Patent ID: 8460752

Claim:
A method of increasing uptime of an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition glass coating line, comprising: providing an atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition system for coating at least one moving glass substrate, said system defining at least one first and one second deposition position spaced apart from each other and located substantially in line with said moving glass substrate, the system including: at least a first and a second deposition module including respectively at least a first and a second deposition module, said deposition module groups defining respectively at least a first and a second standby position, each of said standby positions being located substantially offline from said moving glass substrate, said first deposition module of said first and second group is being located at said first and said second deposition position and said second deposition module of said first and second group is being located most of the time at one of said respective standby positions, and where each of said deposition modules is able to deposit a thin film coating over at least a substantial portion of the width of said glass substrate; a motion control system in communication with said deposition modules to effect a deposition module exchange sequence whereby said first deposition module is relocated from said deposition position to the other of said standby position and said second deposition module is relocated from one of said standby positions to said deposition position; operating said glass substrate coating line until said first deposition module requires cleaning; and operating said motion control system to relocate said first deposition module away from said deposition position and to relocate said second deposition module from one of said standby positions to said deposition position.