Walshs Glass in Australia upgrades with Glaston’s Roller Heat Control (RHC)

Date: 20 December 2021
Source: glaston.net
From the left: Steve Cuff, Executive Operations Manager, and Andrew Parker, Executive Director of Walshs Glass, Australia
Photo source
glaston.net

Date: 20 December 2021

Quality experts across a wide range of glass types

In January 2021, Walshs Glass in Western Australia began using their Glaston RHC upgrade, enabling them to improve glass flatness and optical quality. “Today, we’re positioned to take advantage of the rapidly changing glass processing demands in Western Australia,” says Steve Cuff, Executive Operations Manager at Walshs Glass.

This year, Walshs is celebrating 50 years of business success. Starting out as a merchandising and processing company, today Walshs provides cut-to-size processing, toughened glass, custom lamination and insulated glass (IG) units. Since the Western Australian market is not that large, the company has focused on processing a wide range of glass for the entire market.

Walshs’ first experience with Glaston was with a second-hand HTF furnace from the US that had been decommissioned in 1998. In 2008, the company commissioned a Glaston ProE furnace. The furnace was upgraded in 2019 with iControL software.

“We wanted to give our operators an easier way to use the furnace, and the earlier control system was simply out of date. With iControL, our operators have been able to create their own recipes with the ease of the touchscreen,” Steve says.

BETTER GLASS FLATNESS AND OPTICAL QUALITY

After that project went very well, Walshs began to explore ways to enhance the glass flatness and optical quality of the glass from the furnace. The use of soft and hard glass coatings in the market had increased significantly.

Steve and his team met numerous times with Glaston to talk – onsite and at industry events.

“The Glaston team was very clear about the results we could achieve,” Steve says. “We’d be better able to meet the high roller wave standards using heat control that could be accomplished with an RHC upgrade.”

AN UNFORESEEN OBSTACLE

Walshs was ready to start the project when the coronavirus pandemic began. Western Australia reacted rapidly by closing all state borders.

Walshs planned to use the same Glaston technician they had for the iControL upgrade – Mukesh Gusain, from the UAE. “His professionalism and skills are simply outstanding. And he knows how to get on with the job,” Steve says. “But with COVID-19, it was very difficult to get him the right permits to enter the country.”

Glaston was able to work magic, and by Walshs’ Christmas shutdown in 2020, all was ready. Mukesh had fulfilled his two-week mandatory quarantine and could start.

“The upgrade was installed on December 28 and was successfully commissioned by January 7, 2021, even while we were experiencing two of the hottest days of the year in Perth with scorching temperatures of +44 °C,” Steve recalls.

“Our maintenance team, outside electricians and Mukesh worked extremely long 12-hour days. We successfully managed our own customers’ expectations during this period. And in the end, everything went very well.”

LEARNING ALONG THE WAY

They then had to learn to use the new Roller Heat Control and adapt their old heat control philosophy to the new one.

“After about eight weeks, Konsta Petrov, Sales and Service Director of Glaston’s Australia Branch Office, was finally able to travel to Western Australia to help us refine the recipes and answer our operators’ questions,” Steve says.

Walshs is now seeing a significant reduction in glass breakage in the quench. Output has increased, as the changeover time has been minimized. They can now switch easily between glass thicknesses without losing time. Plus, the RHC is helping them save significantly on power consumption, as the heaters do not always need to be on.

“Our customers have commented particularly on our optical quality and glass flatness. Since we are certified to produce soft coated glass by Guardian Oceania and Saint-Gobain, we now have the measures of flexibility to ensure the best optical output,” he says.

“We’re seeing a big shift in demand towards performance glass. Everyone is looking more toward energy efficiency. Our RHC upgrade certainly puts us at the forefront of being able to meet those requirements in Western Australia.”

It’s just another example of why Walshs Glass are “experts in glass.”

An integral part of the upgrade project success, from the left: Shawn Smit, Maintenance Manager, Zac Verhoeven, day shift Furnace Operator, David Owens, 2IC Production Coordinator and missing from the team picture Nathan Hill.
An integral part of the upgrade project success, from the left: Shawn Smit, Maintenance Manager, Zac Verhoeven, day shift Furnace Operator, David Owens, 2IC Production Coordinator and missing from the team picture Nathan Hill.

Glaston tempering technology

RCH upgrade

More about RCH upgrade

glaston.net/upgrade/roller-heat-control/

600450 Walshs Glass in Australia upgrades with Glaston’s Roller Heat Control (RHC) glassonweb.com

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Comments

Aison Wilson Liao
Tue, 21/06/2022 - 12:18

They can now switch easily between glass thicknesses without losing time. 

Joe Anderson
Thu, 18/08/2022 - 00:53

Congratulations on your 50 years in the business! I hope to see more blogs in the future. Your work inspired me to become successful too. :)

Amber Brion
Tue, 07/02/2023 - 06:24

Walshs Glass, a Western Australia-based company that provides cut-to-size processing, toughened glass, custom lamination, and insulated glass (IG) units, recently upgraded their Glaston furnace with the Glaston RHC upgrade, allowing for improved glass flatness and optical quality. The upgrade was installed in December 2020 and commissioned by January 2021, despite the COVID-19 pandemic and border closures. After about eight weeks of adaptation, Walshs has seen a significant reduction in glass breakage, increased output, and savings in power consumption, with customers commenting on the improved optical quality and glass flatness. The RHC upgrade has positioned Walshs to meet the growing demand for performance glass and energy efficiency in the Western Australian market. https://www.goodgarages.net/

Luke Der Veer
Sat, 29/04/2023 - 01:56

Congratulations on your successful business! I have been running my own tree service company in California and I know the trials and tribulations that business owners go through. 50 years is a long time and I hope to be as successful as you guys one day - www.treetrimmingpalmdesert.com

 

In reply to by Luke Der Veer

Luke Der Veer
Sat, 29/04/2023 - 01:58

Congratulations on your successful business! I have been running my own tree service company in California and I know the trials and tribulations that business owners go through. 50 years is a long time and I hope to be as successful as you guys one day - https://www.treetrimmingpalmdesert.com

Aison Wilson Liao
Thu, 01/02/2024 - 13:09

The market is clearly shifting in favor of Perth performance glass. The focus of attention is increasingly on energy efficiency.