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Float Glass Manufacturing Process 002

The float glass manufacturing process involves melting raw materials like sand, soda ash, and cullet in a furnace at 1600°C to form molten glass. The molten glass floats on a bath of molten tin where it is flattened and cooled before being automatically cut, stacked, and distributed to customers locally and internationally. The glass gains its smooth, flat appearance through floating on the molten tin bath which melts out any irregularities in the glass surface.

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Murali Manepally
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375 views

Float Glass Manufacturing Process 002

The float glass manufacturing process involves melting raw materials like sand, soda ash, and cullet in a furnace at 1600°C to form molten glass. The molten glass floats on a bath of molten tin where it is flattened and cooled before being automatically cut, stacked, and distributed to customers locally and internationally. The glass gains its smooth, flat appearance through floating on the molten tin bath which melts out any irregularities in the glass surface.

Uploaded by

Murali Manepally
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Float Glass - Manufacturing process

The float glass manufacturing process was developed by Pilkington in 1959, taking flat glass
technology to a revolutionary new level.

The glass gains its lustrous finish and perfect flatness by floating on a bath of molten tin in a
chemically controlled atmosphere. The ribbon of glass is then cooled, while still moving, until the
surfaces are hard enough for it to be taken out of the bath without the roller marking the surface. The
glass is then automatically cut and stacked, ready to be packed for distribution to local and
international customers.

The Float Line:

1. Raw material feed

Sand, soda ash, dolomite, limestone and a proportionate amount of cullet are combined to form a
batch. Strict quality controls and monitoring of temperatures throughout the process maintain
PFG’s high quality standards.

2. Furnace

Batch materials are fed into the furnace. Full melting is achieved at around 1 600°C.

3. Float bath

A continuous ribbon of molten glass floats along the surface of molten tin. Irregularities are melted
out, ensuring flat, parallel surfaces in the glass.

4. Annealing lehr

The glass is annealed and gradually cooled to 200°C, to relieve stresses and prevent splitting and
breaking in the cutting phase.

5. Cutting

The glass ribbon is cut automatically as it moves along the rollers.

6. Stacking and offloading

A series of automatic stackers offload the glass. The glass is then warehoused for distribution,
using overhead cranes and mobile lifting vehicles.

7. Distribution

Glass is distributed by road or rail throughout South Africa, and exported into regional and
overseas markets. Export documentation is handled from PFG’s head office, with supervision
from personnel at our offices in Durban and Cape Town

Reference:
http://www.pfg.co.za/home.asp

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