Glass knowledge: What are the common processing techniques for glass products?



Glass products are a collective term for daily and industrial products processed using glass as the main raw material. Glass products have been widely used in fields such as architecture, healthcare, chemistry, home furnishings, electronics, instrumentation, and nuclear engineering. Due to the fragile nature of glass, carving on the surface of glass products requires a high level of craftsmanship，Glass product  .

The common glass processing techniques are as follows:



Etching method



Use chemical agent - hydrofluoric acid to corrode glass. Melt and cover the glass with paraffin first, carve patterns on the surface of the paraffin, then apply hydrofluoric acid and wash off the paraffin. Due to the volatility and severe pollution of hydrofluoric acid, a protective layer is required and the operation is also complex.



Hot working



Hot processing is used to improve the appearance quality of processed materials, mainly including flame cutting, flame polishing, drilling, etc. However, glass has high brittleness and is prone to cracking under the influence of high temperatures, which damages the material.



screen printing



The principle of silk screen printing is to print ink onto the surface of flat glass, and then use ink curing measures to make the pattern firm.



Laser marking



Laser marking is an integrated opto motor device controlled by a software system. By using software to control the generation of graphics and using non-contact processing, the glass will not be damaged by external forces, and the processing effect of glass perfection and precision is good.



There are several process methods for laser marking on glass, as follows:



Multiple laser radiation method



Using a single laser radiation to create obvious markings on the surface of the glass, the laser extends to the area near the original marking to form fragments a few days later. Then, multiple radiations are used to heat the adjacent areas of the marking area through thermal conduction, forming stress gradients in these areas, thereby reducing the possibility of secondary cracking. This method is very effective in marking sodium calcium glass and borosilicate glass. Small glass bottles containing liquid drugs and glass cups in daily life can be marked using this method.



Discrete point forming circular crack method



Use a series of circular cracks to form text, barcodes, square or rectangular codes, and other shape code patterns. This method is commonly used with CO2 laser marking machines, which generate fewer cracks when setting parameters for marking and coding on a glass. Discrete points appear to form circular cracks. Low density circular cracks are generated in glass through heating and cooling cycles. When glass is heated, it expands and compresses the surrounding materials. When the temperature rises to the softening point of the glass, the glass rapidly expands to form a low density material protruding from the surface of the glass. By using CO2 laser marking machines, businesses can mark exquisite patterns and patterns on the surface of glass, upgrading it to the same grade as glass.



Method of generating surface cracks in the form of cracks



The process of heating and cooling is used to cause changes to the surface of the affected glass. This method is not immediately visible and only begins to produce turtle shaped cracks along the laser marked area after slight pressure is applied. The cracked surface glass not only has the properties of safety glass, but also has a non fully transparent effect of ice cracking. Therefore, it is widely used in indoor decoration, such as partitions and background walls, and can also be used for glass furniture, which is deeply loved by consumers.