What is the composition of float glass?
Float glass is a substance composed primarily of Si, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, K, Fe, Ti, S and O (commonly called “soda lime silicate” glass). Pb, Cr, As, Sb, V may be present in float glass as trace level contaminants, always below 20 ppm. Tinted glass may contain Co, Se or Ni, up to 200 ppm.
What is the difference between flat glass and float glass?
Float glass also called as flat glass is annealed glass (not tempered or heat strengthened) and is produced by controlled cooling to prevent residual stress in the glass. Float glass is high quality like sheet glass with good optical clarity like plate glass and can be cut, drilled, machined, edged, bent and polished.
What metal is used in float glass?
tin
Float glass is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten metal, typically tin, although lead and other various low-melting-point alloys were used in the past.
Why is tin used for float glass?
During the manufacturing process, the atmosphere inside the chamber is carefully controlled to ensure that float glass is manufactured correctly. The reason for using tin is that it is the only metal that remains stable in its liquid state at a high temperature of 600 degrees Celsius.
Why is float glass green?
One of the main ingredients in float glass is silica sand, which has naturally occurring iron oxides. These oxides give the glass its dark green edge – the thicker the glass the more intense the colour.
Can you cut float glass?
Most modern-day sheet glass is called float glass, referring to how it’s produced. This gives the glass sheet uniform thickness and a very flat surface, which is easily cut.
What are the advantages of float glass?
The advantages of float glass over drawn glass are the quality of the glass and the economical process. The advantage of float glass over plate glass is the cost. The float glass and plate glass have virtually the same optical quality.
What is the glass manufacturing process?
Tempered Glass Manufacturing Process Float glass is cut to the desired size. Prior to the tempering process, the cut glass is checked for flaws such as cracks, bubbles, and inclusions. The glass is washed to remove dust, dirt, and debris that could interfere with the thermal tempering process.
What is floating glass?
Float glass. Float glass is a sheet of glass made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten metal, typically tin, although lead and other various low-melting-point alloys were used in the past.
What is clear float glass?
Clear Float Glass. Clear Float Glass is a sheet of Glass made by floating molten Glass on a bed of molten metal, typically tin . This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and very flat surfaces.