Forglass has recently partnered with one of the world’s largest producers of automotive and architectural glass to perform hot overcoating of their float furnace in Europe.

Hot overcoating of a large float furnace is one of the most demanding type of furnace repair, requiring extraordinary organization and an exceptional team. It involves a large number of highly skilled workers and supervisors, who have to work in extremely harsh conditions. During hot overcoating, the furnace is kept around its operating temperature, so people working around the furnace must wear special protective clothing, gloves, face and head shields and other garments that protect the human body from exposure to extreme heat.

Scheduling this type of work has to account for another factor, which is human endurance while working in extreme conditions. Teams must work in short intervals giving them time to rest and cool off. Hot overcoating of a large float furnace is planned to minimise glass-to-glass time and there is no room for delay. Detailed planning is key, allowing exactly the right amount of time to complete each task. The efficiency and quality of work has to be 100%, as there is no time to redo a mistake. It has to be done correctly the first time. Clearly, the high skill level of everyone involved is essential in this type of work and Forglass has exactly these kinds of experts on staff!