Abstract: A cleaning system for cleaning the inside of a glass element with a fluid includes a nozzle head including a cleaning opening for releasing a part of the fluid and pointing in a first direction and a pressure balancing opening for releasing a part of the fluid and pointing in a second direction. Two half spaces including a first one and a second one are separated by a plane which is perpendicular to a center axis of the nozzle head. A first direction vector of the first direction points in a direction at least one of towards the first half space or away from the second half space. A second direction vector of the second direction points in a direction at least one of towards the second half space or away from the first half space.

Abstract: A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information regarding origin and manufacture of the glass tube semi-finished product and a second marking, the information of which second marking is linked to the information of the first marking, so as to enable a determination regarding authenticity of the glass tube semi-finished product, origin of the glass tube semi-finished product, and/or origin of an apparatus with which the first and/or second marking was generated on the glass tube semi-finished product. The first marking is a marking that is produced at temperatures above the transformation temperature of the glass in a counterfeit-proof manner. The combination of two markings provides a high level of protection against counterfeiting.

Abstract: A bundle includes five or more cut elongated glass elements. Each cut elongated glass element includes a first end, a cylindrical portion, and a second end. At least one of the following equations is fulfilled: i) (Icenter(max)?Icenter(min))/Icenter(mean)?4.0×10?2 [?m/?m]; or ii) (Icontinuous(max)?Icontinuous(min))/Icenter(mean)?4.0×10?2 [?m/?m]. Icenter(max) is a maximum center inner diameter of the cylindrical portions of all cut elongated glass elements; Icenter(min) is a minimum center inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of all cut elongated glass elements; Icenter(mean) is a mean of inner diameters at a center of the cylindrical portions of all cut elongated glass elements; Icontinuous(max) is a maximum continuous inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of any single cut elongated glass element; and Icontinuous(min) is a minimum continuous inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of the single cut elongated glass element.

Abstract: A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information on the origin and/or tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, which marking is read from the hollow glass product after its manufacture to determine the origin and/or the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, e.g., to identify the semi-finished glass tube from which the hollow glass product has been made, and/or trace the tube-specific production data of this glass tube semi-finished product. This means that the entire supply chain for the hollow glass product from the supplier of the originally used glass tube semi-finished product up to the end product can be determined. The physical and chemical characteristics of the glass tube semi-finished product are not altered for producing the first marking.

Abstract: A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information on the origin and/or tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, which marking is read from the hollow glass product after its manufacture to determine the origin and/or the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, e.g., to identify the semi-finished glass tube from which the hollow glass product has been made, and/or trace the tube-specific production data of this glass tube semi-finished product. This means that the entire supply chain for the hollow glass product from the supplier of the originally used glass tube semi-finished product up to the end product can be determined. The physical and chemical characteristics of the glass tube semi-finished product are not altered for producing the first marking.

Abstract: At least one glass element includes: a first end; a second end; and a hollow portion including a first end section including the first end of the at least one glass element, a middle section, and a second end section including the second end of the at least one glass element. Each section has an inner surface and an outer surface and all sections are of equal length. A ratio of a number of particles on the inner surface at the first end section and/or the second end section to a number of particles on the inner surface at the middle section is 20 or less.

Abstract: A method for processing glass elements is provided. The method includes introducing a perforation line for parting a glass element introduced into the glass element during or after a hot processing process at an elevated temperature of at least 100° C. Spaced-apart filamentary flaws are introduced into the glass element along the predetermined course of the perforation line by a pulsed laser beam of an ultrashort pulse laser, and, during or after the introduction of the filamentary flaws, the glass element is cooled down so as to produce a temperature gradient, which induces a mechanical stress at the filamentary flaws, whereby the breaking force required for parting the glass element along the perforation line is reduced.

Abstract: A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information regarding origin and manufacture of the glass tube semi-finished product and a second marking, the information of which second marking is linked to the information of the first marking, so as to enable a determination regarding authenticity of the glass tube semi-finished product, origin of the glass tube semi-finished product, and/or origin of an apparatus with which the first and/or second marking was generated on the glass tube semi-finished product. The first marking is a marking that is produced at temperatures above the transformation temperature of the glass in a counterfeit-proof manner. The combination of two markings provides a high level of protection against counterfeiting.

Abstract: A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information on the origin and/or tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, which marking is read from the hollow glass product after its manufacture to determine the origin and/or the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, e.g., to identify the semi-finished glass tube from which the hollow glass product has been made, and/or trace the tube-specific production data of this glass tube semi-finished product. This means that the entire supply chain for the hollow glass product from the supplier of the originally used glass tube semi-finished product up to the end product can be determined. The physical and chemical characteristics of the glass tube semi-finished product are not altered for producing the first marking.

Abstract: A method for further processing a glass tube semi-finished product includes: providing the glass tube semi-finished product, along with defect data for the glass tube semi-finished product; reading the defect data for the glass tube semi-finished product; and further processing the glass tube semi-finished product, for example by cutting to length or sorting out. The further processing of the glass tube semi-finished product is adapted to the defect data, which were read out for the glass tube semi-finished product. In this way, the further processing can be more efficiently adapted to the respective characteristics of a glass tube semi-finished product to be processed or a specific sub-section thereof, and the relevant defects of the respective glass tube semi-finished product do not need to be determined or measured again.

Abstract: A method for further processing of a glass tube semi-finished product includes: providing the glass tube semi-finished product, along with tube-specific data for the glass tube semi-finished product; reading the tube-specific data for the glass tube semi-finished product; and further processing of the glass tube semi-finished product including a step of thermal forming carried out at least in sections. At least one process parameter during the further processing of the glass tube semi-finished product including the step of thermal forming carried out at least in sections is controlled as a function of the tube-specific data for the glass tube semi-finished product. In this way, the further processing can be matched more efficiently to the particular characteristics of a glass tube semi-finished product to be processed or a particular subsection thereof, and the relevant characteristics of the particular glass tube semi-finished product do not need to be measured again.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for marking glass or a glass-like material a writing laser beam and the glass or the material are moved relative to each other in order to form an array of marks on the glass surface or material surface consisting of a plurality of discrete marks which are formed in discrete marking steps and are distributed along at least one direction. Marks directly adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction are formed in two marking steps, which are not carried out directly in succession one after the other. Thus, at least two series of marks are produced in the predetermined direction, wherein said marks are spaced at regular intervals from each other and are interleaved in the predetermined direction. As a result, and because of the temperature regime according to the invention during encoding, a particularly low-stress, crack-free marking of glass can be accomplished.

Abstract: In a method and apparatus for marking glass or a glass-like material a writing laser beam and the glass or the material are moved relative to each other in order to form an array of marks on the glass surface or material surface consisting of a plurality of discrete marks which are formed in discrete marking steps and are distributed along at least one direction. Marks directly adjacent to each other in a predetermined direction are formed in two marking steps, which are not carried out directly in succession one after the other. Thus, at least two series of marks are produced in the predetermined direction, wherein said marks are spaced at regular intervals from each other and are interleaved in the predetermined direction. As a result, and because of the temperature regime according to the invention during encoding, a particularly low-stress, crack-free marking of glass can be accomplished.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for treating refractory material which consists of fireclay, light-weight refractory bricks, silimanite bricks, zirconium and zirconium-containing bricks, and fusion-cast bricks with compositions from Al2O3, SiO2, ZrO2 and/or MgO or CrO in order to render it corrosion-resistant so that it withstands contact with a glass melt for a longer time. The surface of the material is treated by laser radiation, forming a vitreous surface layer having a thickness of 100 to 1000 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for cutting glass tubes, characterised by the following steps: a glass strand is drawn; a heating device is driven synchronously with the glass strand and is directed towards the region of a desired separation point; the glass strand is drawn in the region of the desired separation point; a separation device is driven synchronously with the glass strand; the separation device is actuated in such a way that it severs the glass strand at the desired separation point.

Abstract: In an apparatus and a method for marking glass with a laser, the glass is first brought to a temperature above the transformation temperature of the glass. The glass is then acted upon by a laser pulse which produces a mark on the surface of the glass. The peak power of the laser pulse is preferably selected so that it is merely a thermal interaction with the glass surface which occurs. This has the advantage that the material properties of the marked glass remain unchanged compared with the unmarked product.

Abstract: In an apparatus and a method for marking glass with a laser, the glass is first brought to a temperature above the transformation temperature of the glass. The glass is then acted upon by a laser pulse which produces a mark on the surface of the glass. The peak power of the laser pulse is preferably selected so that it is merely a thermal interaction with the glass surface which occurs. This has the advantage that the material properties of the marked glass remain unchanged compared with the unmarked product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the heat-softened severance of thin-walled glass tubes or plates with a wall thickness of no more than 0.2 mm, wherein the glass is softened on a width of no more than 0.4 mm, the softened area is reduced by drawing to a wall thickness of no more than 0.05 mm, and then is separated by additional heating in the drawn-out area.