Glass was introduced to the market more than 7000 years ago in Egypt, yet it was found in its natural state back in 3000 B.C. Nowadays, glass is manufactured from different ceramic materials all over North America. The main components that go into forming and shaping glass are oxides. Glass is a very versatile material that is used in hundreds of applications. It is also an important contributor to a lot of industries. The manufacturing of an automobile, for example, requires the use of different types of glass in various ways; from windshields and roof glass panels, to side and rear windows.
The main purpose of auto glass so far is to block the wind and any debris from entering fast-moving vehicles. However, nowadays, technology has managed to develop some types of advanced windshields. The advanced type of windshield is designed aerodynamically to satisfy Bernoulli’s principle for the car to be able to move faster and easier. In order to understand better how glass is made, we will go through some of the most important stages of the production process.
Raw Materials
Glass is composed in general of oxides that react together and fuse when they are heated. Six main ingredients go into the making process of auto glass. These ingredients are usually mixed at very high temperatures for the chemical fusion to take place.
- Sand or Silica: Silica is the main chemical compound that goes into the making of the windshield. Silicon dioxide has a very high melting point that can reach up to 2000 degrees Celsius.
- Sodium Carbonate: The chemical reaction between sodium carbonate and silica reduces silicon dioxide’s melting point by more than 1000 degrees Celsius. This step was revolutionary as it achieved a more efficient glass making process. The only downside to this interaction is that it’s bound to make the finished glass water-soluble.
- Calcium Oxide: Lime or calcium oxide is then added to the equation to make the glass insoluble in water. This added ingredient also results in a more durable glass. It improves glass hardness.
- Cullet: Recycled glass that can be reshaped in a furnace can sometimes be employed in the production process.
Understanding the Differences Between Diverse Types of Glass
While the making processes for the glass used for the windshield and other windows are very similar, the results are quite different. The type of glass used for all windows in a vehicle is made of safety materials, glass that has to follow a certain the approved criteria by the OEM. Windshields, on the other hand, goes through an additional process of lamination to provide extra protection for passengers in the front seats. That’s why any website that handles repairs and windshield replacements often offers different services and materials for windshields compared with other automobile windows. If you are confused between tempered and laminated glass, you can seek the help of professional experts on the subject to recommend the best type for your needs.
The Manufacturing Process
The appropriate amounts of raw materials are weighed carefully and mixed. Then, to prevent segregation, a small amount of water is added to the ingredients. The float glass process is then used to melt the batch. Usually, the ingredients are mixed and heated to their melting point before they are added to a specific tank which is called “the float chamber”. The name gives away an idea about the process where you can notice the glass floating literally inside the chamber.
Laminated and Tempered Glass
The difference between tempered and laminated glass can be summed up in understanding how the two making processes differ. The tempering process depends on a quick shock that hardens the glass and enhances its resistance. Usually, glass undergoes an extreme level of heating followed directly by rapid cooling. However, the process doesn’t only aim for stronger glass that is harder to break. The tempering process is considered to be a safety procedure to limit the damage of the glass, in case of breaking. Instead of breaking into shards that could create more damage and injuries, tempered glass is made to break into small pebbles.
Laminated glass, however, is achieved by placing a piece of plastic between every two pieces of glass. Safety glass is often made to be strong and harder to break. Laminated glass is mostly used for shaping windshields to protect the driver. These three layers offer protection from any projectiles on the road.
The essential ingredients that go into the making of glass are usually weighed with extreme caution. Simply put, in this process, the ingredients are heated to allow chemical fusion to take place. Once the glass has been made, it’s either finished off with a tempering process to make it safer and stronger, or a laminating process to shape windshields.