Forglass has partnered with one of the world’s largest producers of automotive and architectural glass to perform a hot overcoating of its float furnace in Europe.
Hot overcoating of a large float furnace is one of the most demanding types of furnace repair, requiring organisation and teamwork.
It involves a large number of skilled workers and supervisors, who have to work in extremely harsh conditions.
During a hot overcoating, the furnace is kept around its operating temperature, so people working around the furnace must wear special protective clothing, gloves, face and head shields and other garments that protect the human body from exposure to extreme heat.
Scheduling this type of work has to account for another factor, which is human endurance while working in extreme conditions.
Teams must work in short intervals giving them time to rest and cool off.
Hot overcoating of a large float furnace is planned to minimise glass-to-glass time and there is no room for delay.
Detailed planning is key, allowing exactly the right amount of time to complete each task.
The efficiency and quality of work has to be 100%, as there is no time to redo a mistake. It has to be done correctly the first time.
