In glassmakers slang, our glass-melting furnace is known as a tank furnace. In spite of coming with a high price tag (something like 3 million Swiss franks), the service life or «furnace campaign», as it is called, only extends to between 5 and 7 years. After the furnace has burnt itself out, it will be completely rebuilt from scratch by professional furnace builders, an operation lasting around 2 months.
Technical specifications of the present Glasi furnace
Year of construction
2012
Start of furnace campaign
7. February 2012
Term of furnace campaign
7 years without interruption, 24 hours round the clock
Furnace building company
Ofenbaufirma Glashüttentechnik Grob [Grob Glass Works Technology and Glass Furnace Builders], D-Gmünden-Main, GERMANY
Furnace stones
Top-quality, heat resistant stones cast to special measurements
Origin of the stones
USA, Italy and Germany
Guarantee
None
Costs
3 million Swiss francs
Capacity
4 tons of glass per day, six extraction points
Furnace temperature
1500 degrees
Energy source
Butane gas and electricity