Method for manufacturing a hollow glass product from a glass tube semi-finished product having markings, and uses of the same

Abstract

A glass tube semi-finished product or a hollow glass product manufactured from the glass tube semi-finished product is provided with a first marking with information on the origin and/or tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, which marking is read from the hollow glass product after its manufacture to determine the origin and/or the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, e.g., to identify the semi-finished glass tube from which the hollow glass product has been made, and/or trace the tube-specific production data of this glass tube semi-finished product. This means that the entire supply chain for the hollow glass product from the supplier of the originally used glass tube semi-finished product up to the end product can be determined. The physical and chemical characteristics of the glass tube semi-finished product are not altered for producing the first marking.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for manufacturing a hollow glass product from a glass tube semi-finished product, the method comprising the steps of:
 separating the glass tube semi-finished product from a glass strand;   applying a marking to the glass tube semi-finished product on a surface of the glass tube semi-finished product, wherein the marking is applied without altering the physical and chemical characteristics of an inner surface of the glass tube semi-finished product, and wherein the marking is applied during or after the separating step; and   thermally forming the glass tube semi-finished product, at least in a portion thereof, to form the hollow glass product at temperatures above the transformation temperature of the glass tube semi-finished product,   wherein the marking is readable on the hollow glass product after its manufacture.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the marking comprises information regarding tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, and
 wherein the tube-specific production data comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a glass melt, the type of glass, a processing temperature, a speed at which the glass tube semi-finished product is drawn off, a forming agent used, dimensions and characteristics of the forming agent used, a temperature and process conditions for cooling the glass tube semi-finished product after tube forming, and specific production conditions.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the applying step comprises applying a plurality of markings to the glass tube semi-finished product. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of markings is marked at constant intervals that correspond to a length of the hollow glass product. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein each of the plurality of markings comprises information regarding tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, and
 wherein the tube-specific production data comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a glass melt, the type of glass, a processing temperature, a speed at which the glass tube semi-finished product is drawn off, a forming agent used, dimensions and characteristics of the forming agent used, a temperature and process conditions for cooling the glass tube semi-finished product after tube forming, and specific production conditions.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of markings is made at uniform distances from each other in a longitudinal direction of the glass tube semi-finished product during a tube shaping of the glass tube semi-finished product. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of applying a second marking to the glass tube semi-finished product, wherein the additional marking is applied at temperatures above the transformation temperature of the glass of the glass tube semi-finished product. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 reading out the information from the marking on the hollow glass product; and   backtracking the hollow glass product by determining at least one of the origin and the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product based on the information read from the marking.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the backtracking step comprises accessing a database via a network, wherein the database stores further information regarding at least one of the origin and the tube-specific production data. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the marking further comprises information on process parameters for the thermally forming step, the method further comprising the step of:
 determining the process parameters for the thermally forming on the basis of the information read from the marking.   
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the determining step comprises accessing a database via a network, wherein the database stores further information regarding the process parameters. 
     
     
         12 . A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing a computer program having program codes which, when executed by a processor device, cause the processor device to control a method comprising the steps of:
 separating a glass tube semi-finished product from a glass strand;   applying a marking to the glass tube semi-finished product on a surface of the glass tube semi-finished product, wherein the marking is applied without altering the physical and chemical characteristics of an inner surface of the glass tube semi-finished product, and wherein the marking is applied during or after the separating step; and   thermally forming the glass tube semi-finished product, at least in a portion thereof, to form a hollow glass product at temperatures above the transformation temperature of the glass tube semi-finished product,   wherein the marking is readable on the hollow glass product after its manufacture.   
     
     
         13 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the marking comprises information regarding tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, and
 wherein the tube-specific production data comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a glass melt, the type of glass, a processing temperature, a speed at which the glass tube semi-finished product is drawn off, a forming agent used, dimensions and characteristics of the forming agent used, a temperature and process conditions for cooling the glass tube semi-finished product after tube forming, and specific production conditions.   
     
     
         14 . The medium of  claim 12 , wherein the applying step comprises applying a plurality of markings to the glass tube semi-finished product. 
     
     
         15 . The medium of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of markings is applied at constant intervals that correspond to a length of the hollow glass product. 
     
     
         16 . The medium of  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of markings comprises information regarding tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product, and
 wherein the tube-specific production data comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of a glass melt, the type of glass, a processing temperature, a speed at which the glass tube semi-finished product is drawn off, a forming agent used, dimensions and characteristics of the forming agent used, a temperature and process conditions for cooling the glass tube semi-finished product after tube forming, and specific production conditions.   
     
     
         17 . The medium according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the plurality of markings is made at uniform distances from each other in a longitudinal direction of the glass tube semi-finished product during a tube shaping of the glass tube semi-finished product. 
     
     
         18 . The medium according to  claim 12 , further comprising the step of applying a second marking to the glass tube semi-finished product, wherein the additional marking is applied at temperatures above the transformation temperature of the glass of the glass tube semi-finished product. 
     
     
         19 . The medium according to  claim 13 , wherein the method further comprises the step of:
 reading out the information from the marking on the hollow glass product; and   backtracking the hollow glass product by determining at least one of the origin and the tube-specific production data of the glass tube semi-finished product based on the information read from the marking,   wherein the backtracking step comprises accessing a database via a network, wherein the database stores further information regarding at least one of the origin and the tube-specific production data.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the marking further comprises information on process parameters for the thermally forming step, the method further comprising the step of:
 determining the process parameters for the thermally forming on the basis of the information read from the marking,   wherein the determining step comprises accessing a database via a network, wherein the database stores further information regarding the process parameters.