Quality Control in Flat Glass Fabrication

Mr. Peter Anderson, Viracon, Inc.

This paper will serve as a review of how to develop a quality plan that includes the critical parameters of fabricated flat glass that are important to the customer. A quality plan is normally requested on major architectural projects and can include special requirements that are different from the normal day-to-day production tolerances. On these projects there are many value added steps that are completed to arrive at the final glass products and it is important to control quality throughout the multiply processes to ensure the final product meets the customer’s expectations. I will describe in greater detail a couple of the more important measurements that are usually in the quality plan. The items most often requested are the ones that contribute to the aesthetics or “look of the building”. They include glass color and the optical properties that are inherent with the tempering process. By setting up a quality plan ahead of time, with input from the customer, you will not only meet the customer’s expectations, but you will, by default improve your internal yields and have less defective material passed on to the next production line.

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The Authors

Mr. Peter Anderson Research & Development Manager Viracon Pete Anderson is the Research & Development Manager for Viracon, Inc., based in Owatonna, MN. He is responsible for the evaluation of new technologies and products for the company. He has been with Vi... Read more