Corning Incorporated
METHODS TO CONTROL SHAPE UNIFORMITY IN GLASS TUBE CONVERTING PROCESSES

Abstract:

Methods for producing glass articles from glass tube includes securing a glass tube in a holder of a converter; rotating the glass tube; and passing the glass tube through processing stations, which include at least a heating station and a forming station, to form one or more features at a working end of the glass tube. An active time is an amount of time the glass tube is engaged with a heating element or a forming tool while in a processing station, and an exposure index for the processing station is the rotational speed of the glass tube multiplied by a number of heating elements or forming tools in the processing station multiplied by the active time. An absolute difference between the exposure index and a nearest integer is less than or equal to 0.30, which reduces temperature and dimensional inhomogeneity around a circumference of the glass tube.