Tempered glass is a widely used material in modern architectural and industrial applications. Due to its advantages of high strength, good safety performance and strong heat resistance, tempered glass is widely used in building curtain walls, automotive window glass, home appliance panels and other fields. So, how is tempered glass made?
Definition and basic principles of tempered glass
Tempered glass, also known as tempered glass, is a type of glass made by heating ordinary annealed glass to near the softening point (about 620-650 degrees Celsius) and then cooling it rapidly. This rapid cooling process is known as "quenching", and it creates a layer of compressive stress on the surface of the glass and tensile stress on the inside. This stress distribution makes tempered glass 4-5 times stronger than ordinary glass.
The production process of tempered glass
Glass cutting and cleaning
The first step in making tempered glass is to cut a regular glass plate into the desired size and shape. After the glass is cut, it needs to be cleaned to remove dust and oil from the surface to ensure that there are no blemishes during the subsequent heating and cooling process.
heating
The cut and cleaned glass plates are fed into a tempering furnace for heating. The heating part of the tempering furnace is usually composed of multiple electric heaters, which can precisely control the heating temperature and time. The glass panes are heated evenly in the furnace to 620-650 degrees Celsius, bringing them close to the softening point, but not melting.
Rapid cooling (quenching)
When the glass plate is heated to the desired temperature, it immediately enters the quenching process. The quenching process is to cool down the glass at a very fast rate by spraying high-pressure air from both sides at the same time. This process only takes about a few seconds. Rapid cooling causes compressive stress to form on the surface of the glass and tensile stress on the inside. This stress distribution greatly improves the strength and impact resistance of the glass.
Inspection & Packing
Quenched glass is subject to rigorous quality inspections, including dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and mechanical strength. Qualified tempered glass will be packed and ready for transportation and installation.
Physical and chemical properties of tempered glass
- High strength: Due to the compressive stress layer formed during the tempering process, the strength of tempered glass is 4-5 times that of ordinary glass, and it can withstand greater external impact and pressure.
- Safety: When tempered glass is broken, it will be broken into small obtuse particles, and will not form sharp fragments like ordinary glass, reducing the risk of injury to people.
- Heat resistance: Tempered glass has strong heat resistance, can withstand large temperature changes without breaking, and is suitable for environments with large temperature differences.
- Stress distribution: There is a compressive stress layer on the surface of the tempered glass, and a tensile stress layer on the inside, which makes the tempered glass have good bending and compressive properties.
Application areas of tempered glass
- Construction: Tempered glass is widely used in building curtain walls, doors and windows, skylights and indoor partitions. Its high strength and safety make it an important material in modern architectural design.
- Automotive industry: In the automotive industry, tempered glass is mainly used for the side and rear windows of automobiles. The high strength and safety of tempered glass make it reduce the risk of injury to passengers in traffic accidents.
- Home appliance manufacturing: Tempered glass is also widely used in home appliance manufacturing, such as refrigerator panels, microwave oven doors, and washing machine windows. Its heat resistance and aesthetics make it an ideal material for these products.
- Furniture and decoration: Tempered glass is also widely used in the furniture and decoration field, such as glass coffee tables, desks, display cabinets and decorative partitions. Its transparency and modernity add a unique charm to the interior design.
As a modern building and industrial material, tempered glass has the advantages of high strength, safety and heat resistance. The manufacturing process includes glass cutting, heating, rapid cooling and inspection. With the development of science and technology, tempered glass will have broader development prospects in terms of energy saving, environmental protection, multi-function and personalized customization. Through continuous innovation and improvement, tempered glass will play an important role in more fields to provide better protection and beautification effects for people's living and working environments.