This project will address a tangible case of trans national technology transfer applied to the curved glass industry. The main objective of this proposal is to bring innovation in a productive sector which is characterized by SMEs producing curved glass items, whose market potential is very large, but which now are facing the need to comply with new safety regulations. Improvements of safety against breakage implies the improvement of tempering technology; laser technology has the potential to provide very promising solutions to that problem.

Innovation in the sector of curved glass is possible only if very different actors join together into a common effort. Therefore this project aim to form a network of complementary actors, with very different expertise and market interest, so to address effectively the demand of finding technological solutions to the tempering of curved glass and of thin glass.

Major aims and objectives

Non-technical Aspects (NTA)

Project's aim fit the priorities of the Innovative Projects mainly as far as regards the following items for non-technical aspects:

• the proposed technology transfer has a trans-national approach;

• the diffusion of an EU awareness in SMEs, in particular in the furniture field (with the help of Cosmob);

• the study of practical strategies to involve also "family managed" SMEs in innovation projects.

Technical Aspects (TA)

The proposed idea arises from a sound market research that sees the application of glass material in:

• furniture sector, especially for components elements

• building architectural sector.

The core of this initiatives is based on laser technology and image based quality control for improving the performance of glass utilization in the above mentioned sectors in term of safety and usability, also applicable to curved and thin (> 2mm) panel glass.

European manufacturers of curved and thin glass items have gained a very significant role in the market, also thanks to the style and aesthetics of their products, but when developing complex 3 dimensional glass objects, now they are facing serious limitation imposed by conventional technologies for tempering.

The main technical advantages proposed within the Glasstech project are:

1. Laser is a clean technology in terms of power consumption, noise emission, clean environment;

2. Extension of features of tempered glass also to complex shape curved object.

3. The glass product performed through laser technology complies with European standard requirement and regulation for glass in building, applicable also for curved glass utilization in furniture;

4. Development of a product "technology intensive", against the offensive of emerging countries.