Deadline: September 17, 2025
The European glass manufacturing company Pilkington invites technology innovators to develop improved solutions for measuring the temperature of coated glass during manufacturing processes to enhance quality and control.
The main focus areas include addressing accurate and reliable temperature measurement in coated glass during Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD) in float bath processes and in shaping coated automotive glazing in furnaces, handling challenges posed by complex emissivity and transparency of coatings. The challenge seeks innovative technologies capable of overcoming limitations in current single-wavelength pyrometry, including potential use of dual-band pyrometry or thermal imaging for better temperature mapping.
The opportunity supports proposals that can demonstrate technology readiness for industrial application, with an emphasis on solutions compatible with mass manufacturing and able to benefit sectors beyond glass, such as aluminium casting or ceramics. Selected participants will have the chance to receive up to £25,000 in grant funding to develop their solution, access Pilkington’s R&D facilities for testing and validation, and collaborate directly with Pilkington for development and potential commercialization.
This innovation challenge is hosted by Innovate UK’s Innovation Exchange program, providing additional support including technical advice, investor introductions, and event opportunities to accelerate company growth in the manufacturing sector.
For more information, please visit Innovate UK.
