What is Plate Glass?
Flat glass that is made by casting or rolling of molten glass which produces a smooth, transparent sheet. Today, about 90% of the worlds flat glass is currently formed via the float methodwhich produces glass with extremely flat, parallel surfaces. Float glass is formed from silica sand, soda, and lime and is continuously fed into a furnace, where it melts at a temperature of approximately 2800° F. From the furnace, the molten glass mixture moves through a canal and onto a pool of liquid tin. Because tin has a higher specific gravity than glass, the molten glass floats on top of the tin and forms a perfectly flat layer. The speed at which the glass ribbon moves will determine the ultimate thickness of the cooled glass. It must be cooled to approximately 1100° F as it progresses through the tin bath, finally reaching a solid state where it is possible to lift it out with rollers. The float glass is cooled slowly or annealed in order to remove any residual stresses. After annealing, the
Plate glass is a type of glass which is cast in a solid plate, typically through a roller process. The resulting glass is extremely flat and free of distortions. This type of glass is often used to make windows, and it is also utilized in the manufacture of mirrors, tables, and other objects which require extremely flat glass. There are a variety of different weights of plate glass available, ranging from incredibly thick and highly durable plate glass to more delicate varieties. To make plate glass, liquid glass is spread out on a metal table while it is still extremely hot, and then rollers are passed over the table to smooth and polish the glass as it cools, creating the desired uniform sheet of glass. Depending on the precise details of the manufacturing method, the glass may need to be polished again once it has cooled. Plate glass is also produced through a floating process, using a bath of molten tin to float liquid glass as it cools and sets. One of the major disadvantages of p
