The maker of the OptiGas, FastGas and ThermalCHECK intelligent gas filling and testing systems will now be offering Helantec GmbH’s advanced insulating glass pressure balancing systems in North America.

The Helantec ISO Altimeter Professional accurately and quickly sets the pressure of IG units to the average annual atmospheric pressure of the installation site. Widely used in Europe, the system eliminates bowing and pressure change breakage, enables the use of argon and krypton an requires no on-site adjustment.

“Anytime your IG fabrication location is more than 1,200 feet different than the installation location for a window or door, insulating glass can bow or even break unless you compensate for pressure differences,” said Mike McHugh, president of Integrated Automation Systems. “This system produces perfect flat appearance and high-performing IG at the installation location without special treatment or any additional steps for the installer.”

Current balancing solutions include using a breathing tube, which restricts fabricators to low-performance air-only fills, McHugh said, which can negatively impact Energy Star ratings.

The German engineered Helantec adjustor balances IG for final elevation using any mix of air, argon or krypton gas. It works for double and triple glazed IG including asymmetrics and special and large shapes made with all standard flat glass. It also automatically compensates for any local variation at the production facility.

The key to the Altimeter Professional’s performance is its proprietary valve. The valve is leak-free and compatible with all IG fabrication materials, including Intercept. The valve ensures the target pressure remains intact and designed performance is achieved without the need to close holes or any other steps at the installation site. The valve works so well, McHugh said, fabricators are using it for non-pressure balanced IG.

“The Altimeter Professional integrates readily with your production flow and systems,” said McHugh. “It fits perfectly with the other game-changing gas filling and testing systems from OptiGas.”

Integrated Automation Systems in March signed the agreement with Helantec GmbH to market the German company’s elevation pressure balancing system in North America under the OptiGas name. Based in Bruschal, Germany, Helantec is the leading provider of gas filling technology, analysis and process monitoring equipment for the European IG industry.

Helantec ISO Altimeter Professional features include:

• Highly accurate with minimum production times
• Balances to the average year-round conditions at the installation location
• Intuitive touch screen with clear user interface
• Documents data for each pressure treated unit
• Connects to your production database and system
• Barcode reading of production units

For more information, go to the Helantec page on www.optigasig.com or contact Mike McHugh at 330,954.3070 or mike@optigasig.com.

Integrated Automation Systems developed advanced award-winning gas filling and testing systems for the insulating glass industry. Solutions include the FastGas high-speed argon filling systems, the Optigas intelligent gas filling system and the ThermalCHECK and ThermalCERT testing and quality control systems. The company is based in Solon, Ohio, and can be found online at www.optigasig.com.

SOLON, OHIO — You can fill standard IG units in less than 15 seconds and keep pace with the industry’s fastest production lines with the new FastGas high-speed argon-only gas filling system, the third groundbreaking gas filling and verification innovation from the makers of the OptiGas intelligent gas filling system.

FastGas uses patent-pending Twin Turbo technology to fill insulating glass made with any spacer system precisely, rapidly and reliably. FastGas provides 100 percent argon retention as the fill is done on the top edge.

“A single operator running a FastGas machine with two stations can keep pace with the fastest Intercept insulating glass production line,” said Mike McHugh, president and founder of OptiGas/Integrated Automation Systems. “Pair FastGas with our ThermalCHECK gas filling quality control unit and you can fill and verify the gas content of your IG at the speed of production.”

McHugh’s company developed FastGas to meet market demand for a fast and reliable argon-only gas filling system. The portable wheeled system is available with one or two stations. [...]

Door and Window Manufacturer magazine has awarded a 2012 Green Product Award jointly to OptiGas and Vista Windows for verifying the thermal performance of the insulating glass in its windows while decreasing argon waste. The award is described on page 29 of the November/December issue.

Based in Warren, Ohio, Vista uses Integrated Automated Systems’ OptiGas and ThermalCERT technology to precisely fill and then verify the thermal performance of its IG. Vista Marketing Director Tony Kesicke built the company’s 2012 promotional efforts around verified thermal performance.

“Our customers (window dealers) have been able to close more deals and get more business because it has added more credibility to the sale,” Kesicke told the magazine.

Now you don’t have to wonder or wait to find out if the right amount of argon or krypton is in your insulating glass. With the direct measurement technology in the new ThermalCHECK system, you can know immediately after fabrication.

From Integrated Automation Systems, the developer of the innovative OptiGas gas filling and thermal verification system, ThermalCHECK is an affordable and compact system that first mixes and then directly measures the gas content in IG air spaces.

“ThermalCHECK does not estimate or interpolate and you don’t have to wait a day for the gas to settle to get an accurate reading,” says Integrated Automation Systems President Mike McHugh. “It is incredibly simple to use and the technology has been tested to be accurate to one-half percent.”

ThermalCHECK arrives just as there is increasing scrutiny on what is really in insulting glass with the Department of Energy’s Energy Star program. The system is being unveiled at GlassBuild America September 12-14 in Las Vegas. It will be on display in the booths of development and marketing partners FeneTech and Praxair. [...]

You can see new ThermalCHECK and the lastest version of the OptiGas500 at GlassBuild America in Las Vegas. Integrated Automation Systems will be exhibiting in the booths of development and marketing partners Praxair (booth 1455) and FeneTech (booth 1153).

If you have questions about how you can manipulate coatings, spacer systems and intelligent gas filling to create affordable R-5 units and hit other thermal performance targets covered in our recent technical paper, we will be happy to review this with you at the show. If you would like to make an appointment any time during show week, please contact Mike McHugh by email or at 440.220.2159

Vista Windows ad featuring ThermalCERT. Click to download PDF.

Vista Windows of Warren, Ohio, has launched a national marketing campaign based on OptiGas and ThermalCert capabilities. Vista has an ad on the inside front cover of May Window and Door Magazine.

In addition, Vista dealer Windows Depot USA has created a video campaign featuring ThermalCERT. See this post to view the video.

Vista dealer Windows Depot USA has created videos for consumers featuring the OptiGas ThermalCERT thermal verification program. Window Depot is one of the fastest growing replacement window networks in the country, serving nearly 90 marketplaces. This is one of the videos.

Would you choose in-line verification of the thermal performance of your insulating glass that you can use to out-market your competition? Or the capability to make R-5 triples for about one third the current gas cost—or almost one-sixth less if you make asymmetrical triples?

Actually, you can have it all and now. How? With the award winning and patent-pending OptiGas 500 insulating glass gas-filling and thermal verification system from Integrated Automation Systems.

Introduced in 2011, the newly-updated OptiGas 500 now comes standard with integrated and automated ThermalCERT thermal verification. Previously, thermal verification required a separate ThermalCERT unit.

“While users like the potential savings and incredible gas filling flexibility they gain with OptiGas, they get really excited about verifiable and promotable thermal performance,” says Integrated Automation Systems President Mike McHugh. “We’ve put it into one unit and made it standard.”

ThermalCERT uses proven statistical process control methodology to verify and then save the thermal performance for every IG batch. Fabricators can put a ThermalCERT label on their IG and provide for homeowners a certificate verifying thermal properties for their units at time of manufacture. [...]

OptiGas will be at exhibiting in Win-Door booth 1609 with our development partner FeneTech November 15-17 in Toronto. If you’re at the show, please stop by to visit!

The OptiGas 500 gas filling system has been selected as the 2011 Crystal Achievement Award for the most innovative machine for IG production and glazing.

The editors wrote:

“The unit works automatically, first filling the IG airspace with argon and forcing air out. More expensive krypton follows, without any gas loss. The machine allows the manufacturer to precisely tune the percentage fill for each gas and reach the specific U-value desired at the least cost. The machine also eliminates undetected leaks, as the OptiGas system monitors cylinders and sounds an alarm if there is a leak. The unit provides accuracy by measuring krypton and argon at input.”

The award is for the OptiGas 500 used with the optional ThermalCERT thermal performance verification system.

You can see all theCrystal Achievement Award winners at  www.windowanddoor.com/2011.