Clear float glass, also known as colorless glass, high transparency glass, and low iron glass, is the most high-end variety of glass products. It has high transmittance and transparency, and the products are crystal clear, noble, and elegant. It is known as the "Crystal Prince" of the glass family. The transmittance determines the quality of glass. Float glass has a transmittance of 86%, while ultra clear float glass has a transmittance of over 92%. It is mainly used in the interior and exterior decoration of high-end buildings, electronic products, high-end car glass, solar cells, high-end horticultural buildings, high-end glass furniture, various imitation crystal products and other industries. The development and application of solar energy will also provide huge business opportunities for the development of ultra clear float glass - the glass substrate of solar photovoltaic power generation systems needs to use ultra clear float glass, because the transmittance of ultra clear float glass is over 92%.
Ultra clear float glass has high technological content, difficult production, and strong profitability. The higher quality determines its expensive price, and the price of ultra clear float glass is 4-5 times that of ordinary glass (some experts analyze that it can even reach 6-10 times), with a cost only 2-3 times that of ordinary glass, and has a higher added value.
At present, only a few companies in the world, such as PPG in the United States, Saint Gobain in France, Pilkington in the United Kingdom, and Asahi Glass in Japan, have mastered the production technology of ultra clear float glass, among which PPG company has the most mature technology. In order to maintain a relative monopoly on the market, these glass giants mostly adopt technology blockade measures, do not transfer technology to the outside world, and adopt marketing models of production restrictions. This has made ultra clear float glass have a high entry threshold in terms of technology and funds. Previously, no domestic enterprise could produce ultra clear float glass, and all the required ultra clear float glass relied on imports. The high price and excellent quality have made ultra clear float glass a symbol of architectural identity.
1. Interior and exterior decoration of high-end buildings (doors, windows, partitions, curtain walls, etc.): Its unique high transparency gives the building a natural, transparent, and avant-garde artistic effect, which is more in line with modern design styles.
2. Display cabinets: can serve as display windows for museums, exhibitions, and jewelry stores, allowing people to experience the true colors of the displayed items.
3. Greenhouse lighting ceiling: It can provide sufficient natural light illumination indoors while also having a beautiful visual experience.
4. High end glass furniture and crystal products: Glass furniture made of ultra clear float glass is crystal clear, elegant and beautiful, giving people excellent visual effects.
5. Solar cell substrate: Ultra clear float glass has high transmittance and low reflectivity to sunlight, and can be used as a substrate for photoelectric conversion systems and a panel for photothermal conversion systems.
6. Original glass sheets for automotive industry: using ultra clear float glass to make automotive safety glass more aesthetically pleasing
The inspection of glass panels mainly focuses on checking the flatness, observing for quality defects such as bubbles, inclusions, scratches, lines, and fog spots. Glass with such defects will deform during use, reducing its transparency, mechanical strength, and thermal stability. Therefore, it is not suitable for engineering use. As glass is a transparent object, its quality can be easily distinguished by visual inspection during selection.
The inspection of glass processing products, in addition to testing according to the requirements of flat glass, should also inspect their processing quality, check whether the specifications and dimensions are standard, whether the processing accuracy and pattern clarity meet the requirements, and at the same time, there should be no defects at the edges.