Three industry leaders in the field of sustainable solutions for the glass industry are working together on an innovative technology to increase the strength of glass bottles and thus significantly reduce their weight.
Dassault Systèmes, the Ardagh Group and Exxergy will begin „virtual twin trials“ on the Johnnie Walker bottle in January 2022. Diageo to research and develop a coating that makes it possible, to make the glass bottle lighter without compromising its strength and shape - an industry first.
The virtual trial is intended as a Pioneer for science-based, sustainable innovations to reduce the time and cost of testing glass products while minimising raw material and energy consumption. A virtual twin is a real-time digital representation of a product or process that is used to model, visualise and predict new innovations before physical trials take place.
A new outer coating for the glass bottle is being researched and developed as part of the trial, to reduce the naturally occurring microcracks in the glass surface, This makes the glass much lighter while retaining the same strength. The lightweight glass bottle remains 100 per cent recyclable and, if the virtual trial is successful, will be tested in glass bottles from summer 2022.
John Sadlier, Chief Sustainability Officer of Ardagh Group, commented on the upcoming product development: „The Ardagh Group has pioneered the weight reduction of glass, and as the world's leading supplier of infinitely recyclable, sustainable metal and glass packaging, we have a strong track record in the development of sustainable packaging. the responsibility to respond to the sustainability challenges we all face. Together with our customers and partners in the supply chain, we are committed to exploring the potential of digitalisation to develop new and innovative lightweight solutions.“
The lightweight construction of glass is one of the solutions for reducing the glass industry's carbon footprint, and carbon emissions are reduced both in the manufacture of the bottle and in the transport of the finished products. If this collaborative project is successful, it would be a major breakthrough for virtual twin technology, supporting the glass industry's sustainability goals and enabling the decarbonisation of the entire sector.
SourceArdagh Group
