visit quanex.com for more information.
About Quanex
Quanex is a global manufacturer with core competences and a wide range of applications in various end markets. The company works with leading OEMs to provide innovative solutions in the areas of windows, doors, plastic fencing, solar panels, refrigerators and cabinets. In the future, Quanex plans to leverage its material science and process engineering expertise to expand into adjacent markets.
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