At Clearlight Glass and Mirror, we know that the quality and efficiency of our glass-cutting operation is essential to your bottom line. That’s why we believe it is important for us to invest in the right equipment for your jobs.
Recently, Clearlight Glass & Mirror purchased a Neptun T10 vertical CNC glass-cutting machine to work side-by-side with our existing Intermac Master 33.3 horizontal tabletop CNC glass-cutting machine. In combination, these two machines increase our ability to offer our customers a wide range of glass-cutting capabilities, with increased volume and decreased lead times, to meet the needs of the most demanding projects.
Key Differences Between Vertical and Horizontal CNC Glass-Cutting Machines
Let’s take a look at the key differences between vertical and horizontal CNC glass-cutting machines, and discuss the differing capabilities of each type. We’ll provide some specific examples of how the two machines can be used together to create complex glass shapes and finishes. Finally, we’ll discuss how using these two machines will improve your customer experience working with Clearlight Glass on even the biggest and most complex projects.
The main difference between vertical and horizontal CNC glass-cutting machines is the orientation of the glass during the cutting process. In a vertical machine, the glass is mounted vertically (requiring at least one flat edge), utilizing gravity plus fixed suction to hold the glass in place, and the cutting head moves horizontally, making the set-up faster for mass production. In a horizontal machine, the glass is laid horizontally, utilizing specifically placed suction cups on the table to hold the glass in place, requiring more programming and set-up time. This configuration allows for pieces that are diameters or have four radius edges since the glass is secured by the surface–not the edge–with the cutting head moving vertically and quickly for precision cuts.
Despite the slower setup required of the horizontal machine, it has an extra capability over the vertical CNC: the ability to make surface grooves and designs on the C axis. The horizontal machine operates in not only the X, Y, and Z axis but also the C axis. This allows for plate grooves or custom designs to be carved into the face of the glass.
This translates into vertical machines producing more pieces faster as setup time for each piece is drastically reduced by not having to program and place suction cups to hold the glass in place. The horizontal machine allows for work on diameter and radius shapes as opposed to the vertical machine which cannot stabilize such curved pieces for drilling and milling. Additionally, the horizontal machine can carve grooves and designs into the face of the glass on the C axis.
Horizontal Tabletop CNC Glass-Cutting Machine:
Intermac Biesse Master Multiglass Processing:
Intermac Biesse Master Mirror Grooving:
Vertical CNC Glass-Cutting Machine:
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