GED Rolls Waste Away with InterGrid®

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A new roll forming muntin machine from GED

Twinsburg, OH ⎯ December 21, 2001 | IG manufacturers can boost profits by saving time and material while producing computer-controlled distortion-free muntins with GED’s latest product introduction, the InterGrid® Roll Forming Muntin Machine. Producing up to 2,200 grids per 8-hour shift, InterGrid consistently rolls and forms flat, pre-painted coiled aluminum into notched, formed and cut muntin bars. InterGrid helps fabricators improve profits through:

  • reduced material costs
  • reduced labor costs
  • reduced inventory costs
  • increased production capacity
  • improved unit quality
  • and reduced scheduling errors

Using pre-slit coiled aluminum rather than pre-cut aluminum bars, fabricators can expect to save anywhere from 30 to 60 percent in material costs. On the average, customers currently lose 8 to 9 inches per 13-foot bar due to unusable end pieces. InterGrid’s automated uncoiler roll-forming process eliminates not only the waste from these unusable end pieces but the waste incurred by operator error as well. Fabricators can also enjoy significant savings in labor, for the labor for cutting, notching, and cleaning is eliminated with InterGrid’s oil free notching system and dust collector. Automation of the muntin bar process not only results in a much cleaner muntin bar, but the roll-forming approach employed by InterGrid enables distortion-free notching unit after unit.

InterGrid’s state-of-the-art remake feature eliminates the scrap incurred with the post-cutting, post-notching and handling required to do remakes. Muntins can be remade at the end of a batch or at any time during production by simply selecting the remake button. Designed to meet the needs of fabricators requiring high-capacity, low-cost muntins, InterGrid provides a means to increase production capacity and significantly reduce both material and labor costs.

GED Introduces 1600 Series Flat Glass Cutting System

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With State-of-the Art Digital Control System

Twinsburg, OH – August 6, 2001 | GED, a leader in innovation for the insulating glass industry, now has available the 1600 Series Computer Controlled Flat Glass Cutting System. The new control design combines increased performance capabilities with enhanced flexibility for greater uptime and higher throughput. With a maximum glass size of 72″ x 96″ x ¼”, the 1600 provides medium volume fabricators the advanced features in hardware and software which were previously only available with GED’s larger 6000 Series Cutting System.

The 1600 Series uses a Windows® 98 platform with graphic user interface which makes it easier to use, and greatly reduces training and start-up time. A new operator help system includes software help screens, machine status, and errors and how to fix them. All controls are in the PC environment – all the information needed for diagnostics and status are at the operator’s fingertips. As with other GED System Solutions, WinCut™ II software is fully integrated with WinIG® and other GED WinSystem1® software modules.

New features also make it easy to handle the exception, as well as production cutting. The redesigned Manual Data Input (MDI) allows the operator to simply input a lite size and quantity. WinCut II Software automatically optimizes and generates a cut pattern for quick turnaround, saving time and money. Remakes are also a snap with the remake button mounted on the BreakOut Table. Operators no longer have to manually track lites to be remade. And remakes can also be optimized with MDI lites for improved yields.

The 1600 Series Cutting Table offers superior performance. Digitally tuned drives and motion controller are tolerant of mechanical fluctuations without operator adjustment for consistent performance. New dual linear bearings greatly improve stability, dramatically increasing the machine’s ability to maintain accurate scores even as the linear bearings wear. Wear due to running time and ambient temperature changes no longer require tweaking or readjustment. Lighter motors mean efficient cutting bridge operation and reduced weight stress on moving parts, allowing the 1600 Series to achieve a cutting head speed of 3500″ per minute.

GED offers a complete cutting package, including Free-Fall Loading, CNC Cutting Table and Break-Out Table with easy to use sorting monitor, as well as high yield optimization software, Slot Sorting Racks, training, and on-going software and technical support.

WinSystem1 and WinIG are registered trademarks of GED, Inc.
WinCut is a trademark of GED, Inc.
Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

3M™ & Silver Line™ Collaborate with GED to Add Beauty and Value to the Window & Door Industry

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Twinsburg, OH – March 21, 2001 | Thanks to the combined efforts of three innovative companies, the beauty of beveled glass is launched to the window and door industry using a unique, patented technology from 3M™ that creates the added beauty and value of beveled glass without the added time, weight, risk and cost. Four years in the making, 3M’s collaboration with Silver Line™ Building Products and Glass Equipment Development (GED), brings this exciting new opportunity to window and door manufacturers with the launch of 3M™ Accentrim™ Products.

Accentrim products, available in ½”, ¾” and 1” Edge Bevel and V-Groove patterns are professionally applied either by hand, for existing home or business glass applications, or using an automated machine to apply the tape for high volume applications such as cabinets, windows and doors.

Starting in 1997, 3M market research efforts made it clear that if Accentrim products could meet the stringent application and durability requirements of the window and door industry, the products would be accepted by manufacturers, contractors and consumers.

To help address these requirements, 3M needed a commitment from companies willing to help address the unique issues of the insulated glass window and door industry. They found two ideal partners in Silver Line Building Products and GED.

At the 1999 National Association of Home Builders Show in Dallas, TX, 3M introduced the concept of creating the beauty and value of beveled or V-grooved glass using a unique patented technology from 3M. It was at this show that Bob Peck, 3M Market Development Manager, met Ken Silverman, President and Andy Karr, Marketing and Advertising Director for Silver Line Windows. “It was clear from the start that Silver Line understood the opportunity, as well as the challenges we would face in bringing this product to market.” Said Bob Peck “Silver Line, the leading manufacturer of vinyl windows in the U.S., committed to helping us address these challenges and they’ve been very generous with access to their personnel and production facilities.”

Early in the evaluation process, 3M initiated development of automated equipment to apply Accentrim products. Silver Line recommended that 3M contact GED to help address many of the automated application challenges faced in window and door production facilities. 3M quickly recognized GED’s value and expertise and the two companies have formed an exclusive relationship to manufacture, sell and service automated equipment for the application of Accentrim. Peck says, “We found a terrific partner in GED. Their reputation in the industry and their demonstrated commitment to quality products and service combine to make them the obvious choice to help bring Accentrim products to market.”

“GED is very excited to be partnering with 3M,” said Ron Auletta, President of GED. “We were confident in the success of Accentrim based on 3M’s past innovations. GED’s expertise in system solutions combined with 3M’s product performance ensure a profitable opportunity for our customers.”

GED will introduce two forms of automated application equipment in 2001. The first, available for purchase today, quickly and accurately applies the product in horizontal or vertical directions, finishing a standard size pane of glass in less than three minutes. The machine’s user friendly and versatile functionality enables the operator to create a broad variety of designs on panes as large as full patio doors. By the end of 2001, for customers of GED’s Intercept® production system, a new Accentrim machine offering higher speed production and integration into GED’s WinIG® software will even further extend the value of the Accentrim products to the highest volume manufacturers in the industry.

Together, 3M, Silver Line, and GED have collaborated to introduce an exciting and innovative new opportunity to the window and door manufacturers and their customers adding beauty and value to products for the window and door industry.

For more information regarding:

  • 3M Accentrim Products contact 3M at 1-800-567-1639 x8006
  • Silver Line Building Products call 1-800-234-4228
  • GED, Inc. call 330-425-3876

GED Announces Executive Promotions

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Twinsburg, OH – January 19, 2001 | GED, the leader in providing automated systems to the insulating glass fabrication industry, announces the promotions of Ron Auletta to the position of President, Bob Misencik to Director of Customer Service, and the appointment of Pete Chojnacki to the Director of Marketing.

Ron Auletta joined GED in December, 1994 as the Director of Manufacturing. He successfully implemented the principles of Lean Manufacturing at GED, which in turn doubled its capacity to manufacture state-of-the-art systems for the IG industry. Most recently he held the title of Vice President & General Manager. As President, Auletta’s focus going forward will be to acquire other businesses and integrate them into GED. Auletta, a resident of Broadview Heights, is a graduate of Cleveland State University where he is currently completing his M.B.A.

Building on GED’s tradition of superior customer service in the fenestration industry, Bob Misencik has been promoted to Director of Customer Service. Since joining GED in 1994 as Director of Quality Assurance, Misencik lead the drive to improve GED’s product quality and reliability, and to earn ISO registration. In 1996, GED became the first North American equipment manufacturer in the insulating glass industry to achieve certification for ISO 9001; ANSI/ASQC Q9001. As Director of Customer Service, Misencik is now seeing first-hand the results of his quality system initiatives as it affects our customers. He received his Bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering and his M.S.I.E. in Engineering Management from Cleveland State University. and is a resident of Mentor.

Pete Chonjacki has been appointed Director of Marketing at GED, where he will lead the Marketing Group in support of continued growth and achievement of corporate goals. Chonjacki’s marketing experience includes over fourteen years in the automotive, communications technology and consumer products areas. He brings to GED a new level of market analysis, product positioning, product development, strategic marketing and customer service awareness. Chojnacki received his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Indiana University, his M.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame, and is a resident of Hudson.

These promotions at GED support GED’s on-going commitment to being the industry leader in insulating glass fabrication equipment.

GED Introduces the First Smart Linear Sealant Extruder

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Twinsburg, OH – November 7, 2000 | GED, the innovation leader in insulating glass fabrication automation now offers the Smart Linear Sealant Extruder for applying sealants and desiccant matrix materials. The most technically advanced extruder available, the Smart Extruder is designed to save material, reduce maintenance costs, increase up time and save money!

The heart of this new machine is a positive displacement gear pump which insures accurate material application on either Intercept® IG Spacer Frames or rectangular bar. The Smart Extruder provides control, reliability, consistency and measurable quality performance — from the first unit of the day through the last unit on the last shift.

The gear pump design eliminates the need to adjust the machine to changing conditions. Fluctuations in air pressure, ambient temperatures, and material viscosity variations between batches or barrels are handled by the positive flow control gear pump without operator adjustment. The Smart Extruder maintains sealant application to your specifications.

Designed to be easy to operate, the user creates custom software set ups which define the sealant thickness and placement required on each spacer width and for each sealant material used. The operator merely selects the correct spacer width from the menu and the entire machine automatically calibrates to the specifications for that spacer width.

The Smart Extruder ensures that sealant and matrix materials are applied with a high degree of consistency (+0.002″) for superior sealant wet out and lower matrix costs. No longer does material need to be applied “too thick” to ensure minimum specifications are met. Precise start and stop application is assured to within .050″.

The optional QCC Laser Sensor Module monitors sealant application on each spacer for voids or air bubbles. The operator is alerted immediately if a spacer falls outside the user defined material application specifications. Production and quality data are also recorded for later analysis and for use with future GED “Smart Products”.

Intercept is a registered trademark of PPG Industries, Inc.

GED Offers New Visitor Experience with New Website

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Twinsburg, OH – October 27, 2000 | GED’s web site offers viewers up-to-the minute detailed information on GED’s complete line of high quality insulating glass machinery, including the powerful Intercept® IG System; the InterGrid™ Roll Forming Muntin Machine; the ContourGrid™ System, the only computer controlled roll forming muntin machine that produces precise, shape routed intersections at a lower cost and higher throughput; Computer-Controlled Glass Cutting Systems that offer on-the-floor remake and optimization; and the 3500 Series Oven, the most energy-efficient oven in the industry.

Visitors of the web can also take a sneak peak at GED’s NEW PRODUCT AND SERVICES offerings such as:

  • RemakeNOW™, a WinSystem 1® software application designed to increase production capacity, improve IG quality and reduce remake process time of Intercept® IG units by improving the efficiency of the remake manufacturing process.
  • GED Financing Solutions™, a custom financing solution program that enables window and door fabricators to secure the equipment they need when they need it.
  • The Smart Linear Extruder, the first of a series of quality intelligent machines for state-of-the-art IG fabrication, that provides control, reliability, consistency, and measurable quality performance – from the first unit of the day through the last unit on the last shift.

Visitors can also connect to GED’s Tech Talk page on the web, a communication vehicle in which Premium Support subscribers can submit, at any time, software features they would like to have included in future WinSystem 1® software upgrades. Along with submitting feature requests, subscribers can also view the new enhancements that will be included in the next software release.

For those who want to learn a little about the history of the company or the people who are working to bring the best in quality and service, the “About GED” page can be viewed. Also available are overviews and schedules of GED’s Service Center training programs, where visitors will not only learn about the industry’s largest customer service facility, but register for future training classes as well. Technical support and software support can also be found, as well as numerous e-mail boxes and links to other glass-related sites.

GED’s web site is continuously updated and expanded to provide a constant flow of relevant, usable information and services.

GED Introduces RemakeNow®

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Twinsburg, OH ⎯ August 14, 2000 | Glass Equipment Development, Inc., a world-class manufacturer of IG fabrication systems, introduces another “System Solution” product with RemakeNow®, a WinSystem 1 application designed to increase production capacity by minimizing the time and labor required to create remakes and prevent duplicate remakes from being processed. 

Remakes are a major cause of inefficiency, confusion, and lost productivity in most manufacturing plants. The RemakeNow System offers a much simpler and better way to manage remakes and is another example of GED’s commitment to window and door manufacturers to improve IG Quality, increase production Capacity, and decrease Costs (QCC). 

Through a unique bar code scanning system, manufacturing information for defective or damaged units is quickly and accurately transmitted to a scheduling station where the production supervisor selects the spacer size grouping of his choice and enters the name of the schedule. Within seconds, the new remake schedule is produced and routed to the RemakeNow Display stations and GED machinery. Remake scheduling information is then electronically communicated to the glass, muntin and Intercept IG fabrication areas, where components for each remake unit in the schedule are produced according to the remake production schedule. In addition, RemakeNow provides detailed reporting information on remakes by: 

  • ordering station 
  • by date and time 
  • and by reason for the remake 

To eliminate searching all the carts in the plant when an IG unit or schedule is needed, RemakeNow offers the IG Tracker. Through a scanning process that takes place at the oven, operators can easily find the location of an IG unit by simply viewing the IG Tracker computer screen that displays all the IG units and cart numbers contained in each schedule. This information can also be viewed in report format at any PC connected to the same network as RemakeNow, providing management with valuable production efficiency information. RemakeNow and IG Tracker, from GED, offer all these benefits: 

  • Reduction in remake process time 
  • Improvement in IG quality ratio (number of good units per total units produced) through elimination of duplicate and incorrect remakes that result from human error 
  • Increased production capacity 
  • Real time remake production information 
  • Quick and easy way to locate IG units 
  • Detailed remake reports that help you pinpoint and reduce IG quality issues 
  • And IG production status, in real time, to management’s PC desktop it all adds up to increased revenue and profit for IG manufacturers. 

For more information on the power of the RemakeNow System, contact your GED sales rep or visit our website at www.gedusa.com. 

About GED Integrated Solutions, Inc. 

GED Integrated Solutions, Inc. is the leading worldwide supplier of fully integrated insulating glass (IG) and vinyl window and door fabrication systems, and cutting-edge software process solutions, making it a single source for all your window production needs. With their revolutionary Intercept® warm edge spacer frame production systems, GED provides residential window and door manufacturers with the ability to make high-quality IG at levels unparalleled in the industry. Harnessing technology from robotics, automation and software, GED’s intelligent solutions integrate every facet of a plant’s operation, increasing IG quality and production volumes and profits while decreasing operating costs and material waste. The company’s commitment to innovation addresses its customers’ needs, evidenced by the fact that 24 of the top 25 window and door manufacturers utilize GED’s equipment and software solutions to improve their profits and satisfy their customers. Learn more at www.GEDUSA.com. 

GED Service Center Celebrates Training Milestone

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Twinsburg, OH ⎯ October 1, 1999 | The Training Department of GED’s Service Center reached a major milestone the week of March 30th – the 100th Intercept® Training Class. Eleven employees from the following companies were in attendance for this event:

  • Harvey Industries, Manchester, NH
  • Kinro, Nampa, ID
  • United Window, Canada
  • Summit Windows & Patio Doors, Lathrop, CA
  • Edge Seal Technologies, Walton Hills, OH
  • H. B. Fuller

Since inception of the first training class, the Operator Training Course for the Intercept Frame Machine in November 1994, 655 students from over 132 different customer sites have been trained through GED’s technically advanced 24,000 square foot training center. The program has grown to include five additional courses including a Basic Maintenance Course for the Intercept Frame Machine, an Extruder/Hot Melt Pump/Desiccant Station Maintenance Training Course, a Cutting System Basic Maintenance Training Course, and a seminar on GED’s proprietary WinSystem 1® software. All of these courses provide “hands-on” training on fully operational product lines to optimize student’s productivity.

Increased productivity, reduced scrap and waste, and higher profitability are just a few of the ways your operation will profit from these training classes. Francis McCarville, an employee of United Windows in Canada and a student of the 100th Intercept class, sums it up best by saying, “What I’ve learned in one week will benefit me and United Window for years to come.”

ACE™ Membership Continues To Grow

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Twinsburg, OH ⎯ July 21, 1998 | GED is pleased to welcome eight new members to the ACE Service program, the industry’s first technically advanced service program. ACE, short for “Advancing Customer Efficiency”, is a high performance service program that advances the efficiency of window and door fabricators through benefits such as:

  • on-site maintenance assessment visits
  • on-going training courses
  • maintenance management software
  • remote diagnostics access
  • unlimited phone support
  • software upgrades
  • annual software audits
  • one-on-one personal training sessions
  • extended equipment warranties
  • and discounted parts, software applications, and service labor

All these benefits packaged together insure a facility is running at peak efficiency, with the end result being a more profitable operation. Newest members to take advantage of this high performance service program include:

  1. Reliant Building Products, Alenco, Bryan, TX
  2. ATI Windows, Inc., Upland, CA 3) Caradco Windows, Rantoul, IL
  3. Norco Windows, Hawkins, WI
  4. Pozzi Windows, Bend, OR
  5. Vinyl Window Designs, Woodbridge, Ontario
  6. Wenco Windows, Grinnell, IA
  7. Wenco Windows, Ringtown, PA