Busch helps Ardagh stabilize glass forming with controlled vacuum system

Busch Vacuum Solutions and Ardagh Group have implemented a new vacuum concept at Glaswerk Neuenhagen in Germany to improve stability in glass container forming. The upgrade uses screw vacuum technology and speed control to keep vacuum levels steady, cut energy use and reduce maintenance during production.

Why it matters: - Glass container forming depends on tightly controlled vacuum levels to keep wall thickness, geometry and surface quality within spec. - The new setup is designed to improve process stability, reduce energy use and lower maintenance demands in continuous production. - Better vacuum control also supports plant availability, operational planning and safety.

What happened: - Busch Vacuum Solutions worked with Ardagh Group to redesign the vacuum supply at Glaswerk Neuenhagen in Germany. - The project replaced an older oil-lubricated rotary vane setup with a control-based vacuum concept. - The new system uses COBRA NC screw vacuum pumps with frequency converters for continuous speed control. - Ardagh uses the system in glass forming, where process conditions change with geometry, gob weight, cycle time and temperature.

The details: - Vacuum is used with internal overpressure to help deaerate molding chambers and shape the container evenly. - The process requires tight vacuum tolerances and timing across each cycle. - In modern individual section machines, the key requirement is fast delivery of the needed vacuum level under changing load conditions, not just maximum pump capacity. - The previous system could only switch pump stages on or off, which limited fine adjustment to process needs. - Product changeovers and cycle-time changes could push vacuum above or below setpoint. - The new pumps adjust volumetric capacity to match process conditions. - Integrated pressure measurement continuously tracks the vacuum level. - Control circuits hold the vacuum steady by adjusting motor speed. - The dry, contactless screw technology operates without operating liquids in the compression chamber and is intended for continuous industrial use. - Partial-load operation reduces mechanical stress, wear and thermal load. - Ardagh says the new vacuum solution has improved process stability, kept vacuum levels constant and reduced energy, noise, heat load and maintenance effort.

Between the lines: - The project shifts vacuum from a basic utility to an actively managed process variable. - That matters in glass forming because small timing or pressure deviations can affect quality and increase rework. - The modular design suggests Busch is positioning the concept for other production lines with changing vacuum demand.

What's next: - Busch says the concept is suited to industrial processes with dynamic operating conditions and changing product geometries. - The company is using the Ardagh project as an example of how process-aware vacuum control can support reproducible manufacturing. - Wider adoption would likely target plants where energy efficiency and process repeatability are both critical.

The bottom line: - Busch and Ardagh turned vacuum control into a precision tool for glass forming, aiming for steadier output, lower operating costs and less downtime.