Innovative glass-based solutions are transforming society’s day-to-day. They include new pharmaceutical packaging for cell and gene therapy drugs, prefilled syringes, and track-and-trace technologies.

Keeping pace with consumer demand and international competition requires an industry-wide focus on innovation. Improved manufacturing techniques are lowering energy use and reducing pollutant emissions.

Optical Properties

Glass innovators spend considerable energy pursuing optical properties that enhance performance. This includes improving the picture tubes used in televisions and developing glass-on-ceramic screens for the electronics industry. Other advances include glass-on-silicon passivation for manufacturing power semiconductors, thyristors, and glass-based sensors.

The specialty glass West Palm Beach also benefits from consistent development initiatives in the pharmaceutical and medical equipment industries. Stringent environmental regulations that require zero carbon emissions in many economies have also driven specialty glass consumption.

The traditional consumer specialty glass segment is challenged by the emergence of alternate materials and foreign competition that has reduced profit margins due to labor and environmental compliance costs. The industry invests in technologies that reduce fuel consumption and other operating expenses and research to create new uses for the material.

Thermal Properties

Increasingly, the ability of American glass manufacturers to invest in long-term research is being constrained by economic conditions. Alliances between the industry and federal agencies, universities, and laboratories will become even more critical to ensure that glass technology continues to advance.

Understanding the thermal properties of specialty glass is essential for application design. For example, if a lens for a spotlight is fitted tightly against a metal fixture, the CTE of both materials needs to match; otherwise, the lens could crack under stress.

This is why determining the softening dilatometric point, annealing temperature and strain point of different glasses is critical for production efficiency and product quality. These temperatures also allow designers to optimize the Glass for specific applications. This is especially important when working with new material with very different CTE.

Mechanical Properties

The glass industry focuses on improving energy efficiency, manufacturing processes, and quality control. These enhancements dovetail with the public interest in clean air and water, less waste, and reduced environmental pollutants.

The economy directly impacts the flat glass and insulation fiberglass industries, with changes in commercial, educational, and residential construction and automotive purchases dominating fluctuations in their product shipments. In contrast, specific market demands affect the container business and specialty glass more.

The industry’s profitability will depend on offering high-quality products at a competitive price. This will require a highly skilled workforce willing to accept increased responsibility and flexibility. Improvements that optimize glass composition and strength, improve automation and process control, and utilize computer simulation will enable manufacturers to meet six sigma quality standards.

Chemical Properties

The abrasion resistance of Glass is a significant factor in its ability to remain durable. Abrasion resistance is the measure of how well the surface of a material resists friction against another. Glass can withstand abrasion from flat rubbing or direct contact with other materials, making it an ideal choice for many applications, such as windows and doors.

The glass industry must increase production efficiency to reduce energy costs and limit process emissions to meet future challenges. This will include reducing waste and landfill emissions; improving water reuse; developing processes to achieve six sigma quality at the melting and refining stages; and using more recycled raw materials. Manufacturing equipment, techniques, and technology improvements will also be necessary to achieve these goals.

Electrical Properties

In telecommunications, Glass is a critical ingredient in state-of-the-art optical fiber designs. Although a low-tonnage item, these advanced systems offer significant market value, profit margins, and attention-grabbing status as an American technology.

Industry leaders understand that cooperative research is crucial to the future success of specialty glass. This includes finding new ways to reduce energy consumption, raw material, and waste production costs.

The booming electrical & electronics industry across Asia-Pacific is expected to drive demand for specialty glass. NSG Group has collaborated with a company to develop Glass that can wirelessly power devices by transferring power through its transparent conductive coating. This eliminates wires and allows designers to locate powered devices in various settings.