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How is glass made?

Fran Scott visits a glass production plant and learns how glass is made. The raw materials are described, together with the use of soda ash to lower the melting point, making it easier to form into useful shapes. The production process is described including the use of gas burners to maintain the high temperature. Automated equipment is used on a continuous production line that works at very high speed to produce glass bottles. Finishing processes include adding a coating to improve strength, heating and slowly cooling to remove weaknesses and another surface treating to make them harder and more resistant to scratching. Quality control mechanisms are described.

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6 minutes

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