History in the making: AGNORA’s Louis Moreau (seated second from right) and Oldcastle’s Rick Wright (standing left, behind visitor sign), along with worldwide, industry experts including optical equipment manufacturers, scientists, building owners, façade engineers, etc., met to address anisotropy measurement and to develop a new ASTM standard test method.
Cupertino, CA: Louis Moreau, Head of Technology & Innovation at AGNORA, along with Rick Wright, Director of Technical Services at Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope (and ASTM C14 & C14.08 Chair), has assembled an international group of stakeholders to develop a new ASTM standard test method for anisotropy measurement on glass. The initial kick-off meeting took place at Apple’s former headquarters, One Infinity Loop.
“As a manufacturer and supplier of monolithic, laminated and insulating glass panels to the high-end retail markets, we produce larger panels that must use heat-treated components, ionoplast interlayers and multi-layer assemblies.” says Louis Moreau, “This invariably produces optical phenomena that are observable but deemed ‘inevitable’ physical properties inherent to glass fabrication. We want to offer high quality products and believe that we can improve those aspects.”
As Task Group Chair, Louis Moreau has over 25 years of experience in the glass industry and brings an eclectic mix of international experience from float manufacturing, high performance vacuum coatings, large building glazing, and high-end glass fabrication. In 2016, Louis and the AGNORA team partnered with McMaster University to study four optical phenomena: haze, anisotropy, clarity, interference fringes. The results of the study were presented at the 2017 Glass Performance Days conference in Tampere, Finland, sparking dialog with several key stakeholders to start addressing anisotropy measurement.
In the spirit of cooperation, the overall goal for Moreau was to create a forum to address the complexity of this phenomenon and to foster creative interactions.
The ASTM kick-off meeting included worldwide, industry experts: Apple, AGNORA, Oldcastle BuildingEnvelope, Skanska UK, HCU Hamburg, Munich University of Applied Sciences, Saint-Gobain Glass, SoftSolution, Viprotron, LiteSentry, Arcon Flachglas-Veredlung GmbH, Friedmann & Kirchner, McMaster University, Glasstech, Glaston America, Sedak, Permasteelisa, Standard Bent Glass, Eckersley O’Callaghan, Corning, NSG, Kuraray, LBNL, Trulite, and Eastman Chemical.
“We are continuing our very interesting journey that will lead to quantifying phenomena that are deemed inevitable but, in our opinion, can be improved.”, adds Moreau, “In the long term, measuring anisotropy will lead to aesthetic improvements of large and complex glass panels.”
“Best Regards from Germany and compliments from our side for the whole meeting. It was super-organized.” Christian Schuler, Munich University
“The perfect meeting and good conversations with international specialists.” Robert Kirchner, Friedmann & Kirchner
“Many thanks to Rick and all others that made this kick off meeting so perfect and interesting to all of us!” Hermann Sonnleitner, Softsolution
