GPD 2007 to Emphasize Production Control and Processes for Glass Products

The tenth Glass Processing Days (GPD) is set to take place June 15-18, 2007 in Tampere, Finland. Event organizers have further developed the program's agenda to offer a variety of case study presentations. Representatives of Bevelite of Australia, for example, will share their experiences on improving and mastering process control in the production of advanced glass products.

"This is a method developed with the aim of maximizing control, quality and operational reliability. We are especially challenged by the opportunity to present our system at the GPD Conference, a forum like no other," said Lee Thurbon, manager of Bevelite Glass in Sydney, Australia. "The knowledgeable participants provide us with feedback and at the same time we can live up to the ambition of the Conference to develop business through joint efforts and communication."

According to information provided by GPD organizers, the Bevelite Glass A&W System was inspired by the need to:

• Increase output of work force without working any harder through improved electronic organization;
  
  
• Increase machine utilization (machinery being used a full eight hours per day and reducing idle time through electronic organization);
  
  
• Reduce factory management (overhead costs, more hands on labor);
  
  
• Reduce lead times because of electronic prioritizing and tracking, and give customers real time information;
  
  
• Trace and address quality issues easily; and
  
  
• Have a recording system that could address Australian standards for toughened [tempered] and laminated glass, and also serve as a bridge between the Tamglass QMS system and Bevelite's own.

"The A&W system we have customized was inspired by the need to have a leading edge in the market," Thurbon explains. "Development was also boosted by the growing need [for ways] to counter rising operational costs, especially concerning energy. We also found that we needed better tools than before to take [our] process experiences into account in producing repeat orders. Customer service and delivery reliability were also key factors in designing the system. [Tempering] competition was another key issue that we wished to counter. We needed a system that could profile us on the market and ensure our customers of first-rate performance, both for quality and economy."

More information about Bevelite's system and the company's experiences will be presented during GPD next June. To learn more about the conference visit www.gpd.fi.