loat glass production technology

During the float glass manufacturing process, molten glass, at approximately 1100°C, is poured continuously from a furnace onto a large bath of molten tin. It then floats on the tin, spreading and seeking a controlled level surface. In the controlled production process, the molten glass is allowed to spread to a width of 300 to 360 cm, depending on the glass thickness being produced. The thickness is controlled by the speed at which the slowly solidifying glass ribbon is drawn through the tin bath. After about 120 m of travel through the cooling Lehr, it emerges as a continuous ribbon of glass at merely room temperature. The product is perfectly flat and has virtually parallel surfaces. Automatic cutters are used to trim the edges and to cut across the width of the moving glass ribbon. This creates sizes which can be shipped or handled for further processing.