PSR’s Cord Dispersal System remains the only guaranteed and proven solution to the common problem of cat scratch cord. This system has been installed in over 240 glass manufacturing operations worldwide with a 100% success rate.

Cat scratch cord is a common visual defect caused by the exudation of glassy-phased material from fused cast refractories in the melting end of the furnace. The lower viscosity of the molten glass causes the cord to gradually sink to the bottom of the furnace, drawing it down the distributor and forehearths. This defect is prominent in many glass-making operations, particularly in glass container production.

To counteract this, a common method is to install “drain channel blocks”. We have found this solution to be ineffective at removing “cat scratch” cord, impractical to implement without a full forehearth rebuild, and costly to operate given the cost of waste glass associated with continuous use of the drain.

The PSR Cord Dispersal System is a guaranteed method to eliminate this problem and comprises twin counter-rotating paddle-type stirrers installed in the forehearth equalising section. The CDS can be used with existing drains and submersed heating electrodes. It can be installed “on the run” which allows for minimal production downtime, it does not produce any waste that is synonymous with a drain, and our “pull-out” design ensures easy stirrer replacement and mechanism maintenance.

In addition to the removal of the “cat scratch” cord, the stirrer systems have been found to remove colour streaks, in particular following furnace colour changes, and have been installed specifically for this purpose with the usual money-back guarantee included. The stirrer systems also have positive effects on the glass conditioning, improving the spout entrance glass temperature homogeneity by 4-5% on average.

Each stirrer system is designed and configured to suit the existing forehearth configuration to provide the best solution possible to the particular problem. The stirrers are either installed in an existing opening in the equalising section superstructure refractories or if an opening does not exist, the superstructure refractories can be designed and supplied by PSR and installed hot during an extended job change or other machine stoppages.

If you are not satisfied with the degree of improvement in the visual appearance of the cat scratch cord, we will refund the cost of the equipment and remove it at our expense.

Find out more about Glassman USA here and you will find the PSR team on Stand A9.