Glass bending: description of methods and application

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Modern design idea has no boundaries, while pushing building materials manufacturers to create new components and technologies for their production. One such material is curved glass. This material has become a serious assistant in construction and design art.

What is glass bending?

At the moment, the principles of processing and manufacturing glass have stepped very far. Due to the huge demand for non-standard types of glass products, manufacturers have developed new methods for manufacturing glass products that are bent to a certain radius. Bending, or bending, glass is a complex technological process. It comes from the Latin word mollio - "to melt, soften". This process uses specialized equipment, which is operated by suitably trained highly qualified personnel.

The process of bending glass - bending - is produced under the influence of temperature, while the glass is deformed with the help of other objects, it bends under its own weight. Extraneous impact can damage the workpiece and lead to marriage, glass breakage in the furnace, etc. The workpiece is heated and rapidly cooled by a jet of cold air, while the bent glass retains its curved shape and acquires increased strength due to hardening. Bending is carried out both on industrial equipment and at home.

Industrial production

Industrial bending takes place in furnaces under the influence of high temperature, which is different and varies depending on the thickness of the glass. Let's consider an example with bending common glass with a thickness of 4 mm. The process takes place at a temperature of 660 ˚С and can take from 2-3 minutes. Before heating, the glass blank is cut according to the stated dimensions, depending on further processing, the so-called allowance of up to about 3 mm per side is allowed.

Edge processing is carried out in a simple way using a belt machine, on which two belts with abrasive material under a stream of water remove edge stress from the glass. This is necessary to avoid glass breakage under the influence of high temperatures. In complex processing, the edge is initially shaped into a trapezoid or rounded, then ground and polished to certain sizes (for this, a small allowance is needed, since a small layer of workpiece material is removed during processing).

After processing, the glass is washed from glass dust and debris, dirt. Next, the furnace operator performs a visual inspection and loading the workpiece into the furnace on a special form,which is selected according to the terms of the order.

Homemade

Bending glass at home is only possible with small pieces. Heating is carried out using gas burners according to the local principle. Heating a certain place to a characteristic bright red color produces a bend to a certain radius. At the same time, if it was not possible to bend to the desired radius, it is heated again. A sharp bend can lead to workpiece breakage.

Home bending is mainly produced by private glass makers and designers for special orders and decor items. Sometimes miniature furnaces are used, which allow heating the workpiece to 600 ˚С, which simplifies the bending process. Even more interesting and intricate shapes and cutouts can be shaped by hand, making home bending more expensive.

Properties

The properties of curved glass are directly dependent on the original material and its thickness, as well as the dimensions of the workpiece. Glass bending technology is applicable to both clear and colored glass, coated material is bent only on special orders, if the architectural task requires such a solution. The surface is not subject to change, the finished curved glass remains as smooth as the original blank. The optical properties are practically unchanged, since the thickness of the material also remains unchanged.

The bending process gives the glass an intricate shape, the rays of light pass through the curves of the finished material, giving it a certain play, which isdesigners took over. After heating, the workpiece acquires increased strength - about 4 times more than the original one, and also becomes safe (when destroyed, it shatters into small fragments that do not harm a person, like, say, raw, untempered glass). These characteristics give it an even greater plus when choosing a material for glazing complex architectural facades.

Application

Curved glass is used to create the aesthetics of architectural structures, where it is possible or necessary to use it. It is also used to make double-glazed windows for facade glazing and entrance door groups. Tempered curved glass is widely used for facade extensions and glass skylights.

Single curved glass is widely used in manufacturing:

• showers;
• Shop windows in shopping malls;
• office partitions;
• architectural cladding of facades of buildings, loggias and balconies;
• producing railings for landings, as well as elevator cabins;
• furniture shelves and interior glazing.