Patent ID: 8742287

Claim:
A method of making a vacuum insulating glass (VIG) unit, the method comprising: providing an oven having an oven interior and a sidewall in which an opening is formed, wherein a reflector is located in the oven interior and at least one window is located in the sidewall; supplying a VIG unit subassembly to the oven, the VIG unit subassembly having a pump-out tube to be sealed; locating the pump-out tube using a vision system and a contrast-enhancing backlight, the contrast-enhancing backlight being originated from a light source located external to the oven and being conveyed to the oven interior via a quartz rod; emitting a laser beam from a laser source located outside of the oven, the laser beam being emitted through the at least one window and towards the reflector and being redirected by the reflector towards the pump-out tube to be sealed; and melting the pump-out tube using the laser beam in making the VIG unit.