Glass Edge Decoating Using Laser-Cut Film Strips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing protective films or polymer layers from glass sheets, especially laminated glass, are inefficient, generating dust, causing equipment contamination, and are slow, particularly when combined with functional coating removal, leading to health risks and operational inefficiencies.
Innovation Solution
A decoating method using a combination of laser radiation to cut and separate protective films into manageable pieces, followed by grinding to remove both the protective films and functional coatings, ensuring clean and reliable edge decoating without dust contamination, utilizing a decoating device with a laser beam-producing unit and a grinding head to manage the process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If mechanical grinding tools are used to remove protective films and functional coatings, then coating removal is achieved, but dust is generated causing equipment contamination and health risks
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical grinding system with a laser-based system. The laser beam removes protective films and functional coatings through thermal ablation rather than mechanical contact, eliminating dust generation while maintaining high processing speed. The laser system includes a laser source, scanning optics, and a control unit that coordinates the laser beam movement with the glass sheet transport.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and parameters of the laser beam to optimize coating removal. By adjusting laser power, pulse duration, and scanning speed, the system achieves efficient ablation of different coating types without generating dust. The laser parameters are dynamically controlled based on the coating material being removed.
2Productivity
If traditional mechanical grinding methods are used for coating removal, then coatings are removed, but the process is slow and inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The laser-based system eliminates the mechanical contact and friction inherent in grinding processes, enabling much faster coating removal. The laser beam can be rapidly scanned across the glass sheet surface at high speeds, removing coatings in a single pass without the need for multiple grinding passes or frequent tool changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser system operates continuously as the glass sheet moves through the processing line. The laser beam scans across the entire width of the glass sheet in synchrony with the transport speed, maintaining continuous coating removal without interruptions. This eliminates the start-stop nature of mechanical grinding and achieves uninterrupted processing.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If laser radiation is used to remove protective films, then clean removal without dust is achieved, but the process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The laser system is designed to handle multiple coating types (protective films, functional coatings, low-emission layers) with a single device configuration. The same laser beam and scanning mechanism that remove protective films also effectively remove functional coatings, eliminating the need for different tools or processes for different coating types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a suction device as an intermediary element to capture any potential dust or debris generated during laser ablation. This suction system works in conjunction with the laser to ensure complete dust-free operation, adding minimal complexity while providing the dust removal capability.
4Reliability
If grinding tools are used to remove coatings from glass edges, then coating removal is achieved, but the tools experience strong and asymmetrical wear
Solution Approach 1:
The laser system replaces mechanical grinding tools with a non-contact energy beam, eliminating tool wear entirely. The laser beam maintains consistent energy output over time without degradation, ensuring reliable and uniform coating removal throughout the processing line operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser system is self-maintaining in terms of the removal tool itself. The laser source and optics require minimal maintenance compared to mechanical grinding tools, and the laser beam automatically adapts to different coating thicknesses and materials without requiring tool adjustment or replacement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method enables rapid, clean, and reliable removal of protective films and functional coatings, preventing dust contamination and ensuring efficient processing of glass sheets, with reduced health risks and increased operational speed compared to traditional mechanical grinding methods.
Implementation Method 1
the protective film or the polymer protective layer is removed using laser radiation
Implementation Method 2
The individual functional layers are preferably applied on flat glass raw sheets... the coating is ground away from the glass raw sheet along cutting lines
Data Source
AI summary
A decoating method for the edge decoating of glass sheets, the glass sheets having at least on one of their two glass surfaces a protective coating in the form of a peel-off protective film or in the form of a polymer protective layer that cannot be peeled off, and preferably having a functional coating situated under the protective coating,the protective film being partially mechanically removed, in particular ground away, for the edge decoating, in the form of at least one film strip, laser traces being introduced into the protective film before the mechanical removal of the film strip, and the laser traces being introduced in such a way that the film strip is removed in the form of individual film strip partial pieces separated from one another by the laser traces; orthe polymer protective layer being removed using laser radiation.