PRE-DEFORMING SUPPORT STRUCTURE WORKPIECES FOR SUPPORT STRUCTURES OF VACUUM INSULATING GLASS UNITS

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a vacuum insulating glass unit (VIG). A plurality of spacers (2) are dispensed on a major surface (3a) a first glass sheet (3) by means of a dispenser (10) of a spacer dispensing system (200). The dispenser (10) comprises a housing (12) comprising a guidance space (13) placed opposite to an upper part (12a) of the housing (12) and a bottom part (12b) of the housing (12), a spacer outlet (16) arranged at the bottom part (12b) of the housing (12), and a collection sheet (15). The collection sheet (15) comprises at least one collection hole (15a) extending between opposing major surfaces (15b, 15c) of the collection sheet (15). The collection sheet (15) is arranged in the guidance space (13). Therein the method moreover comprises the steps of: providing a relative rotational movement between the collection sheet (15) and the housing (12) around a rotation axis (RAX) by means of a drive motor (18) so that the collection hole (15a) collects a spacer (2) from a spacer supply, and providing a further, relative rotational movement between the collection sheet (15) and the housing (12) around the rotation axis (RAX) to align the collected spacer (2) in the collection hole (15a) opposite to the spacer outlet (16) to deliver the collected spacer (2) to the spacer outlet (16) and towards the surface (3a) of the glass sheet (3). Each of the plurality of spacers (2) in the spacer storage compartment (11) may have a spacer height (H1) extending between the contact surfaces (2a, 2b). Each of said spacers (2) may have a spacer width (W1), wherein the guidance space (13) has a height (H2) which is less than 1.4 times the spacer height (H1). The height (H2) of the guidance space (13) may be smaller than the spacer width (W1).