SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING SHAPE OF GLASS SHEET

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To determine the shape of a glass sheet during and/or after the forming process. SOLUTION: The system 26 for determining the shape of the glass sheet 24 for planning an interior bulk is provided with: a laser 38 configured to direct the laser beam 40 toward the glass sheet 24 at a predetermined angle along projection vector; an image capture device 30; and a processor 32 configured to calculate the location of an energy centroid within a selected portion of the bulk of the glass sheet 24. The laser beam 40 has a selected wavelength sufficient to cause an interior portion of the glass sheet 24 through which the laser beam 40 propagates to fluoresce and emit a fluorescent light energy. The image capture device 30 is configured to receive the fluorescent light energy and image the fluorescent light energy on the sensor 54. The sensor 54 generates a position signal based on a position of the imaged fluorescent light energy thereon. COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT