Glass Panel Inspection - System Spotlight

In this system spotlight, we take a look at a safety conscious glass handling system. Not only is the system gently handling glass panels for the solar and electronic industry, but also enables safe operator interaction with not only the conveyor surface but the panel lifting device as well.

Welcome to System Spotlight, giving you an in-depth look at Shuttleworth’s more advanced product handling systems and conveyor applications. In this video, we will showcase a solution for one of our customers that wanted to transport, orient, and inspect large glass panels for the solar industry. Lift and transfer devices are fabricated and integrated in-house in the conveyor surface to change the orientation of the panels from long edge leading to short edge leading.

The rollers that are spaced out are created with a soft outer surface that will not mark or contaminate the glass, allowing the panels to move smoothly along the conveyor surface. During the inspection process, the customer wanted the inspectors to have the ability to rotate the panels 180 degrees so the inspector could see the entire surface of the panel.

To accomplish this, a foot switch engages suction cups to hold the panel in place. Once the panel is secure, the operator places his hands on two sensors that activate the lift grid built within the conveyor surface. The inspector is then free to rotate the panel 180 degrees for inspection. When inspection is complete, the operator places his hands back on the sensors, lowering the panel back onto the conveyor surface to continue its journey down the line.

For more information on Shuttleworth capabilities and solutions, please visit our website at Shuttleworth.com.