GLASS FORMING

Glass is produced by heating the raw materials to an elevated temperature above which
melting occurs. Most commercial glasses are of the silica-soda-lime variety; the silica is
usually supplied as common quartz sand, whereas Na 2O and CaO are added as soda ash
(Na2CO3) and limestone (CaCO3). For most applications especially when optical transparency
is important, it is essential that the glass product be homogeneous and pore free.
Homogeneity is achieved by complete melting and mixing of the raw ingredients. Porosity
results from small gas bubbles that are produced; these must be absorbed into the melt or
otherwise eliminated, which requires proper adjustment of the viscosity of the molten
material.

Four different forming methods are used to fabricate glass products: Pressing, blowing,
drawing and fiber forming. Pressing is used in the fabrication of relatively thick-walled pieces
such as plates and dishes. The glass piece is formed by pressure application in a graphite-
coated cast iron mold having a desired shape; the mold is ordinarily heated to ensure an
even surface.

Although some glass blowing is done by hand, especially for art objects, the process has
been completely automated for the production of glass jars, bottles, and light bulbs. There
are several steps involved in one such technique. From a raw gob of glass, a parison or
temporary shape, is formed by mechanical pressing in a mold. This piece is inserted into a
finishing or blow mold and forced to conform to the mold contours by the pressure created
from a blast of air.

Drawing is used to form long glass pieces such as sheet, rod, tubing, and fibres, which have a
constant cross section. It may also be fabricated by hot rolling. Flatness and the surface
finish may be improved significantly by floating the sheet in a bath of molten tin at an
elevated temperature; the piece is slowly cooled and subsequently heat treated by
annealing.

Continuous glass fibres are formed in a rather sophisticated drawing operation. The molten
glass is contained in a platinum heating chamber. Fibres are formed by drawing the molten
glass through many small orifices at the chamber base. The glass viscosity, which is critical, is
controlled by chamber and orifice temperatures