In the Schott glass-ceramic production facility, Simatic PCS 7 takes highly precise temperature measurements during creation of the world’s largest telescope.
Right on target
Glass & Solar
Schott AG
The special feature of the glass-ceramic is its extremely low thermal expansion coefficient. To avoid stress cracks, the specialty glass had to be heated and cooled over a very long period of time during the production process – to temperatures that had to be set precisely to the third decimal place over an extremely broad range of temperatures.
The world’s largest optical telescope is being built in Chile. Schott is a partner in this major project and was asked to cast and grind three of these huge reflector mirrors. Schott uses a special glass-ceramic (Zerodur) as the mirror substrate.
Schott was very pleased that Siemens was able to seamlessly implement this extremely challenging, highly precise temperature measurement within the glass-ceramic production process with its process control system.
SIMATIC PCS 7 and module of the SIMATIC ET 200SP
Until now Schott had to maintain an additional temperature measuring system in its existing plants, which resulted in hardware, engineering, and handling costs.
Schott was very pleased that Siemens was able to seamlessly implement this extremely challenging, highly precise temperature measurement with its process control system.
Schott AG, the leading international technology group in the areas of specialty glass and glass-ceramics.
The world’s largest optical telescope is being built in Chile. Schott is a partner in this major project. Schott was asked to cast and grind three of these huge reflector mirrors. Schott uses a special glass-ceramic (Zerodur) as the mirror substrate.