We may not notice in life, in fact, there is always glass around. For example, the glass Windows of the home, the windshield of the car, the external walls of the office building, vases and so on. You might suddenly realize: Oh! There really is glass everywhere. But you probably don't wonder, how did the glass get there?
Mixing and Melting of Glass Raw Materials
Mixing of raw materials: Raw materials first need to be weighed in specific grams and mixed. This process requires precise and specialized equipment. You have to make sure that the materials are evenly mixed. The mixed raw materials are called "glass ingredients".
Melting: the mixed glass ingredients are sent into the glass melting kiln. The furnace temperature is very high, usually around 1700°. At high temperatures, the glass ingredients undergo some chemical reactions and melt into molten glass. This process is a central step in glass manufacturing. In the process to maintain a constant high temperature and appropriate melting time.
Glass Shaping
After the molten glass is homogenized in the melting kiln, it enters the forming process. According to the shape and use of the final product, it can be divided into the following types:
Float glass: Float glass is the main manufacturing method for modern architectural and automotive glass. It was mentioned in the previous article. After the molten glass flows out of the furnace, it flows through a flow trough into a float tank containing molten tin. The liquid glass unfolds on the surface of the liquid tin, forming a smooth glass band. As the strip slowly moves and cools, it gradually hardens. The result is a flat glass with a uniform thickness and smooth surface.
Blown glass: Blown glass is mainly used for hollow products such as glass bottles and lampshades. During the blowing process, molten glass is sucked into a blow pipe. Air is then blown into the glass through the pipe, so that the glass can expand and open, and finally take shape. Blowing technology now also has an automated set of processes, and some production areas also choose manual operation.
Rolled glass: After passing between two rollers, the molten glass can be pressed into a glass sheet with a pattern. Because there are various patterns on the roller, glass products with different patterns can be pressed according to customer needs. Rolled glass is generally used to make decorative glass with decorative patterns. Most of them are used for decoration in buildings.
Drawn glass: Drawn glass can be used to make glass fibers. Molten glass can pass through a small hole and be drawn into thin glass fibers. Then we further process these glass fibers into glass cloth, glass felt and other materials. Can be used in building insulation, electronic appliances and other fields.
Glass Annealing
After the glass is formed, it also needs to undergo an annealing process to eliminate internal stress. It can enhance the mechanical strength and stability of glass. Do you know what annealing is? Annealing is the process of keeping glass at a holding temperature for a period of time and then slowly cooling it. In this process, the stress inside the glass can be released evenly. This prevents its spontaneous rupture or deformation during use.
Glass Machining & Surface Treatment
Cutting and polishing: Annealed glass is cut, polished and polished for different purposes. Cutting is to cut large pieces of glass to a certain size according to customer requirements. This process is done with professional props. Generally used is a diamond cutter. Grinding and polishing generally smooth the edges of the glass. This prevents the sharp edges from causing harm to the human body.
Surface treatment: In order to enhance the properties of glass, surface treatment is a necessary step. Common surface treatment methods include coating, acid etching, sand blasting, etc. The coating is to improve the anti-ultraviolet, anti-reflection and anti-rubbing properties of the glass. Acid etching and sandblasting are generally used to make frosted glass, which increases the stealth and decorative effect of the glass.
Glass Quality & Inspection
After the glass is made, it also needs to carry out strict quality testing before leaving the factory. Ensure it meets national and industry standards.
