The feeder controls the gobbing rate, the temperature and the quantity of glass which is made avail-able for the production system. The production system is provided with very precise quantities of glass (+/- 1 g) in very accurately controlled time intervals and the glass temperature (viscosity) is precisely regulated. Very high glass quality and consistency is guaranteed by the fact that the stirring plunger increases the glass homogeneity, that the gob-shape may be adapted to the mould and that optimal parameters are accurately reproducible.

The horizontal glass flow in the pipe-shaped ceramic segment of the feeder channel is diverted into a vertical glass flow in the T-shaped feeder head (horizontal and vertical tube). This pipe-layout guarantees a liminar glass flow�the round shape providing optimal conditions for a homogenous temperature distribution through infrared radiation within the pipe and eliminating the risk of any imhomogeneities caused by any glass surface. The plunger mechanism is placed onto the vertical tube. The innovative stirring plunger increases the thermal and chemical homogeneity of the glass and eliminates cord. The quantity of glass delivered is controlled by the height to which the plunger is lifted. The feeding speed may be increased by accelerating the downward movement of the plunger-pressing the glass through the heated orifice. The size and shape of the gob are defined through the MMC-software�s graphic interface, which allows one to achieve optimal production parameters quickly, and to store the data. A highly efficient heating system�the indirect heating (active insulation) or direct heating� provides extremely homogenous temperature conditions within the pipe. In order to avoid any loss of quality after shearing, the sheared gob is drawn back into the heated orifice by the plunger and is completely re-heated. The shearmark then disappears.