New large area glass RPC: development, production and performances

We report on a R&D program targeted to produce large area glass RPC detectors. Our aim has been to exploit as much as possible glass industry standard techniques. One of the most important steps we have introduced to reach the goal of fully automated production of large area detectors has been the use of screen silk printing technique for the resistive electrodes. A substantial number of prototypes detector have been produced: /spl ap/ 100 m/sup 2/. The detector's behavior as a function of the local particle rate has been tested at the DAFNE Test Beam Facility with 500 MeV electrons. Results concerning long term stability and ageing tests, presently going on by means of two cosmic ray telescopes in two different laboratories, will also be presented.