Systems and methods for measuring the temperature of glass during tube conversion

A system for producing glass articles from glass tubing, the system comprising:

• a converter comprising a plurality of holders and a plurality of processing stations comprising at least one heating station, at least one forming station, and a separating station, wherein:
• the plurality of processing stations are arranged in a circuit;
• each of the plurality of holders is configured to removably secure one of a plurality of glass tubes;
• the converter is operable to translate each of the plurality of holders into proximity with each of the plurality of processing stations in succession;
• and
• a heating station of the at least one heating station is positioned before a forming station of the at least one forming station;
• a thermal imaging system, a dimensioning system, one or more sensors, or combinations of these;
• one or more control devices;
• and
• a control system comprising:
• a control processor;
• a control memory module communicatively coupled to the control processor;
• machine readable and executable instructions stored on the control memory module;
• one or more inputs communicatively coupled to the thermal imaging system, the dimensioning system, the one or more sensors, or combinations of these;
• and
• one or more outputs communicatively coupled to the one or more control devices;
• wherein the computer readable and executable instructions, when executed by the control processor, cause the control system to automatically:
• receive a process variable from the thermal imaging system, the dimensioning system, the one or more sensors, or combinations of these;
• compare the process variable to a set point;
• determine a controlled variable based on the comparison;
• and
• transmit a control signal representative of the controlled variable to the one or more control devices, where the control signal causes the one or more control devices to change state to change operation of the converter.