It is difficult to imagine our civilized society without industrial glass. From glass microparticles used as filler particles to sight glass that safeguards humans from high radiation, the material is as aesthetically attractive and intricate as it is versatile. Although the average person associates glass with its fragile nature, it has numerous applications in high-temperature and demanding industrial applications.
Such applications include panels, covers, and lenses for protective eyeglasses, manufacturing equipment, instrumentation devices, and inspection systems. Glass is widely used in architecture, laboratories, manufacturing, electronic technology, and a wide range of containers such as bottles drinking glasses, and cookware. Glass, in its various forms and fabrications, can provide advantages such as strength, temperature resistance, purity, visibility, and other benefits.
Glass has evolved from a glamorous decorative item to a functional and vital material in contemporary science. These developments have increased the market potential for glass production. Glass is classified into two major categories, product, and application. Among the product segments are flat, specialty glasses, containers, and fiber. Their uses include packaging, automotive and transportation, telecommunications, construction, and electronics. The proliferation of glass uses in electronic and communications devices significantly accelerates industry growth. The rising consumption of glass materials for construction in developing countries worldwide will drive volume growth in the near future.
