FLOAT GLASS

[EIRI/EDPR/4035] J.C.: 2167INR, 2168US$

INTRODUCTION

Glass is a versatile material which is used in construction since ancient times.

Nowadays glass is used extensively in façade, interior partitions, balustrades,
railings for stairs and balconies, etc. Most companies manufacture normal glass
which is commonly called float glass due to the procedure involved in its
production.

Normal glass or float glass or annealed glass is produced by combining all the
ingredients of glass, heating them till molten and then cooling the mixture. Float
glass has a perfectly flat and brilliant surface, so it is also called flat glass. There
are various types of float glass which used in daily life. Here we have given brief
information on various types of float glass and their application, which
homeowners must know before buying glass for their homes.

Float glass is extremely smooth, distortion-free glass used in many window

applications. It also provides the material for many other forms of glass, including
tinted glass (heat absorbing) and laminated glass.

Float glass is made by pouring the molten glass from a furnace into a chamber
that contains a bed of molten tin. The process is sometimes call the Pilkington
Process. The atmosphere inside the chamber is carefully controlled. The glass
floats on the tin and forms itself in the shape of the container. It spreads 90 to
140 inches wide at a thickness determined at the time of manufacture.

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The upper surface of the glass is called the air side or score side. It is polished
with fire. The lower surface is called the tin side. It is not fire-polished. From the
chamber, the glass enters an oven, called a lehr. There it is slowly cooled at a
specific rate. This process, called annealing, relieves the glass of internal stresses.
The rate of cooling is crucial to the success of the final product. The glass emerges
from the lehr at room temperature as a continuous ribbon. It is flat, fire-finished
on the top, and has smooth, parallel surfaces. Automatic cutters trim the edges
and cut the glass to length.

Float glass is soda-lime glass, made by floating molten glass on a bed of molten
tin. This method gives the sheet uniform thickness and very flat, smooth surfaces.

It is usually color neutral and highly transparent, but tints are possible, too.

Float glass is characterized by great surface hardness, but is very fragile and UV
Transmittant.

Tempered safety glass and laminated safety glass are special forms of float glass
that provide enhanced mechanical and chemical resistance.

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Types of Glass from the Float Process

There are two types of glass made by the float process, clear glass and tinted
glass. Most of the flat glass made by the float process is clear glass. As its name
implies, clear glass is transparent and colorless. Depending upon its thickness,
clear glass allows about 75 to 92 percent of the visible light to pass through.

Tinted glass (also called heat absorbing glass) is made by adding coloring agents
to the batch mix. These agents include bronze, gray, green and blue. As the glass
gets thicker, the density of the color also increases. This causes the glass to
transmit less visible light. The light transmittance of tinted glass varies from 14 to
83 percent depending upon its color and thickness.

Key Properties of Float Glass:

 High degree of light transmission

 Ability to be produced in a range of colors
 Ability to be produced in a range of opacities
 Good chemical inertness
 Attacked by hydrofluoric (HF) acid.

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 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION
TYPES OF GLASS FROM THE FLOAT PROCESS
KEY PROPERTIES OF FLOAT GLASS:
USES AND APPLICATION
APPLICATION
BUILDING INDUSTRY
COMMERCIAL GLAZING
DISPLAYS
B.I.S. SPECIFICATION
PROCESS FLOW CHART
MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF FLOAT GLASS
FIGURE: GLASS GENERAL PROCESS
1. BATCH MIXING AND PREPARATION
COMPOSITION OF FLOAT GLASS
2. MELTING
A) HEATING
B) PRIMARY MELTING
C) FINING AND HOMOGENISATION
D) CONDITIONING
THE MAIN TYPES OF MELTING FURNACES ARE:
I) REGENERATIVE FURNACES
II) RECUPERATIVE FURNACES
III) OXYFUEL MELTING FURNACES
IV) ELECTRIC FURNACES
V) COMBINED FOSSIL FUEL AND ELECTRIC MELTING FURNACES
VI) DISCONTINUOUS BATCH MELTING FURNACES
VII) SPECIAL FURNACES
3. FORMING PHASE
FIGURE 4: FLOAT GLASS PROCESS
4. FINISHING AND PACKAGING
ANNEALING
TOUGHENING
COATING AND DECORATING
5. QUALITY ASSURANCE
QUALITY CHECKS, AUTOMATIC CUTTING, AND STORAGE
INSPECTION SYSTEM OF GLASS
6. CUTTING TO ORDER
7. MARKING
8. BIS CERTIFICATION MARKING

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MARKET POSITION
CONTAINER GLASS INDUSTRY
FLAT GLASS INDUSTRY
FIBER GLASS INDUSTRY
SPECIALTY GLASS INDUSTRY
GROWTH DRIVERS OF THE GLASS INDUSTRY
GREEN BUILDING CONCEPT
REAL ESTATE SECTOR
AUTOMOTIVES INDUSTRY
SOLAR ENERGY GLASS DEMAND
PACKAGING INDUSTRY
GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE
CHALLENGES FACED BY THE GLASS INDUSTRY
1. COST
2. CAPEX
3. COMPETITION
4. AWARENESS OF GLASS AS ECO-FRIENDLY BUILDING MATERIAL
OR PACKAGING SOLUTION
5. PACKING AND LOGISTICS
6. UNFAVORABLE DUTY STRUCTURE
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
I. MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY
II. DIPP
III. HEALTH MINISTRY
IV. ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY
CONCESSION ON NATURAL GAS
PLANT LAYOUT
PRINCIPLES OF PLANT LAYOUT
MAJOR PROVISIONS IN ROAD PLANNING FOR MULTIPURPOSE
SERVICE ARE:
PLANT LOCATION FACTORS
PRIMARY FACTORS
1. RAW-MATERIAL SUPPLY:
2. MARKETS:
3. POWER AND FUEL SUPPLY:
4. WATER SUPPLY:
5. CLIMATE:
6. TRANSPORTATION:
7. WASTE DISPOSAL:
8. LABOR:
9. REGULATORY LAWS:
10. TAXES:
11. SITE CHARACTERISTICS:
12. COMMUNITY FACTORS:

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13. VULNERABILITY TO WARTIME ATTACK:
14. FLOOD AND FIRE CONTROL:
EXPLANATION OF TERMS USED IN THE PROJECT REPORT
1. DEPRECIATION:
2. FIXED ASSETS:
3. WORKING CAPITAL:
4. BREAK-EVEN POINT:
5. OTHER FIXED EXPENSES:
6. MARGIN MONEY:
7. TOTAL LOAD:
8. LAND AREA/MAN POWER RATIO:
PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULES
INTRODUCTION
PROJECT HANDLING
PROJECT SCHEDULING
PROJECT CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
TIME SCHEDULE
SUPPLIERS OF FLOAT GLASS
SUPPLIERS OF RAW MATERIALS
SUPPLIERS OF SILICA SAND
SUPPLIERS OF SODA ASH
SUPPLIERS OF DOLOMITE POWDER
SUPPLIERS OF FELDSPAR
SUPPLIERS OF CULLETS
CHINA SUPPLIER OF FLOAT GLASS PLANT
SUPPLIERS OF PLANT AND MACHINERY
SUPPLIERS OF METAL TESTING MACHINE
SUPPLIERS OF PRECISION MEASURING TOOLS
SUPPLIERS OF NDT INSPECTION EQUIPMENT
SUPPLIERS OF ELECTRICAL MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF DG SETS
SUPPLIERS OF EOT CRANES
SUPPLIERS OF POWER TRANSFORMERS
SUPPLIERS OF ELECTRICAL PANEL
SUPPLIERS OF ELECTRIC MOTOR
SUPPLIERS OF COOLING TOWER
SUPPLIERS OF EFFULENT TREATMENT PLANT (ETP PLANT)
SUPPLIERS OF AIR POLLUTION CONTROL EQUIPMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF AIR CONDITIONING EQUIPMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF AIR COMPRESSORS
SUPPLIERS OF PLATFORM WEIGHING MACHINE
SUPPLIERS OF MATERIAL HANDLING EQUIPMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF FIRE FIGHTING EQUIPMENTS
SUPPLIERS OF SHOT BLASTING MACHINE

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SUPPLIERS OF JIGS AND FIXTURE
SUPPLIERS OF SUBMERSIBLE WATER PUMP

APPENDIX – A:

01. PLANT ECONOMICS

02. LAND & BUILDING
03. PLANT AND MACHINERY
04. OTHER FIXED ASSESTS
05. FIXED CAPITAL
06. RAW MATERIAL
07. SALARY AND WAGES
08. UTILITIES AND OVERHEADS
09. TOTAL WORKING CAPITAL
10. TOTAL CAPITAL INVESTMENT
11. COST OF PRODUCTION
12. TURN OVER/ANNUM
13. BREAK EVEN POINT
14. RESOURCES FOR FINANCE
15. INSTALMENT PAYABLE IN 5 YEARS
16. DEPRECIATION CHART FOR 5 YEARS
17. PROFIT ANALYSIS FOR 5 YEARS
18. PROJECTED BALANCE SHEET FOR (5 YEARS)

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 COST ESTIMATION

Plant Capacity 600 Ton/Day

Land & Building (10,000 sq.mt.) Rs. 6.84 Cr
Plant & Machinery Rs. 122.95 Cr
Working Capital for 2 Months Rs. 38.85 Cr
Total Capital Investment Rs. 184.14 Cr
Rate of Return 42%
Break Even Point 57%

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