It’s May, and it’s the time of year when fenestration professionals are normally preparing to handle the hustle and bustle of busy season in anticipation of an order influx.
I probably don’t need to tell you that it was a slower start to the year as economic uncertainty led to softer demand over the winter. But it’s reasonable to expect activity to pick up over the summer and leading into fall. If and when that does happen, you need to be prepared to reliably fulfill orders and maintain the levels of quality your customers have come to expect.
And that brings me to today’s tip:
When it comes to quality, the devil is in the details.
Last month, I zeroed in on your glass washing station as one area where I frequently notice small-but-meaningful lapses on insulating glass (IG) production lines. Brushes not making proper contact with the glass, improperly calibrated water temperatures, and other factors can all throw your ability to make quality units into question if they aren’t accounted for.
But these are far from the only details that can make or break an IG unit (IGU). Let’s take a look at a few others that my technical services team routinely inspects when we’re assisting a customer.
Improperly Calibrated Heated Roller Presses
Both single-seal and dual-seal spacer systems require good whet out on properly calibrated presses. This can be one of the most critical areas impacting IG performance; it’s often one of the biggest red flags our technical services team can find during an audit process.
Here, it’s critical that the press height is set to the correct level and that the press itself is properly calibrated to produce units at intended overall airspace thickness. Single-seal systems also require heat ensuring bond line adhesion to the glass. Even small discrepancies here can result in sending dozens of lower-quality units into production.
Closing the Final Corner
When applying single- and dual-seal spacer systems, it’s imperative that the final corner be fully closed. Improper closure in these applications is one of the leading causes of seal failure, which can lead to performance issues, unsightly condensation on the interior of an IG, and possible warranty claims. In automated systems, improperly heated final corners can lead to major issues for your operations.
While some spacer systems that deploy the use of a secondary seal are a little more forgiving in this regard, it remains an important part of your overall quality processes to be sure exterior seals are applied properly and consistently.
Glass Cutting
When cutting your glass panes to the proper size for your production run, it’s important that the low-E coating be completely edge deleted. Improper or rough cuts can lead to stress cracks in the field.
Improper Spacer Storage
Because your spacer systems are so critical for IGU performance and functionality, it’s important that they are stored at the proper temperature and off the floor. Many spacers are provided in mylar bags to prevent them from losing their inherent desiccating capabilities, which can happen if the spacer is stored out in the open.
These aren’t all of the little things my team looks for when performing quality audits for our customers, but they’re some of the most important. Because even seemingly small lapses in any part of production can throw off the performance of your units and can even damage your reputation. It’s something to remember in preparation for summer on the shop floor.
John Ryba is Technical Services Director for Quanex.