LCD Glass

Spang Power Electronics is a manufacturer of custom power equipment installed throughout the LCD Glass Industry. Spang’s expertise in power control and conversion has helped us become a global leader for the following applications.

Float / Tin Bath Roof Heating

Float / Tin Bath Roof Heating is one of the applications used to manufacture modern LCD glass. The technology is similar to a traditional flat glass manufacturing process. The glass thickness is less than traditional flat glass used for architectural and automotive applications. Normally the LCD glass manufactured in the float process is polished on one side (the side that contacts the molten tin) to improve the optic quality.

With this technique, a sheet of glass is made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten metal, typically tin. This method gives the glass a very flat surface and uniform thickness.

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to the resistive heating elements located in the roof of the furnace. The electric heat keeps the tin molten and controls the temperature of the LCD glass.

Electric Melt Furnace

In modern LCD glass manufacturing the batch is traditionally melted into molten glass by gas or oil as the primary heat source in the melting furnace. The majority of melting furnace installations do not use electric as the source of the melting energy. Some however will use electric heat which is injected into the top or sides of the furnace by electrodes as the primary heat source for melting the batch. The molten glass itself acts as the heating element conducting electricity between the inserted electrodes (known as Joule heating).

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to the electrodes of the melt furnace.

Melt Furnace Boosting

In modern LCD glass manufacturing the batch is melted into molten glass by gas or oil as the primary heat source in the melting furnace. The majority of melting furnace installations do not use any electric heat. Some however will use electric heat which is injected by electrodes into the furnace from the bottom or sides. The molten glass itself acts as the heating element conducting electricity between the inserted electrodes (known as Joule heating).

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to the electrodes of the melt furnace. The electric heat is added to improve the quality of the glass exiting the furnace.

Forehearth

In non-float process LCD glass making, after the glass is melted in the furnace it is further conditioned and transferred to the forming section by a forehearth. A forehearth is a refractory tank whose function is to receive glass from the furnace, reduce its temperature to the desired level, and discharge it to the forming section at a uniform temperature. An electric forehearth may consist of roof mounted resistive heaters, immersed electrodes in the side, or electrodes immersed in the furnace bottom, or a combination of roof heaters and submerged electrodes. The molten glass itself acts as the heating element conducting electricity between the inserted electrodes (known as Joule heating). Gas fired forehearths are used in place of electric balanced against energy costs, environmental constraints, and process requirements. Here the gas burners are located above the molten glass.

Spang Power Electronics provides SCR Controllers, Transformers, and Power Systems to provide highly accurate controlled power to both roof top electric heaters and electrodes that extend into the forehearth.