What Is the Difference Between Flat-Slab Glass and Float Glass?

In our daily life, we often come into contact with various types of glass materials. In addition to traditional flat-slab glass, there are glass materials with special properties such as ultra-clear glass and high borosilicate glass, as well as insulating glass and laminated glass. In order to make everyone further understand the characteristics of glass originals and the differences between the two types of glass originals, we have prepared this article, hoping to be helpful.

What is the original glass?

Refers to the fixed-size glass produced by the flat-slab glass factory. The size is usually based on some British conventional data, such as 12 feet (3660mm), 130 inches (3300mm), 8 feet (2440mm), 7 feet (2134mm) and so on. The required glass size is ever-changing, and it is impossible for the glass factory to satisfy all of them. The purpose of this is to facilitate mass production, packing and transportation.

End users have various requirements for the glass size. This kind of glass basically cannot be used directly and needs to be recut. Compared with the finished board after recutting, this kind of glass from the glass factory is called the original board or the original sheet. 

What is the difference between flat-slab glass and float glass?

1. Ordinary flat glass and float glass are both flat-slab glass. They are only different in production process and quality. Ordinary flat glass is made of quartz sandstone powder, silica sand, potassium fossil, soda ash, Glauber's salt and other raw materials, prepared in a certain proportion, melted at high temperature in a furnace, and produced by vertical lead-up method, flat drawing method, and calendering method. Ordinary flat glass is divided into three categories: special selection, first-class and second-class according to the appearance quality. According to the thickness, it is divided into five types: 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6mm.

2. Float glass is made of raw materials such as sea sand, quartz sandstone powder, soda ash, dolomite, etc., prepared in a certain proportion, melted at high temperature in a melting furnace, and the molten glass flows continuously from the pool kiln to and floats on the liquid metal surface, and spreads into a glass. It is a transparent five-color flat-slab glass made of a glass strip with uniform thickness and fire polishing, which is separated from the molten metal after cooling and hardening, and then annealed and cut. The glass surface is particularly smooth and smooth, the thickness is very uniform, and the optical distortion is small. According to the appearance quality, float glass is divided into three categories: high-quality products, first-class products, and qualified products. According to the thickness, it is divided into seven types: 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, and 12mm.

3. The appearance quality grade of ordinary flat glass is determined according to the number of defects such as ribs, bubbles, scratches, sand grains, pimples, and lines. The appearance quality grade of float glass is judged according to the number of defects such as optical deformation, bubbles, inclusions, scratches, lines, and fog spots.

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China E&N Film Technology Co., Ltd. is a high-tech enterprise in Foshan China. It has been focusing on the EVA film industry over 15 years. Its products are positioned in the mainstream market and sell well in China, Europe, North America and other parts of the world.  If you are in need of glasses, please kindly contact us.