What is chain glass made of? How is opaque sand made into transparent glass? Equipment for work

Glassmaking is a very ancient process. There is archaeological evidence that humans have been making glass as far back as 2500 BC. Glass, once a rare and valuable work of art, is now a common manufacturing process. Glass products are used as industrial and household containers, insulators, reinforcing fibers, lenses and objects decorative arts. The materials used to make different types of glass may differ, but the general process for making them is described below.

Steps

Use of the oven

Purchase quartz sand. Quartz sand is the main ingredient for glass production. Iron-free glass is valued for its transparency, as if the glass contains iron, the glass will appear greenish.

• Wear a mask if you are working with very fine quartz sand. If inhaled, it can irritate the throat and lungs.
• Quartz sand can be bought in online stores. It is quite cheap, a bag weighing 25 kg costs around 200 rubles. If you want to work in industrial scale, then for large lots, specialized sellers can offer good prices - sometimes less than 2,000 rubles per ton.
• If you cannot find sand that contains few impurities, the greenish tint effect can be offset by adding small amounts of manganese dioxide. And if you want greenish glass, leave the iron as is!

1. Add sodium carbonate and calcium oxide to the sand. Sodium carbonate (called soda ash) lowers the production temperature of industrial glasses. However, it causes glass to be corroded by water. Therefore, in order to neutralize this phenomenon, calcium oxide, or lime, is additionally introduced into the glass. In order to make glass more resistant, magnesium and/or aluminum oxides are added to it. Typically, these additives occupy no more than 26–30 percent of the glass composition.

   Depending on the purpose of the glass, add other chemicals. The most common decorative glass additive is lead oxide, which gives the crystal its brilliance, as well as its low hardness, which makes it easier to cut, and its low melt formation temperature. Spectacle lenses may contain lanthanum oxide, which is used for its refractive power, while iron promotes the absorption of iron by the glass.

   • Lead crystal can contain up to 33 percent lead oxide, but the more lead, the more experience it takes to form molten glass, so many glassmakers choose a low lead content.

2. Add components to obtain the desired glass color, if necessary. As noted above, iron impurities in quartz glass give it a greenish appearance, so iron oxide is added to enhance the greenish tint, as is copper oxide. Sulfur compounds give a yellowish, amber, brownish and even black tint, depending on how much carbon or iron is added to the glass mixture.

   put the mixture in a good temperature-resistant crucible. The crucible must withstand the exceptionally high temperatures that are reached in the furnace. Depending on the additives, it can range from 1500 to 2500 degrees. The crucible must be such that it is not difficult to grip it with metal tongs and rods.

   Melt the mixture until liquid. For industrial silicate glass, this is carried out in a gas-fired furnace, special glasses can be melted in an electric, pot or muffle furnace.

   • Quartz and sand without impurities pass into a glassy state at a temperature of 2300 degrees Celsius. The addition of sodium carbonate (soda) reduces the temperature required for glass formation to 1500 degrees Celsius.

3. Homogenize the molten glass and remove bubbles from it. This involves stirring the glass to an even consistency and adding substances such as sodium sulfate, sodium chloride or antimony oxide.

   Mold the molten glass. Glass molding can be done in one of the following ways:

   • Melted glass can be poured into a mold and allowed to cool. This method was used by the Egyptians and is how most optical lenses are made.
   • A large amount of molten glass can be collected at the end of a hollow pipe and then blown out by turning the pipe. Glass is shaped by air blown into the pipe, gravity acting on the glass melt, and any tools the glassblower uses to work with the melted glass.
   • Molten glass can be poured into a bath of molten tin used as a substrate and blown with pressurized nitrogen for shaping and polishing. The glass formed by this method is called float glass, and this is how flat glass has been made since the 1950s.

4. Cool the glass slowly in the oven. This process is called annealing, and it removes any point sources of stress that may have formed during the cooling of the glass. Unannealed glass is much less durable. Once the process is complete, the glass can be coated, laminated, or otherwise treated to improve strength and durability.

   Using a charcoal grill

   1. Make a makeshift oven out of a charcoal-fired barbecue grill. This method uses the heat generated by a flame from burning charcoal to melt quartz sand into glass. The materials used are relatively cheap and readily available - theoretically, to prepare everything you need to get glass, you only need to run to the hardware store. Use a large BBQ grill - a standard sized dome model will do. It should be as thick and strong as possible. Most barbecue grills have a vent on the bottom - open that up.

      • Even at the extremely high temperatures that this method achieves, melting the sand on the grill can be very difficult. Before you begin, add a small amount (about 1/3–1/4 of the sand's volume) of washing soda, lime, and/or borax to the sand. These additives lower the melting point of the sand.
      • If you're going to be blowing glass, have a long, hollow metal pipe handy. If you are going to pour the glass into a mold, prepare it in advance. You want a shape that won't burn or melt from the heat of molten glass, graphite is great for that.

   2. Know the danger of this method. This method involves heating the barbecue grill beyond its normal temperature limits - so much so that the grill itself may even melt. Careless work using this method is dangerous severe injuries or even death. Work with care. Keep plenty of earth, sand, or a high-temperature fire extinguisher on hand in case you need to reduce the intensity of the fire.

      Take all possible precautions to protect yourself and your belongings from high temperatures. Work this method on a concrete surface outdoors, with enough space around. Do not use irreplaceable equipment. stay away from the grill when you cook glass. You also need to wear as much protective clothing as possible, including:

      • high-strength gloves or mittens for ovens;
      • welding mask;
      • high-strength apron;
      • fire resistant clothing.

   3. Get a vacuum cleaner for your home workshop with a long hose attachment. Use duct tape or otherwise bend the hose so that it blows straight into the bottom vent without touching the grill body. You will probably need to attach the hose to one of the grill legs or wheels. Place the vacuum cleaner itself as far away from the grill as possible.

      • Make sure that the hose is fixed and does not move: if it comes loose during glass melting, not go to the grill if it is very hot.
      • Turn on the vacuum cleaner to check the position of the hose. A precisely placed hose will blow straight into the vent.

   4. Line the inside of the grill with charcoal. Use more charcoal than you would for roasting meat. Successful results are observed when the grill is filled almost to the brim.

The basis of glass is one of the most common materials: quartz sand. It is subjected to special treatment, heated to critical temperatures. In this case, individual particles of sand are fused together. This is followed by rapid cooling of the resulting mass, during which the grains of sand simply do not have time to return to their original state.

The glass manufacturing process consists of several stages.:

1. Sand is melted to a liquid state in a special furnace. Quartz sand melts at a temperature of 2300 degrees Celsius. The addition of sodium carbonate (soda) reduces the temperature required for glass formation to 1500 degrees Celsius. However, baking soda causes water to corrode glass. Therefore, in order to neutralize this phenomenon, calcium oxide (lime) is additionally introduced into the glass.

2. Depending on the purpose of the glass, other chemicals are added to this mixture. The most common decorative glass additive is lead oxide, which provides a glossy finish as well as a low hardness that makes it easier to cut. To make glass more resistant, magnesium or aluminum oxides are added to it.

3. To give the glass the desired shade, oxides of various metals are added to the molten mass. For example, iron oxide makes it red, nickel oxide purple or brown, and uranium oxide yellow. Copper or chrome gives it a green color of different shades.

4. Gas bubbles are removed from the molten mass of sand, soda, lime and other components. This involves stirring the glass to a uniform thickness and adding substances such as sodium sulfate or chloride, antimony oxide.

5. Molten glass is shaped. This can be done in one of the following ways:

• The glass is poured into a bath of molten tin as the substrate and blown with pressurized nitrogen to form and polish. This is how sheet glass has been made since the 1950s.
• The molten mass is poured into a mold and the glass is allowed to cool. This method was used by the Egyptians and is how most optical lenses are made.
• The glass is collected at the end of a hollow tube and then blown out by turning this tube. Glass is formed by blown air, gravity acting on its melt, and any tools that the glassblower uses. This is how vases, glasses, Christmas decorations and other voluminous objects are made.

6. The glass is allowed to cool, after which it is again subjected to heat treatment. This is done to make the glass more durable. This process is called annealing and removes all point sources of stress that may have formed during the cooling of the glass.

7. At the final stage, various coatings are applied to the glass, laminated or processed in some other way to increase strength and durability. Sheet glass is cut into standard sheets.

Glass- this is a material that can change its technical properties depending on the components from which it was made. Due to this, it can change the mechanical strength and thermal resistance, transparency, the possibility of forming gas impermeability from combining with certain metals and alloys.

The main element with the largest percentage in the composition of glass (from 40 to 96%) is quartz sand or silicon oxide (IV) SiO2

The second most important is calcium oxide CaO, which gives chemical resistance to glass and adds shine. This is followed by various alkali metal oxides of sodium (Na2O) or potassium (K2O), thanks to which glass can be melted and cured.

The most common glass is silicate, namely, what is used in the manufacture of windows, containers, and various utensils. Its composition includes 71-74% SiO2, 5 to 7% CaO, ~15% Na2O and the rest in the form of various additives Al2O3, MgO, Fe2O3, SO3.

Nowadays, sheet glass is produced in two different ways:

1. Fourko's method, which was developed in 1902 by Emil Furko.
2. Float (floating method), developed in 1959 by Pilkington, this method is still popular today, and with its help more than 90% of glass is produced.

Let us dwell in more detail on the more common floating method for obtaining this material.

The stages of glass production in this way include:

1. All components for the production of glass mass are measured with great precision on electronic scales and sent to the furnace.
2. Further, at a temperature of 1600 ° C, everything turns into a continuous mass. It is brought to a homogeneous state with the removal of gas bubbles.
3. After that, the resulting mass is dipped in a bath of tin at a temperature of about 1000 ° C, while glass, due to its lower density than metal, floats on its surface (the main principle of this production method). Subsequently, the glass cools and acquires a smooth surface.
4. Depending on the amount of consumables loaded, the thickness of the glass is determined. After leaving the tin bath, the temperature of the mass decreases to 600 ° C, which is still quite high.
5. To reduce the temperature to an acceptable 250°C, the glass is rolled on rollers through a cooling tunnel.
6. Further, the cooled continuous web is cut into sheets of the required size, while the waste is recycled into the furnace, ensuring waste-free production.

To turn this complex chain of actions, no production can do without modern devices.

Solar control glass production

To reduce the transmission of solar and light energy, glass is tinted or painted during production, they are called sunscreen. These glasses are colored in molten form, introducing metal oxides of the required shade. Tinted solar control glass is used for glazing facades, in double-glazed windows if it is necessary to improve the microclimate or sun protection in the room.
Now the quality of glasses with a sun protection coating in the form of a special coating has greatly increased. These glasses are becoming more and more famous. They are coated during production. The metal oxide is sprayed in a furnace onto the glass tape at a high temperature of 600 C. The oxide penetrates the glass structure, making the coating durable and resistant to external influences.
For decorating window blocks, stained-glass windows, aquariums and other interior details, the production of patterned glass is used. It is made by applying decorative colors, patterns and patterns to sheet glass, it can be laminated and tempered, used in sound-absorbing and energy-saving double-glazed windows.
The light transmission of patterned colorless glasses is higher than that of colored ones. As a decor, you can also use tinted smooth glass, which protect from unnecessary looks and beautifully scatter light.
In this way glass production is a complex technological process that requires knowledge modern species and types of materials. Yan Volkhovsky, promplace.ru

Glass types

Depending on the industry that the company is going to serve, it is possible to set up the production of various types of glass. Among the most requested modifications:

• quartz glass. The most common and easy to manufacture type of material based on quartz sand. Products made from it have heat resistance, transparency, but at the same time they are quite fragile. Such glass is used, for example, for the manufacture of flasks and other laboratory glassware.
• lime. An inexpensive material to manufacture, which is used for the manufacture of glass containers, sheet glass and electric lamps.
• Lead. Silica and lead oxide are added to the composition of the glass mass. It is used in the production of crystal and elements of radio components.
• Colored glass. It can be body dyed, drawn, rolled, patterned, smooth and two-layer. It is used as a facing material, for decorative glazing, making stained-glass windows.
• energy saving(K-, I-, E-, I-glass). It is produced by applying a thin, invisible coating with high thermal conductivity to the glass surface. Thanks to this, about 70% of the heat coming from heating devices is retained in the room.
• Reinforced glass. Used for glazing window structures and partitions in industrial premises. In the thickness of the glass there is a metal mesh, thanks to which, in case of fire or mechanical damage, the structure does not shatter into fragments, but breaks off along the cut line.
• tinted. Used for sun protection. It is produced by adding metal oxides of a given shade to the glass mass.
• sun protection glass. The appropriate coating is applied by spraying. Penetrating into the thickness of the glass, metal oxides give the surface additional strength and resistance to external influences.
• Strained glass. The material is obtained by heat treatment. After gradual heating and subsequent cooling, the glass acquires mechanical strength, which allows it to be used, for example, in the automotive industry.
• multilayer (Triplex). Contains several layers glued together with transparent polymers. It has a high resistance to the formation of through holes, good sound insulation, does not shatter into fragments upon impact. It is used most often as a windshield in cars and in the production of double-glazed windows.
• Milled. Ordinary glass is heated and given a given shape. As a result, a wide variety of products of a complex, for example, curved, configuration are obtained.
• Armored. Multi-layer construction of several M1 glasses and polymeric photocurable composition. It can be film and filmless. Reliably protects against bullets in accordance with the bullet resistance class - B1, B2, B3, B4, B5.
• fireproof glass. Little is produced in Russia. Contains reinforcement that holds glass cracked in a fire in place, thereby preventing the spread of flames.

Raw materials for glass production

Glass is called not only the material used for the manufacture of windows, which is familiar to everyone. In industry, there are a lot of varieties that serve for a variety of purposes. Methods for obtaining glass are mainly reduced to the heat treatment of components. The production method was discovered quite a long time ago, but in ancient times the material was of poor quality, since people did not know how to clean it well, and many harmful impurities remained in the composition, which significantly worsened the properties.

The glass was often nearly opaque, had a greenish tint, and was unnecessarily brittle. This indicates that the metal or sulfur content is too high. But with the development of technology, the quality of finished products has also improved. Main raw material:

• silicon oxide, which is found in large quantities in sand;
• oxides of boron, phosphorus, tellurium, germanium;
• aluminum fluoride;
• some types of reactive metals and their compounds.

windshield production

Windshield production is not only reliable protection salon road transport from oncoming air, rain and dust, but also decent safety.

Modern technologies allow these products to be manufactured in such a way that, in the event of an accident, they cause minimal harm to passengers. Windshields, the manufacture of which is being improved every day, also have excellent aerodynamic features.

Materials for the manufacture of windshields

"Triplex". These windshields are based on a three-layer structure: glass-polymer film-glass. The middle layer prevents the glass from shattering on impact. All fragments are held by the film, which acts as a reinforcing material.

The production of windshields "Stalinit" is based on a special hardening procedure. This contributes to the formation of internal stress on the uranium crystal structure.

These windshields are very durable. At the moment of impact, the glass shatters into many tiny fragments, which also do not cause serious damage. But they are rarely used as windshields.

windshield technology

The technology for the production of windshields is based on the following processes: first of all, there is a marking according to the configuration and geometric size. But only an incision is made. Then a special burner moves along this notch, which heats the glass to a certain temperature. This leads to the fact that it bursts along the entire line of the notch.

Next comes the process of processing the edges using special abrasive belts. Then the windshield is washed with soapy water in order to eliminate dust residues. Then it is covered with a special solution that prevents the two glasses from sticking together.

The next step is to check the quality and eliminate possible defects. Then comes the connection of two glasses together and giving them the correct design shape on special bending equipment.

Each form applies to each car brand. The whole structure is sent to the furnace, where it is heated to a temperature of about 760 degrees. The windshield becomes plastic, which allows it to be given the necessary curvature.

The glass is then slowly cooled. After the final hardening, a transparent film is placed between these two blanks. All the above processes are fully automated. This makes it possible to obtain glasses with the same properties.

All about the technology of production, manufacture and cutting of glassAll about glass processing

Processing technology for a certain type of glass

Used in numerous fields different types glasses that have individual characteristics and require special processing processes during production.

Sunscreen

sun protection glass

This species is capable of absorbing or transmitting ultraviolet light. The glass is suitable for the manufacture of screens, visors, double-glazed windows and glasses. The production of glass of this type is carried out by two methods.

Furio's technology is based on rolling glass mass through rollers, after which the sheets are placed in a cooling chamber.

The Float method is more modern and efficient, as it eliminates the appearance of defects. The molten mass of the tape form enters the tank with tin. Thanks to him, the glass is cooled and acquires a smooth surface. Then the material enters the furnace, a layer of metal dioxide of the desired shade is applied to it. The glass is re-cooled and checked for flaws.

Automotive

Automotive glass diagram

This type of glass is also made in two ways.

The Triplex method allows you to make three-layer products - a polymer bonding film is laid between two glass layers. This prevents the appearance of injuries during deformation of the auto glass. The glass has impact-resistant and soundproof properties, which increases the safety of the driver and passengers.

"Sitalinite", or tempered glass, undergoes additional heat treatment based on gradual heating and rapid cooling in the air stream. The technology involves strict adherence to the temperature regime. Products acquire special mechanical strength.

Milled

Or curved glass, used in architecture, which has long ceased to be rectilinear. During the production of products, glass mass is heated to certain temperatures, softens to an elastic state, and it is easy to mold the desired object from it. This happens under the influence of gravity, which causes the material to take on a convex or concave shape.

Curved glass

Mirror

Glass is based on sheet material. For its manufacture, soda, limestone, sand and minerals without iron ore are used. The ingredients are mixed, placed in continuous bath ovens. The resulting mass is rolled through metal shafts, fired, polished, metallized. This is a long process.

mirror glass

Armored

Diagram of armored glass

Glass is highly resistant to penetration. This is a multi-layer material consisting of a regular and hardened canvas. For the production of armored glass, glasses up to 10 mm thick are used, which are glued together with a protective polyvinyl butyral film in transverse tension.

This product has many advantages:

• absorbs ultraviolet;
• excludes listening;
• ensures shatter-proofness when breaking.

Optical

This glass is used in various fields of science and technology. Contact lenses, prisms, cuvettes are made from it. The range of products is quite wide. This is a homogeneous highly transparent material of a certain chemical composition. For its cooking, pure ingredients are used, without contaminants. The task of technologists is to melt the glass mass in pot flame furnaces and achieve a high degree of homogeneity. For this, mechanical mixing methods are used.

Related video: Glass production in detail

Necessary equipment for glass production

Glass production is based on the use of special equipment. It doesn't have to be foreign. Domestic units are in no way inferior to foreign counterparts. Production lines have identical systems, consisting of the following types of devices:

Glass production equipment

• equipment for the preparation of raw materials;
• batch mixing plants;
• glassmaking equipment;
• in advanced production, sandblasting line and product packaging equipment can be used.

At the first technological stage of preparation of raw materials, along with simple installations, high-tech units are used.

Transportation of ingredients is carried out by conveyors.

Cleaning of harmful impurities is carried out by complex machines, among which there are magnetic separators. They extract metals from the sand that can spoil the properties of the finished product.

To grind the substance, powerful crushers are used.

The second stage of production is associated with the preparation of the charge. The choice of components depends on the properties of the finished product. In this case, special equipment is used.

High-precision scales help to correctly calculate the dosage. With their help, measure the right amount of quartz sand, soda, lime. If necessary, minor materials are added that determine the strength, color, and light transmission of the glass product.

The prepared components enter the charge mixer, which evenly distributes the materials by weight.

The third, main stage involves the melting of glass in special furnaces with individual thermal and technological conditions. Glass furnace equipment has two classifications.

Classification of equipment by technological parameter

Electric pot oven

Pot ovens - used in mini-enterprises. They are designed for small quantities. From one to sixteen pots are installed in their cavity. The devices make it possible to produce high-quality products that are characterized by high light transmission and uniform chemical composition. They are designed for optical, lighting and medical glass.

In the glass industry, continuous and intermittent bath furnaces in the form of large rectangular containers are common. They come in different designs and sizes. The equipment contains molten tin needed to cool the glass melt.

Large tank furnaces are equipped with an automatic burner control system necessary to distribute temperature, pressure and gas over the entire surface of the device. Glass production takes place in a certain sequence in all parts of the pool, equipped with equipment.

Classification of equipment according to the principle of heating

Flame furnaces are designed to burn fuel. They have a low efficiency, since the thermal energy is distributed to heat the charge and boilers.

The electrical equipment allows the production of any kind of glass. They need current to power them. Glass mass is used as a heater - it is she who acts as an electrolyte at high temperatures. During the operation of electric furnaces, there are no heat losses with exhaust gases.

Combined gas-electric installations combine two types of thermal energy. The combustion of the gas heats and melts the mixture, the glass mass acquires a high temperature by direct resistance.

At the fourth, final, stage of manufacturing glass products, the formation of the final product takes place. For this, different machines are suitable:

• cooling equipment;
• forming installations;
• glass levelers.

Glass Leveler

Trends in the development of glass production

Modern glass production is developing in three main areas: improving working conditions, automating processes and focusing on the production of "green" products.

To solve the tasks set, new technologies are being developed and introduced, including advanced developments in the IT industry, active modernization of existing production facilities, special programs are being introduced that provide for a reduction in the working day, employee insurance, and the installation of efficient ventilation equipment.

Companies strive to compensate for the harm caused to the environment in the process of glass melting through the active use of recycled materials.

Glass composition

The components that make up glass can be divided into the following types:

• The foundation
• Mandatory Alkali Metal Oxides
• Components that give special properties
• Excipients

Also in some cases, cullet is added.

The basis of any glass is quartz sand or silicon dioxide. Moreover, only selected sand, purified from iron impurities and from the slightest contaminants, gets into the mixture for future glass, about 2% of impurities are allowed. The transparency of the glass itself depends on this.

The required alkali metal oxides are different depending on the type of glass. For example:

• for window glass, oxides of sodium, calcium or aluminum are used
• for crystal - oxides of potassium and lead
• for laboratory - oxides of sodium, potassium, boron
• for optical - oxides of barium, aluminum, boron

Components to impart special properties are selected based on the desired effect, for example, titanium or barium oxides are added to impart heat resistance, and so on.

Auxiliary substances are mostly illuminators, bleaches and dyes.

Modern developments

The twentieth century can be called a time of widespread use of glass. After the development of the technology of mechanical methods for obtaining the material, it began to be used in a variety of areas - as the thinnest fiber in the fields of telecommunications, with no less success it is used in large multi-ton blocks in building technologies.

The properties of glass are diverse, they are still being studied in scientific institutions, and craftsmen find new ways to use and invent new types. In 1940, glassmakers introduced foam glass to the world. Its qualities are:

• Lightness - does not sink in water, has a cellular structure, specific gravity slightly more than the weight of the cork.
• Moisture resistance, durability.
• Environmental friendliness (coke is added to the classic batch recipe).
• Fireproof (not flammable) and extinguishes fire.
• The material can be sawn into pieces without compromising quality.

The scope of application was insulating materials for hazardous industries, cold stores, etc.

For solar panels use glass with a conductive coating of a thin layer of metal oxide. Coated panels operate at temperatures around 350°C. In addition, such glass is mounted in aircraft cabins to avoid ice and keep heat inside the cabin.

An important achievement of modern times was the possibility of producing glass ceramics. The material is made using the technology of ordinary glass, but at the last stage of cooling, the process slows down, and crystallization occurs in the mass of the material. Catalysts are special additives that do not affect the external state of the glass, but form small crystals. The material withstands high temperatures without deformation and is more resistant to all kinds of damage. Used in rocket science, household appliances, laboratories, engine parts and many other fields.

Varieties of raw materials for glass production

In industry, glass is understood not only as the material from which windows are made. There are many types of it, each with its own purpose.

The process of glass production has been known to people since ancient times, but its very first samples were not of high quality. At that time, people did not know how to purify raw materials, and too many impurities, such as metal or sulfur, remained in the composition of the final product. Their presence made the glass cloudy, greenish and brittle.

As technology has advanced, so has the quality of glass. Modern methods production is based on the heat treatment of raw materials.

The most commonly used substance for glass production is silicon oxide, obtained mainly from quartz sand. It may contain various impurities, the composition of which depends on where the deposit is located. For example, white sand contains iron oxide, which gives the glass a greenish tint.

In addition to silicon oxide, the following are used as raw materials for glass production:

• sodium carbonate;
• boron oxide;
• potassium carbonate;
• sodium sulfate.

Such substances are glass formers. Each of them affects the properties of the finished product. For example, as a result of mixing silicon oxide and sodium carbonate, a homogeneous mass called liquid glass will be obtained. The addition of limestone or dolomite will make the raw material insoluble in water.

Auxiliary materials can be added to raw materials:

• dyes;
• clarifiers;
• mufflers (make the glass dull).

Additives affect the resistance of the material to different kind effects, light transmission, etc. For example, the production of optical equipment requires glass with lead oxide, which increases the level of light refraction.

Kinds

Depending on the components used in the mixture, the types of glass are divided:

• Quartz. It is made from one component - silica. It has high qualities: resistant to high temperature (up to 1000 °C) and thermal shock, transmits the visible and ultraviolet radiation spectrum. Production is associated with high energy costs, since silica (silicate glass) is a refractory raw material and is difficult to mold. The main areas of application are chemical and laboratory glassware, parts of optical systems, mercury lamps, etc.
• Sodium silicate. It is made of two components, the composition of the glass is silicate sand and soda (1: 3). Due to its properties, it is widely used in industry as a component of any process, but is not used in other areas, products are not made from it. The main disadvantage is that it dissolves in water.
• Lime. The most common type of material from which most products are made is sheet glass, glass containers, mirror sheets, dishes and much more.
• Lead. The classical composition of glass (blend) is proportionately added. Lead glass is characterized by increased dielectric properties, which allows it to be used as the best insulating composition in television tubes, oscilloscopes, capacitors, etc. The presence of lead in the glass mass gives the material additional brilliance, sparkle, which is often used in the manufacture of art products, dishes, etc. Crystal is one of the types of lead glass.
• Borosilicate. The addition of boron oxide to the composition of the material increases its resistance to thermal shock up to 5 times, and the chemical properties are significantly improved. Borosilicate glass is used for the manufacture of pipes and laboratory-chemical glassware, household items. A large-scale use case is a borosilicate glass mirror for the world's largest telescope.
• Other types of glass - aluminosilicate, borate, colored, etc.

Glass frosting technology

Ordinary glass is very simple. I would like to somehow revive the interior, adding bright colors and originality to it. This can be done by drawing a picture using matting technology.

Glass matting technology creates a pattern on it that is durable, it cannot be erased or washed off with anything. This method allows you to apply a logo, signature, any wish, or just a beautiful picture.

There are the following matting methods:

• chemical;
• mechanical restoration;
• application of firing matte coatings;
• paintwork.

Chemical matting technology

There are a huge number of chemical solutions for frosted glass etching, which include fusible acid. This method allows you to get the highest quality drawing, in comparison with other technologies. As a result, it enjoys great popularity.

Mechanical restoration

This method includes: engraving, grinding, sandblasting, faceting. Each of them is based on the impact of abrasive materials on the glass surface.

firing coating

This technology is based on applying a matte image layer and subsequent firing in a kiln. AT this case the surface is not very smooth, unlike conventional etching.

Paintwork

Matting a glass surface in this way involves coating with translucent organic varnishes, paints and polyurethane. This technology is much simpler than sandblasting.

In addition, you can get a high-quality and beautiful image on the glass using laser processing. Meets and plasma spraying metals. Here, molten metal microdroplets heat the surface of the glass upon contact with it. Such thermal shock leads to the appearance of microcracks and chips. With their help, matte areas of the pattern are formed. But this technology is not very popular due to its complexity and the high cost of related equipment with ingredients.

At home, you can carry out matting of small products using a special spray or liquid.

Positive features of matting:

• without any paints, you can create a matte pattern of any complexity and geometry on glass or mirror;
• such a treated glass surface allows enough light to pass through and creates a mysterious interior.

At the large-scale exhibition of the glass industry, which will be held this summer at the Expocentre Fairgrounds, you will be able to get acquainted with all the technologies of glass production, frosting, cutting, etc. in more detail.

The large pavilion will feature equipment and products from hundreds foreign companies: Italy, Germany, France, Austria, Belarus, Bulgaria, Hungary and many others.

All about glass processingGlass decoration

The specifics of glass manufacturing and the influence of technical processes on its properties

The process of creating glass consists of several stages.

Preparation of raw materials and its supply to receiving hoppers, adding additional components. Before this, the raw material is crushed to a powder state. The proportions must be perfectly observed, so electronic scales are used to dose the components.

Glass exit from the melting furnace

Sending the prepared substance to the melting furnace. Here, the raw material for glass is melted and converted into a homogeneous liquid mass. The temperature in the furnace is adjusted depending on the quality of the glass to be obtained.

Glass melting, carried out in a bath filled with molten tin, at a temperature of 1200 ⁰С. Dyes may be added to the glass melt during the melting process. Due to the difference in density, the liquids do not mix, and the surface of the glass becomes even and smooth.

If you make a mistake at any of these stages, then the quality of the finished product may decrease.

1. Giving the product the desired shape. At this stage, the glass product should cool down to 250 ⁰С. So that it does not get cracked, cooling should be gradual.
2. Fixing the form. This process consists of heat treatment and consists of several stages: rapid cooling, slow exposure, rapid temperature rise to normal. Cooling should not be abrupt, otherwise cracks may appear on the glass.
3. Checking the quality of the received product. As a rule, the conveyor has special machine checking glassware.
4. Finished product packaging.

The process described above results in standard glass. If it is required to obtain glasses with special properties, then other methods are used.

Types of glass and processing depending on the purpose

To increase the mechanical strength of glass in the case of glazing windows, shop windows, partitions, etc., sheet glass must be tempered in special furnaces according to the cooling-heating principle, that is, the production of tempered glass. Initially, the glass is heated slightly above the softening temperature, then immediately cooled with jets of cold air. Tempered glass cannot be subjected to mechanical actions, therefore, if necessary, holes, cutouts are made in them before tempering.
Tempered glass is several times stronger than plain glass, because when cooled, the glass surface first hardens, and then the inner layers, during the cooling period of which residual compressive stresses appear in the upper glass layer, providing strength.
In different states, glazing of upper floors, balconies and loggias is allowed only with tempered glass, because if it breaks, large fragments that can cause damage do not appear. There are quality standards for tempered glass. In the event of destruction with a sharp hammer, weighing 75 grams, tempered glass shatters into less than four dozen fragments in a 50x50 square, that is, at least one and a half hundred fragments in 100x100.
A novelty in the glass industry is glass laminated together with a strong film, a special laminating liquid. This technology makes it possible to protect against damage in the event of glass breakage, because all the glass on the frame or film remains. Such structures have high sound insulation, good protection from the sun.

Main technological method of production

Horizontal glass production option produced in molten metal. In 1959, Pilkington, an English company, created options for the production of sheet glass. According to such developments, the glass ribbon is formed directly on the molten tin. This is how float glass and thermally polished glass are created. Distinctive features float glass brand M1-M4 or polished - high light transmission at the level of 89-90 percent, excellent optical properties, due to which image distortion is excluded, glossy surface. Just such a glass this moment most often used in the production of the most modern double-glazed windows, including multilayer ones. The width of glass sheets is different - 3 -19 mm. Glass, with a thickness of more than 8 millimeters, is most often used for the production of showcases.

Vertical pull option - a method that is applied at the moment glass production"Drawn" with a thickness of 2 -12 mm, Air Force and BVVS. The method of such stretching is based on the fact that a viscous glass mass is removed from the glass melting furnace and thoroughly cooled in refrigerators, then, using special machines, it is drawn into continuous ribbons. There are two options for pulling - boatless and boat, BVVS and LVVS. In the case of the boat method of glass production, a mold in the form of a rectangular bar made of refractory material, having a through longitudinal slot, is immersed in the glass mass.

At the same time, the glass mass is squeezed out over the mold and instantly cooled with the help of water coolers installed on both sides of it, then the rotating rolls of the car pull the hardened glass tape. In the case of such a glass production method, the surface of the glass strip is uneven because a longitudinal stripe is created due to a longitudinal boat-shaped slit. Boatless vertical extrusion takes place without the participation of forms with a free surface. The viscosity of the glass mass is controlled by shielding the forming unit and water coolers with protective special devices. Along the edges of the tape installation in progress bead-forming rollers, with the help of which its sides are created and also held. In the case of such a variant of glass production, the tape surface is of better quality, but changes in the temperature regime and the chemical composition of the glass mass can cause strong optical distortions.

Glass cutting technology

Cutting glass is a rather difficult process, but it is the most popular among all technological operations with this material. Most often, we have to cut glass during its usual replacement in a window or door. This is the most common need of customers at the present time.

Due to the fact that glass has a peculiar structure and is fragile when handled unprofessionally. It crumbles, chips, cracks form.

Fitting glass to the desired dimensions causes great difficulties if you do not know the cutting technology. After all, until recently, many professional craftsmen knew only one method of cutting glass using a diamond glass cutter.

This process was followed by a mechanical breakage of the glass, which was not always effective and even unsafe. Modern technologies have made their own adjustments and greatly simplified this operation.

This type of operation can be found in many industries: from the glazing of buildings and structures to the decoration of cottages. For interior designers, glass cutting has opened up wide horizons of creativity.

For getting high precision finished products, special templates are used. Glass cutting technology involves cutting this material, since when you try to completely cut the glass, it will simply fall apart into small particles. To avoid this, shallow scratches are drawn on the surface, corresponding to the contour of the finished product.

Glass does not have a crystal lattice, and when it is mechanically affected, it breaks according to an arbitrary technology. These incisions contribute to the correct fracture, in this particular place.

When cutting glass, it is important:

• diameter of the tool that performs cutting;
• the speed of this operation;
• cutting edge sharpening angle;
• the pressure of the cutter on the glass surface.

Observing the right technology each operation, it is possible to carry out the most simple and very accurate cutting of a sheet of glass.

With waterjet cutting glass can be cut in any design of this material, such as laminated reinforced glass. This technology is used in many large enterprises who produce glass. With a thin line of cut, you can create stunning decorative pieces that will have a "smart outline".

Thanks to high-precision equipment, it is now possible to produce what was previously done only by hand. Any drawing, photograph or drawing is entered into the machine's computer, and in a few minutes you will be able to observe the finished product at the output. Thanks to the computer system of the equipment, you can get the maximum accuracy of this operation.

Curly cutting. We don't always need to cut glass evenly. Often there is a need to obtain a product of a non-standard shape with an interesting and unusual design. In such cases, curly cutting is used. Such products are increasingly used for glazing various building structures. This type of glass cutting technology requires special equipment.

Glass processing technology

Curly edge edging, polishing, grinding, drilling, glass gluing using a unique technology and other glass operations is a transition to a completely different level of your interior design.

Modern technology of glass processing allows to increase the scope of its use. You can use this material as showcases, furniture design, doors, partitions, shelves, etc. Consumer properties of glass are being improved every day. This leads to the advancement of more and more new requirements for the methods of its processing.

In order for the glass not to cause injury, its edges are polished. Edge processing will allow you to create an individual interior detail.

There are several types of such processing:

• Chamfer – grinding glass edges at an angle of 45 degrees. This is the most common operation.
• facet. In this case, the upper edge of the glass is removed to half or a third. It all depends on the thickness of the product. The edge of such glass becomes more expressive. The cutting width can be up to 40 millimeters. The appearance of such an area becomes matte when sanded, and transparent when polished. This is the most time-consuming and decorative process.
• Pencil. The edge of the glass is removed by 1-3 millimeters.

Polishing, blunting and grinding the edge will make the edges of the glass safe and even.

With processing such as fusing (thermal bonding), you will be able to combine several glass products. After heating this material to a certain temperature, it softens, and the parts are sintered together. However, their shape remains unchanged. Using fusing, you can achieve incredible decorative effects for stained glass.

bending. This is another type of glass processing. The technology of this processing is to give the sheet the required shape. To do this, the glass is heated until it softens. The relief is obtained by laying glass on a structure of the required shape, after which it is fired in several stages. Also, glass is tempered to be durable, safe and heat resistant. This technology is used to create inserts from this material and to manufacture dimensional parts. This treatment is quite expensive, but very effective and very popular.

Chemical etching technology based on the interaction of hydrofluoric acid vapor with the glass surface. Thanks to etching, it is possible to obtain a matte and transparent pattern, which can have different depths. This technology is used to decorate expensive highly artistic glassware.

drilling. This technology allows you to get holes in the glass of any diameter. During drilling, the cutting part of the drill is constantly cooled with water. Drilling glass is necessary at high speeds, with minimal pressure on the surface and from both sides. Due to the fact that microcracks are formed during drilling, it is necessary to carry out subsequent countersinking of the hole. Such an operation is performed using a diamond-coated drill.

Glass production technologies in Russia

Glass production technology is based on such processes as:

• preparation of raw materials;
• charge formation;
• glass melting;
• cooling;
• product formation;
• annealing and processing.

Stages of glass production

The main components in the manufacture of glass include substances such as: silica, SiO2 and Na2CO3. Silicon dioxide in industrial glass contains about 40-80 percent, and in quartz - 96-100%. During glassmaking, quartz sand is often used as silica. If necessary, it can be further enriched.

For clarification, substances such as sulfate, sodium chloride, ammonium nitrate and others are used. Before proceeding with glass melting, all components are carefully sieved, dried and thoroughly mixed until a homogeneous mass (powder) is obtained. If necessary, they are further crushed.

The next step is placing the mixture in a furnace for melting glass. After it has heated up, hygroscopic and chemically bound water particles evaporate from it. At the stage of silicate formation, decomposition of all components occurs. Initially, they look like a sintered conglomerate.

As the temperature rises in the furnace, individual silicates begin to melt. Dissolving, they form an opaque mass. This stage ends when the temperature reaches 1200ºС, when the residues of the charge have already dissolved and the melt has become transparent.

This is not the end of glass production in Russia. Glass formation is the process of dissolving quartz grains in a silicate melt. As a result, a homogeneous glass mass is formed. This process proceeds much more slowly, non-living silicate formation, and takes up to 90 percent of the time of the mixture penetration. In the process of melting glass mass at a temperature of 1500-1600 degrees, the remaining gases are removed from it.

Glass production in Russia includes one more stage - clarification. Here, to speed up the process, clarifiers are added, which also reduce surface tension glass melt. With the help of refractory stirrers, the entire melt is thoroughly mixed. Also, compressed air or gas can be passed through it.

In parallel with clarification, there is also a process of homogenization. At this stage, the obtained glass mass is averaged by composition during its mixing.

Glass production in Russia ends with such a stage of glassmaking as cooling (studka). At the same time, the viscosity of the glass mass is maintained, which in the future will allow to form finished products. Basically, this is a temperature of the order of 700-1000ºС. At this stage, the most important thing is to lower the temperature very slowly.

The production of any glass is determined by established technological standards. The formation of finished products from the obtained glass mass occurs mechanically (pressing, rolling, blowing, etc.) on special glass-forming equipment.

The next step is annealing. A certain temperature is maintained here, at which the glass is a little soft. This allows you to relieve the tension in the glass, which appears during rapid cooling.

Sheet glass production

Sheet glass is made from two main ingredients - sodium carbonate and quartz sand. Previously, in the manufacture of this product, the vertical stretching method was used. But it is financially and technologically outdated.

The production of sheet glass today is the "Float Method". It is based on the placement of glass mass in a special bath, where molten tin is located.

On an industrial scale, the production of sheet glass began several decades ago. The popularity of this type of product is supported by new modern and innovative technologies that provide unsurpassed quality.

Sheet glass types

Sheet glass can be produced in the following types:

• heat resistant;
• fire resistant;
• heat-shielding;
• tempered;
• shockproof;
• laminated, etc.

This allows it to be used in various industries, but the most basic is construction and automotive. The highest growth automotive market contributed to the increase in the production of sheet glass. It is worth noting that glass is simply irreplaceable in this industry.

Industrial glass production

It all starts with the fact that all the necessary substances are brought to the production plant. The main components of what glass is made of are quartz sand, dolomite, soda, lime. All substances pass preparatory processing. Sand is cleaned of iron impurities, dolomite and lime are crushed in a crusher. After that, all substances are mixed and at this stage the components necessary to impart certain properties are also mixed in. This whole mixture is called a mixture. A charge is a mixture that is already completely ready for further processing, that is, it is already exactly what glass is made of.

The technological process for the manufacture of glass begins. The finished charge goes through the conveyor into the bunkers, from which it is poured into the loader, and the loader already pushes it into the furnace. Since the temperature here ranges from 1200 to 1600 degrees, depending on the type of future glass, such a furnace operates continuously for several years. Because you can’t just take and turn off such a furnace, otherwise it will simply collapse. In order to turn off such an oven, it will take about a week of uniform cooling. At this temperature, the charge turns into glass mass.

From the furnace, this glass mass first enters a tank with a stirrer, and after it is well mixed, it flows into the stubbing chamber. Here it cools down to about 1000 degrees. From the student part, the glass melt enters the fleet bath. At this stage, an interesting process occurs. A navy bath is a bath of molten tin, the temperature of which is about 600-700 degrees Celsius. On this tin, the glass mass literally floats and cools down a little, it is thanks to this technology that it acquires an almost ideal plane.

After a bath with tin, the glass ribbon enters the firing lehr, which is more than 100 meters long, rolling over which it gradually cools.

The next step is cutting the tape into sheets of glass. This is where some very clever technology comes into play. Cutting takes place directly in the direction of the tape, which significantly speeds up the entire process of glass production. How can you cut the tape on the go, you ask. The fact is that the cutter moves at exactly the same speed as the tape and at this time cuts it across, after which it returns to its original position. So we get finished sheets of glass.

Now, such equipment as a stacker machine comes into operation. As the name suggests, she makes stacks of glass. The movement of glass sheets occurs with the help of suction cups, since the glass is very fragile, but it weighs quite a lot, it cannot be moved in any other way. After the stacks are formed, they are transported by a special loader, and then the glass is distributed to warehouses, shops, to places where double-glazed windows are made from them, and so on.

By the way, why is glass transparent? The fact is that quartz sand is completely transparent. But we cannot see anything through the grains of sand due to the multiple refraction of light. For example, if you break the glass into many pieces, then you will not see anything through them either. And when the sand turns into a smooth mass, then here we already see a transparent sheet of glass.

Manufacturing technology

The reaction of obtaining glass occurs only under the influence of high temperature - at least 1600 degrees. To ensure such conditions, a special oven is used. The whole process can be described as an interconnected sequence of steps:

• 1. First, the raw materials are carefully crushed to a powder state and mixed with each other. At the same time, perfect accuracy is important here, so that before mixing the components, everything must be measured using an electronic scale.
• 2. Next, the powder is sent to the melting furnace, where the process of obtaining glass takes place at a high temperature. All components melt and form a homogeneous liquid mass. The processing temperature depends on the grade of the material being obtained. When using refractory materials as additives, it is necessary to increase the amount of supplied thermal energy.
• 3. Next, the melt enters the bath with liquid tin heated to 1000 degrees Celsius. Due to the lower density, liquids do not mix with each other, but the glass gets a perfectly flat and smooth surface.
• 4. After the “tin bath”, the material continues its movement along the conveyor, as it needs to cool down to a temperature of approximately 250 degrees in order to begin the solidification process. In this case, the cooling should be gradual, otherwise the product will simply crack and have to be sent for disposal or recycling.
• 5. At the end, the glass is cut or made to the desired configuration. Also on any conveyor there is a quality machine that checks the final result.

This glass manufacturing technology has long been established, but not the only one. In some situations, a different approach may be used. This is relevant with the production of special glasses, which have only one name in common with silicon material. They may even have a liquid physical state, while all glasses are commonly associated with a high level of hardness.

Therefore, one more process needs to be considered - obtaining liquid glass. It consists in the treatment of silica-containing raw materials with alkaline solutions of sodium or potassium. At the same time, for a normal reaction rate, the boiling point of alkali and high pressure are needed, which can be provided using special equipment.

Glass making equipment

For the production of glass, the following devices will be required:

• controlled channel for supplying raw materials;
• a mechanism for cutting the liquid mass;
• press for several forms with a control panel;
• cooling system of the forming machine;
• press hydraulic drive;
• a device that takes the finished product out of the forming apparatus;
• conveyor line, the control of which will be carried out automatically, without the control of the operator;
• , in which the melting of raw materials and the annealing of finished products will be carried out;
• an apparatus that applies paint, and a mechanism that dries the finished glass product;
• apparatus for washing the finished glass product.

quality requirements

The finished glass product must meet technical, functional, ergonomic and aesthetic requirements.

Technical requirements are the compliance of products with the requirements of regulatory and technical documents.

According to functional requirements, the surface of a glass product must be smooth, foreign inclusions and external defects must be excluded. According to ergonomic requirements, a glass product must be made convenient and safe to use.

Aesthetic requirements include original appearance, fashion fit and high quality processing.

What is glass made of

In accordance with the classical technology, the main raw materials in the production of glass are quartz sand, sodium sulfate, dolomite and limestone. To speed up production processes, the so-called charge is used - specific oxides that promote glass formation. They can be basic or acidic. To give the glass the desired properties, auxiliary “ingredients” are used - manganese, chromium and cobalt dyes, brighteners (saltpeter, arsenic trioxide), etc.

The basic components of the glass mixture are sand (70%), soda and lime (30%). After adding other substances according to the technological process, the mass is mixed, melted, cooled and cut into sheets of a given size. Modern production lines are designed for the production of sheet glass with a thickness of 2-50 mm and a size of 5x3 m².

Features of the Russian market

Glass industry leaders Russian Federation There are 11 plants, the largest of which are: JSC "AGC BSZ" (Nizhny Novgorod region), JSC "Saratovstroysteklo" (Saratov region), JSC "Salavatsteklo" (Bashkortostan), LLC "AGC Flat Glass Clean", LLC "Pilkington Glass" (Moscow region). It is these enterprises that produce 90% of domestic sheet glass. Moreover, only 30% of the volume of glass products on the market comes from abroad.

Glass production consumes 21% of raw materials, about 8% of fuel, 13% electrical energy of the total industrial volume of the Russian Federation.

Production of energy-saving glass

Energy-saving glasses (I-glass, K-glass, I-glass, E-glass and other non-existent glasses) are very famous. In reality, glasses are called Low-E (Low-I), or rather Low Emission, K-glass is the name of low-emission glass under the Pilkington brand. Such glasses are created by applying a transparent thin coating on the glass surface, which has good thermal conductivity. The main characteristic of energy-saving glass is its emissivity, which during the heating season returns up to 70 percent of the heat emitted by heating devices to the living space.
Application of several-layer coatings on glass turns it into selective glass, which is capable of selectively reflecting or transmitting optical radiation. The light of the sun passes through such glass well, and the heat radiation is reflected back into the apartment.
There are two types of selective glass, it has soft and hard coatings, and vacuum deposition is often applied to glass of this class. According to the coefficient of radiation ability, the difference is 1.5 times.

Manufacturing of glass products

Glass products can be divided into two large types. The first are those products that are produced on an industrial scale, the so-called glass containers, such as glass bottles, jars. The second big type is art products. This is the name of all products that are made by hand by glassblowers, such as vases, glass figurines, figurines and the like. In the manufacture of glass products, industrial glass and in general any glass First stage production is always absolutely similar, until a glass mass is obtained. Only the components that make up the charge, the melting temperature and the subsequent processing of the resulting glass mass are different.

Manufacture of industrial glass products

The finished glass mass from the furnace falls into a glass line, from which it flows out in the form of a sausage and is cut into cylindrical drops by a cutter, one such drop is a future bottle or jar. The drop is sent to a so-called scoop, which directs them to the molding machine. It works by the following method: the holders take the drop by the edge and hold it in a hanging position, the entire lower part of the drop is closed on both sides with the desired shape, whether it be a jar or a bottle, certain patterns can also be on the shape. After the mold is closed, the holder is removed and a blowing device is inserted into the drop. It, like a balloon, inflates the drop from the inside with compressed air and the mass acquires the desired shape. Excess molten glass goes back to its original shape.

By the way, to give the glass some color or shade, certain substances are added to the charge, for example, iron or chromium oxide is added to give green color, copper oxide for blue, and so on.

Now almost finished goods move along a heated conveyor so that there is no sharp temperature drop and the product does not crack. From this conveyor, the loading machine moves the products into a lehr, along which they move slowly and gradually cool down. Here they are treated with a special solution that allows them to glide and move smoothly. And they move on to the testing and packaging line. After going through all the stages, we get the finished product.

How art glass products are made

Artistic glass products are all made from the same glass mass. In the production of such products, the same furnace is still used, but only the temperature for manufacturing is slightly lower than industrial, about 1200 degrees. The product itself is made by glassblowers. Glassblowers are like jewelers for glass, they can work alone or in pairs or even more.

With the help of a long tube, glassmakers take the required amount of hot glass directly from the furnace and immediately begin to shape it with various methods, while periodically blowing it through the tube. In the process, it will be possible to add more material, for example, for any additional details. Very small details are made separately, also by different methods.

After forming the details and the general shape of the product, it is placed in another kiln for a day. As a rule, the temperature in the heated state is about 400 degrees, at night such a furnace is turned off and the products in it gradually cool down to 70 degrees, where they harden and harden.

Basic glass production methods

Glass production is a complex technological process based on the knowledge of chemical formulas and requires large investments. The classical method is based on the melting of raw materials with the addition of enhancers, dyes, opacifiers and decolorizers. The resulting mass is cooled so that there are no small crystals. It should unite into a monolith.

Today sheet glass is the main product of the industry.

Emil Furko method

Assumes vertical machine drawing of material. The glass is melted in a glass melting furnace, then the resulting liquid glass mass is drawn by means of rolling shafts, moved to the cooling shaft and distributed into pieces. On the final stage the sheet is ground and polished. The thickness of the product depends on the speed of drawing. This method is called "stretched glass".

float method

Translated from English means "to swim, to stay on the surface of the water." The idea of ​​making glass products in this way dominated at the beginning of the 20th century. However, it developed in the middle of the last century, when the English company Pilkington decided to put the industrial process into practice.

The float method lies in the fact that the viscous glass mass after the furnace takes a horizontal position. On flat equipment, it is fed into a float bath with molten tin and a gas-air atmosphere. The material floats on the surface, takes shape and absorbs microscopic particles of tin. After that, the glass mass is cooled and annealed.

The fabric has a smooth surface. It does not need to be processed, polished or sanded. Sheet glass has:

• certain stable thickness;
• high quality;
• good light transmission;
• absence of optical defects;
• high level of performance.

It is widely used in everyday life and in construction. Items made using the float method are used for window and cladding structures, shop windows, mirrors, furniture, and appliances. The range of products is so large that an inexperienced consumer may be confused. On the basis of the sheet fabric, reinforced glass with figured cells is made.

Auxiliary processing

Additional glass processing involves applying a paint coating to the side that did not interact with the molten tin and did not acquire a microscopic tin layer. Special equipment – ​​an optical filter, an ultraviolet lamp – helps to determine the quality of the glass surface. The method for determining the tin side helps to paint the canvas with polyurethane enamel, apply certain patterns. This opens up prospects for non-standard design solutions.

Today, many entrepreneurs prefer to engage in secondary business, which is based on the processing of material and the production of certain products. These can be mirrors, glass souvenirs, double-glazed windows, selective glass, elements of the furniture industry. Modern technologies based on application the latest equipment, allow you to get from glass a variety of decorative products with unusual performance.

Glass production is a profitable business with many advantages:

• demand;
• high level of payback of costly materials;
• the possibility of manufacturing a wide range of products.

Examining yourself in a shop window, washing your face and looking in the mirror in the morning, watching the outlandish mixing of coffee with milk through the transparent walls of a cup are familiar activities. And no one thinks about what way glass makes to become an integral attribute of the life of a modern person. It all starts with mixing unusual ingredients.

Glass begins with the preparation and mixing of the constituent parts. The quality of glass products depends on the degree of preparation of the ingredients.

Raw material

The most common name comes from the name of the chemical element of silicon oxide - SiO 2. Quartz sand is a representative of this substance in nature.

Sodium sulfate, limestone, soda - that's what glass is made of. A little cullet is added to the composition.

Glass base sorting

Before glass is made, the sand is screened and sorted. Raw materials of the worst quality are used for the production of window glass, the best - for the manufacture of dishes, jewelry, optical lenses and art products. The difference is in the size of the grains and the chemical composition: the finer the sand, the wider the scope of its application. If large grains of sand predominate, then such sand is the main raw material for window glass.

Initial sort

Sorted sand is transported to workshops for further processing. Quartz raw materials are placed in drums, the walls of which consist of the thinnest film. As the drums rotate, the sand is washed with clean water without detergents. The film is water permeable. The contents are ejected onto a conveyor that shakes the contents, sifting out large pebbles.

Sorting from metals

This is followed by a stage of fine filtration to clean the sand from metal inclusions. The impact of the latter will change the chemical composition of the glass. To do this, use spiral vertical troughs. Under the influence of centrifugal force, heavy metal particles are pressed against the inside of the chute, lighter sand is washed along the outer edge and goes further.

Drying

Wet raw materials are dried. The quartz sand is fed onto a round rotating conveyor. From below it is blown with hot air. The dried raw material is fed to the place of further processing.

Melting

The rest of the constituent elements are added to the sand. Everything is poured into the melting furnace. At a temperature of 1600 degrees, everything is melted down and mixed with a special spatula, which is constantly cooled with cool water.

Cooling and leveling the glass surface

The resulting mixture is poured into baths filled with molten tin. The density of the latter is less than the density of hot glass, so it spreads evenly over the bath. At the same time, it is cooled to a temperature of 600 degrees, because the temperature of tin is lower than the temperature of liquid glass. The large roller pulls out the soft glass and pushes it further.

Cutting

The resulting "endless" glass sheet is cut with a diamond. The cutting device moves along the path at an angle. The sheet is fed by constantly moving rollers. The diamond "captures" movements, adjusts and cuts even sheets. Then one of the rollers rises and the glass is separated along the cut line.

glass moving

The resulting sheets are moved using robots that have vacuum nozzles. They grab the glass and transfer it to the place indicated by the person using the remote control.

We talked about the main stages and technology of transparent glass production. It is more often used than color.

Colored glass

To create original stained-glass windows, fragile glass sheets of different colors are needed. Before you make colored glass, you need to choose the desired color. A chemical element is added to the crushed raw materials, which will color the transparent glass. An orange color is obtained by adding cadmium sulfite and zinc white. To create a red tint - selenium. The amount of added substance depends on the color and intensity of staining.

Manufacturing equipment

The glass production process, of course, is lengthy, but at present most of the operations are automated. The equipment is varied and expensive.

The main equipment of glass factories:

• vehicles for transporting sand from quarries to conveyors;
• conveyor belts for moving raw materials to sorting places;
• drums for washing sand;
• sorting devices;
• filtering installations;
• installations for mixing components;
• glass furnaces;
• leveling baths or devices for stretching sheets of glass;
• the conveyors completed with rollers for movement of glass on shop;
• automated device with a diamond for cutting sheets;
• pneumatic gripping devices.

Glass at home

Craftsmen can make glass even at home. First you need to calculate the proportions of the components. Having studied what glass is made of, the composition of the future glass mixture includes: sand, soda, lime, broken glass.

How to make glass at home:

1. Preparation of the main components. It is necessary to heat 180 grams of baking soda over a fire until the moisture evaporates. Warm up 400 grams of sifted washed sand on fire, dry. Grind 80 grams of lime. Pour into one bowl. Add 10 grams of boric acid and two table salt.
2. To make glass yourself, you should prepare a container. To maintain integrity in high heat, it is advisable to coat metal utensils with a mixture of liquid glass and clay in several layers. To do this, mix a few tablespoons of modeling clay with water until it becomes liquid. Then add one or two tablespoons of liquid glass. Use a brush to cover the dishes.
3. Ignite the coated vessel on gas. Its surface will be covered with convex "pimples".
4. Prepare a glass battle: sift the broken dishes. Pour three tablespoons of small glass particles into a cooking dish. Add the rest of the raw material.
5. Put the resulting mixture on fire. You can blow it with a forge. After three to four hours, the mixture will melt to a liquid glass consistency.

Quality standards

There are many types of glass. To determine the quality of each type, state standards have been created, which describe the properties and quality characteristics.

There are GOSTs for quartz, sheet, medical, multilayer, curved, inorganic, optical and other types of glass. They describe production technologies, brands, methods for determining quality, classification.

Glass grades

Large manufacturing companies are engaged in the production of sheet glass types of a wide range. This is due to the popular glazing of large office and retail buildings in largest cities. Therefore, production workers often use GOST No. 111-90 “Sheet glass. Specifications".

By purpose, glass is divided into the following grades:

• M1 - mirror improved. The thickness of products is not more than 6 mm and not less than 2 mm. Designed for windshields of cars, quality mirrors.
• M2 - mirror. Used for the production of mirrors, glasses in public transport.
• M3 - polished technical. They produce decorative elements of furniture, mirrors.
• M4 - polished window. Serves for high-quality glazing of structures of translucent, safety glass Vehicle.
• M5 - unpolished window improved. It is used for glasses of agricultural transport.
• M6 - unpolished window. Used to create translucent structures.
• M7 - polished showcase. Thickness ranges from 6.5mm to 12mm. Used in the design of shop windows, stained-glass windows.
• M8 - unpolished showcase. Shop windows and lanterns are made from it.

Classification of glass products

Around a person is full of objects made of glass or with its inclusions. They can be summarized according to the intended use.

The main groups of glass products:

1. Household products. Which, in turn, are divided into household, artistic and decorative, kitchen utensils. Household products are used to preserve and store food. Artistic and decorative - have high aesthetic properties and serve to decorate the interior. Kitchen utensils are made of borosilicate or glass-ceramic glass, which has fire-resistant properties. Therefore, the assortment is represented by braziers, pots, ducklings.
2. Construction - glass used in construction. The production includes glass for windows, shop windows, stained-glass windows, double-glazed windows, glass blocks, and other building products.
3. Technical - glass, which has a narrow specialization. Includes medical optical, laboratory glassware, transport, used in electrics, car parts.

Glass Application

Glass products are used in many areas of human activity. In some, its hardness is important, in others - transparency, quality is valued equally everywhere.

Directions for the use of glass:

1. Optics. Priority is given to the transparency of future optical elements. It is used in scientific, military, aerospace activities and for the production of consumer optics.
2. Clear glass. It is actively used in construction for the construction of light structures.
3. Colored glass is the basis for creating stained-glass windows and other mosaics.
4. Art glass. This type is used to create original decorations, interior elements.
5. Glass enamel. It is a durable material with high abrasion resistance. It is actively used to cover ceramic tiles, baths, faience sanitary ware, galvanic baths.
6. Fiberglass, fiberglass. Glass wool, fiberglass and other materials are produced from them.
7. Optical fiber. It serves for the manufacture of special threads for conducting communications, the Internet, and television networks.
8. Photochromic glass. Used for light protection this species glass. Used in the manufacture of sunglasses, to darken windows in public transport.
9. Dielectric glass is actively used for the production of insulators in the electrical industry.

Glass production sites

In many countries former USSR glassworks survived. This is due to the availability of raw materials and the relative ease of production.

Glass production in Russia is represented by the following companies:

LLC "BSZ" - Boyar glass factory, the largest manufacturer. Produces tempered, tinted glass and triplex. The products are used in the automotive industry: for windshields, side windows in cars. Located in the city of Bor, Nizhny Novgorod region.

OJSC "Salavatsteklo" produces sheet glass for the production of commercial equipment, furniture and transport industry. The company produces glass bottles. Production is located in the Republic of Bashkortostan, the city of Salavat.

OAO Saratovstroysteklo produces glass sheets using the modern fleet method. The company manufactures glass grades M1, M4 and M7. The products of the Saratov glass factory were used in the construction of the Kremlin Palace of Congresses, the Rossiya Hotel and a number of others.

Pilkington Glass LLC is a British manufacturer of glass products in the Moscow region. Produces a specialized line of solar control glass, which is widely used for building glazing. The products have high noise insulation properties, therefore they are used for glazing buildings next to highways and railway lines.

LLC "Guardian Steklo Ryazan" is a Russian enterprise, in the production of which the latest technologies and equipment are used. The company manufactures fiberglass thermal insulation, solar control and multifunctional, energy-saving glass. The line for the production of mirrors with a painted surface is in operation.

JSC "Vostek" is a production complex that produces glass sheets for use in the production of windows and greenhouse glazing. Joint-stock company manufactures baguette, frosted, tempered glass. Engaged in the restoration of Catholic churches and other valuable buildings, operates a line of automatic glass cutting. Production is delivered to England, Holland, Germany. Production is located in the City of St. Petersburg.

CJSC "Simvol" - a Moscow-based company manufactures sheet glass for the automotive industry, offers a wide range of impact-resistant laminated glass.

It is possible to make glass both on a large industrial production, as well as at home. The main active ingredient is fine quartz sand. The most important type of equipment is the melting furnace, the processes in which are fully automated. A person almost effortlessly receives material for a wide range of applications - from the production of double-glazed windows to the production of fiber optic filaments.