The EU aims to be climate-neutral by 2050. While mixed-glass containers with partially unseparated insulated glass were previously the common solution for disposal, the separating of the individual raw materials by type offers economic and ecological advantages. A new and automatic machine concept enables the productive separation and type-specific sorting of IGUs into individual components in order to reuse or recycle them downstream. To ensure that glass panes remain usable for a range of applications, the requirements include removing the individual panes from the spacers with a high degree of process reliability and without damage.
A newly developed separating system that is fast and creates minimal material residue automates the work, which until now was primarily manual. The system fully automatic determines the glass dimensions of the IGU, the glass thickness, the presence of a coating and, in the case of LSG (laminated safety glass), its structure including glass and film thickness and provides this information for the subsequent processes. So that when the panes are professionally separated, maximum financial added value is created during recycling compared to the unprocessed old insulating glass unit. For newly produced, large-surface and high-quality IGUs above all, but also with suitable existing glazing, separation and repair generate advantages from the financial viewpoint. Soiled or scratched panes can be recycled and replaced by new ones. The highly automated, clean and fast process sequence makes cutting large IGUs in particular economically attractive. As carbon pricing grows, the ratio will continue to improve. Separating insulated glass can also have a positive effect on your corporate image. Recycling saves carbon and reduces the costs of CO2 certificates for float glass producers. Concepts like this are improving the climate footprint of corporations and will become a standard procedure to reach our climate goals.
