Abstract: A glass manufacturing apparatus includes a dissolving vessel configured to dissolve a glass raw material to produce a molten glass, a forming vessel configured to form the molten glass into a predetermined shape, and glass supply tubes configured to convey the molten glass from the dissolving vessel to the forming vessel. The glass supply tubes each include a tube body, a flange portion, which is arranged in an outer circumferential portion of the tube body and has first and second parts, an electrode portion arranged in the first part, and a temperature difference setting portion configured to cause a temperature difference between the first and second parts. The temperature difference setting portion sets a temperature of the first part to be higher than that of the second part.

Abstract: A glass melter batch inlet and cleaning device and related methods of its operation are disclosed. The glass melter batch inlet and cleaning device includes an outer tubular housing including a side inlet, an inner tubular chopper including a side inlet relief in registration with the side inlet of the outer tubular housing, and at least one actuator extending alongside the outer tubular housing and coupled to the inner tubular chopper to move the chopper with respect to the outer tubular housing.

Abstract: The methods and systems of the invention include the use of automated solution dispensers in laboratory environment. The automated solution dispensers can be controlled locally or remotely within a network. The usage of the instruments can be followed and procurement of supplies can be automated.

Abstract: A method of strengthening an alkali aluminoborosilicate glass. A compressive layer extending from a surface of the glass to a depth of layer is formed by exchanging larger metal cations for smaller metal cations present in the glass. In a second step, metal cations in the glass are exchanged for larger metal cations to a second depth in the glass that is less than the depth of layer and increase the compressive stress of the compressive layer. Formation of the compressive layer and replacement of cations with larger cations can be achieved by a two-step ion exchange process. An alkali aluminoborosilicate glass having a compressive layer and a crack indentation threshold of at least 3000 gf is also provided.

Abstract: Methods for producing glass articles from laminated glass tubing include introducing the glass tubing to a converter. The glass tubing includes a core layer under tensile stress, an outer clad layer under, and an inner clad layer. The methods include forming a feature the glass article at a working end of the laminated glass tubing and separating a glass article from the working end of the laminated glass tubing, which may expose the core layer under tensile stress at the working end of the glass tubing. The method further comprises remediating the exposed portion of the core layer by completely enclosing the core layer in a clad layer. Systems for re-cladding the exposed portion of the core layer as well as glass articles made using the systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of preparing an optical preform, comprises the steps of: positioning an optical preform comprising silica within a cavity of a furnace; passing an etchant gas into the furnace and at least one of through an open channel defined in the optical preform and around the optical preform; and passing a neutralizing gas into the cavity of the furnace, the neutralizing gas configured to neutralize the etchant gas.

Abstract: One aspect relates to a process for the preparation of a quartz glass body. The process includes providing a silicon dioxide granulate, making a glass melt out of the silicon dioxide granulate, and making a quartz glass body out of at least a part of the glass melt. In one aspect, providing a silicon dioxide granulate includes providing of a silicon dioxide powder and processing of the powder to obtain a silicon dioxide granulate including the spray drying of a silicon dioxide slurry using a nozzle. The nozzle has a contact surface to the slurry made of glass, plastic or a combination thereof. Furthermore, one aspect relates to a quartz glass body obtainable by this process. Furthermore, one aspect relates to the preparation of a silicon dioxide granulate. One aspect also relates to a light guide, an illuminant, and a formed body, made from processing of the quartz glass body.

Abstract: An amorphous alloy contains Ni and Nb and has a composition including at least one of: a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 35.6 atomic % to 75.1 atomic %, Ir with a content in the range of 7.2 atomic % to 52.3 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.0 atomic % to 48.5 atomic %; a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 19.6 atomic % to 80.9 atomic %, Re with a content in the range of 7.4 atomic % to 59.2 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.1 atomic % to 56.9 atomic %; and a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 7.5 atomic % to 52.9 atomic %, W with a content in the range of 16.4 atomic % to 47.0 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 22.0 atomic % to 53.3 atomic %.

Abstract: A method for generating various stress profiles for chemically strengthened glass. An alkali aluminosilicate glass is brought into contact with an ion exchange media such as, for example, a molten salt bath containing an alkali metal cation that is larger than an alkali metal cation in the glass. The ion exchange is carried out at temperatures greater than about 420° C. and at least about 30° C. below the anneal point of the glass.

Abstract: A glass cane is manufactured by filling a glass tube with a combination of glass structures forming a cross-sectional pattern within the glass tube, to form a preform. The preform is attached to a draw assembly, such as a draw tower. The draw assembly is operated to draw the preform to a reduced-diameter glass cane by passing the preform through a furnace of the draw assembly while pulling the preform or the reduced-diameter glass cane and rotating the preform or the reduced-diameter glass cane.

Abstract: Annealing treatments for modified titania-silica glasses and the glasses produced by the annealing treatments. The annealing treatments include an isothermal hold that facilitates equalization of non-uniformities in fictive temperature caused by non-uniformities in modifier concentration in the glasses. The annealing treatments may also include heating the glass to a higher temperature following the isothermal hold and holding the glass at that temperature for several hours. Glasses produced by the annealing treatments exhibit high spatial uniformity of CTE, CTE slope, and fictive temperature, including in the presence of a spatially non-uniform concentration of modifier.

Abstract: In embodiments, a method for operating a glass manufacturing apparatus may include heating a delivery conduit with resistive windings positioned around an exterior surface of the delivery conduit, the delivery conduit extending between a mixing vessel and a delivery vessel. The method may also include injecting electric current through the delivery conduit while heating the delivery conduit with resistive windings and prior to flowing molten glass through the delivery conduit thereby increasing a temperature of the of the delivery conduit, wherein an input heat flux into the delivery conduit is greater than an output heat flux away from the delivery conduit prior to flowing molten glass through the delivery conduit.

Abstract: This sleeve for glass tube molding is provided with: a sleeve shaft; a refractory tube into which the sleeve shaft is inserted in a coaxial manner; and a metal tip that is fixed to the tip of the sleeve shaft, and regulates movement of the refractory tube in the axial direction and towards the tip. The sleeve for glass tube molding is capable of ensuring the coaxiality of the metal tip and the refractory tube on the sleeve shaft. The metal tip comprises: an annular collar member that has a tapered outer circumferential surface of which the cross-sectional area gradually increases towards the tip of the sleeve shaft, and that is coaxially fitted to the tip of the sleeve shaft; and a main body member that has a tapered outer circumferential through-hole of which the cross-sectional area gradually increases towards the tip so as to conform to the outer circumferential surface of the collar member, and that is fitted to the collar member via the through-hole.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a beam splitter and a plurality of mirrors. The beam splitter is positioned to receive a laser beam from a source and split the received laser beam to a first plurality of split laser beams and a second plurality of split laser beams. The plurality of mirrors is configured to direct the first plurality of split laser beams and further configured to direct the second plurality of split laser beams. The first plurality of split laser beams is directed by the plurality of mirrors is configured to cut a glass substrate. The second plurality of split laser beams is directed by the plurality of mirrors is configured to shape the glass substrate.

Abstract: Known heating burners for producing a welded joint between components of quartz glass include a burner head in which at least one burner nozzle is formed, a burner-head cooling system for the temperature control of the burner head and a supply line connected to the burner nozzle for a fuel gas. Starting from this, to modify a heating burner in such a way that impurities in the weld seam between quartz-glass components to be connected are largely avoided, it is suggested that the burner head should include a base body of silver or of a silver-based alloy.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for: cutting a thin glass sheet along a curved cutting line, where the curve is divided into a plurality of line segments; applying a laser beam and continuously moving the laser beam along the cutting line; applying a cooling fluid simultaneously with the application of the laser beam in order to propagate a fracture in the glass sheet along the cutting line; and varying one or more cutting parameters as the laser beam moves from one of the plurality of line segments to a next one of the plurality of line segments, wherein the one or more cutting parameters include at least one of: (i) a power of the laser beam, (ii) a speed of the movement, (iii) a pressure of the cooling fluid, and (iv) a flow rate of the cooling fluid.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a glass core preform for optical fibres including providing a porous soot core preform having a central longitudinal hole extending axially therethrough and an a/b ratio of from 0.20 to 0.40; simultaneously dehydrating and doping with fluorine the soot core preform at a temperature of from 1000° C. to 1350° C. by exposing it to an atmosphere containing a chlorine-containing gas and a fluorine-containing gas, the content of the fluorine-containing gas in the atmosphere being of from 0.01% to 0.50% by volume, and simultaneously consolidating the soot core preform and closing the central longitudinal hole by exposing the soot core preform to an atmosphere substantially devoid of fluorine and of chlorine at a consolidation temperature of from 1500° C. to 1650° C., while reducing the pressure down the central hole, thereby forming a glass core preform.

Abstract: A machine for breaking out an inner shape in a glass sheet, includes a cutting tool and a displacement system to produce a cutting line on a first side of the glass sheet that delimits an outer contour of the inner shape and an inner contour of a peripheral shape; a bearing system to bear against a second side of the sheet along the outer contour of the inner shape; a deformation system to deform one of the inner and peripheral shapes by convex bending toward the second side, the convex bending creating a differential deformation between the inner and peripheral shapes to break out the inner shape along the cutting line and separate the inner shape from the peripheral shape so that a distance needed for a contactless extraction is created, and an extraction system to extract the inner or peripheral shape while the convex bending is maintained.

Abstract: A temperature control system fitted to a system for forming glass product is provided. The temperature control system includes a first plurality of temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of glass products exiting an annealing lehr. The first plurality of temperature sensors is further configured to generate sensed temperature signals. A second plurality of temperature sensors configured to sense a temperature of glass products exiting a cooling fan bank. The cooling fan bank is positioned downstream from the annealing lehr. The second plurality of temperature sensors is further configured to generate sensed temperature signals. A control module is configured to receive the sensed temperature signals from the first and second plurality of temperature sensors and compare the sensed temperature signals with pre-set parameters. The control module is configured to direct adjustments in a rotational speed of a plurality of cooling fans in response to the sensed temperature signals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing and delivering a gas mixture having a selected composition of a first gas and at least one second gas, comprising the following steps: (a) providing a main gas flow comprising the first gas in a main conduit, (b) separating the main gas flow into a first plurality of secondary gas flows, (c) guiding each secondary gas flow through a secondary conduit, (d) adding at least one second gas to at least one of the first plurality of secondary gas flows in the respective secondary conduit through a delivering conduit, said delivering conduit protruding into the secondary conduit, and (e) combining the first plurality of secondary gas flows to the gas mixture. With the technical teaching of the present invention a dynamic gas bottle filling is possible wherein the second gas components may have a concentration form some ppb to percent.