Satin Glass

Satin glass was first made as decorative pressed glass in England and the United States during the 1880s. Satin glass is similar to milk glass in that it is opaque, and has decorative surface patterns moulded into it; however, satin glass has a satin, rather than glossy surface.

Satin glass is typically tinted with a pastel color, blue being the most common. Satin glass is also used to impart privacy where full transparency of glass is undesirable. Satin glass arouses a lot of interest through its unusual feel and appearance.

Satin glass is nothing but any glass that has been chemically treated to give it a satin finish. Satin Glass is made by treating finished glass products with hydrofluoric acid to remove the shine. Normally clear glass is dipped into hydrofluoric acid, which eats away the shine and dulls the surface. The finish itself is both visible and most certainly recognizable by the touch. The term "satin glass" is frequently used to refer to a collectible type of pressed glass.

Satin Glass looks sandblasted but is actually acid-etched. It reveals finger prints less than real sandblasted glass. In certain varieties of satin glass such as “Clear Shield” or “Diamond Fusion”, finger prints are even less visible.

Good pieces of satin glass feel actually like a piece of fine satin cloth. The translucent quality of satin glass make it especially desirable for use in lampshades; a form of satin glass still has a universal practical use in “pearl” or frosted light bulbs. Satin glass is typically used as art glass in windows or doors.

Sandblasted Glass

Glass etching is an age-old old method of imprinting images on glass; and one way to do it is by sandblasting. Sandblasting allows for greater variation through the use of different degrees of coarseness in sand, and also for depth blasting, giving the finished product a rich textured appearance.

Sandblasting process

Sandblasting is essentially the process of blasting the surface of glass with grit which peppers the surface, giving it a milky white appearance.

Sandblasting is a general term used to describe the act of propelling very fine bits of material at high-velocity by steam or air to clean or etch a surface. Synthetic particles or small pieces of coconut shell are sometimes used instead of sand in sandblasting applications.

Sandblasting Glass Etching



The sandblasting glass etching process consists of corroding glass by violently projecting sand upon its surface by means of a current of air or steam. The tube conveying the current of air or steam terminates at a nozzle containing a series of fine holes. The sand, is thrown violently against the glass plate or any other body placed within its range, and thus exerts a corroding action. By varying the quantity of the sand, the volume and velocity of the current, as well as the diameter of the jet, the desired effects are obtained.

Bodies much harder than glass have submitted to the action of sand thrown forcibly in this way against their surface, and have been as rapidly worn away. The portions of the glass which are to remain clear are covered with paper, or with an elastic varnish - these substances being sufficiently exempt from the corroding action of the sand.

Sandblasted glass

Sandblasted glass is produced by spraying sand at high velocities over the surface of the glass. This gives the glass a translucent surface, which is usually rougher than that obtained by etching. During sandblasting, only the areas that are to remain transparent are masked for protection. The depth and degree of the translucency of the sand-blasted finishing vary with the force and type of sand used.

The sandblasting technique is used to obscure visibility through glass, but the glass continues to still transmit light as it is diffused through the surface. Patterns and designs can be created using a mask which resists the abrasive force of the grit from the sandblaster. The mask can be hand cut or computer cut depending on the design.

Sand carving is achieved by blasting away the glass for longer periods to get layers of depth. It's necessary to use thicker pieces of glass for this and the various depths are made by cutting away more of the resist each time. This can sometimes be a long winded process but is desirable for its three-dimensional appearance.

If an image is supplied in a vector format, it can be cut directly using a computer aided cutter. Otherwise, the image in the computer needs to be changed to vector lines the cutter can follow, though this can also be a time consuming process if there is tonality to the image. It is better to supply flat graphic images in this case.

Sandblasters

There are two kinds of sandblasters: “Suction” / “Siphon”" & “Pressure” Blast Systems. Pressure systems are ten times faster & much more effective, but also quite a bit more expensive. There are two basic kinds of sand blasters: Blast Cabinets & Portable Blasters
There is a huge variety of abrasive blast media out there each has its purpose. One you want to stay away from is Silica Sand. Blasting with Silica sand causes Silicosis of the lung. Do Not Ever Use It!

If you are looking to blast hand tools, such as saw blades, wrenches, etc., then sandblast cabinet is better. (A “Suction/Siphon” cabinet would probably be sufficient.)

Sandblast Cabinets must have adequate lighting, a dust collector, and two gloves to place your hands inside to blast within the cabinet. One nice part about blasting inside a cabinet is that all the dust is contained, so no respirator is needed. They are also relatively quiet, and some have abrasive separators which allow you to get the maximum life out of the abrasive blast media & consequently save money.

Application

Dividers, doors and shower surrounds are some of the most popular architectural uses of sandblasted glass. Sand-blasted glass can be used in numerous interior design applications in both residential and commercial settings: doors, shower screens, partitions and interior screens, furniture, etc.

Architectural Uses of Sandblasted Glass

Sandblasting effects on shower doors can create wonderfully frosted looks to compliment the appearance of any bathroom. Typical sandblasted shower surround designs include waves or horizontal lines, but some designs are more ornate such as pictorial sea life scenes.

Sandblasted glass panels on front doors are popular and can really add elegance to the front door of a home. Commercial storefronts and doors may feature sandblasted company logos and business names.

Although glass etching is extremely decorative, sandblasting is not done for aesthetics alone. It can be an attractive and practical solution to reduce the appearance of fingerprints on glass. The frosted appearance and/or different textures sandblasting gives glass can make fingerprints and smudges more difficult to see than if the glass was left as is. Sandblasting glass can also help it repel dirt build-up such as on shopping mall doors and shower enclosures.

Some sandblasted glass room divider panels are more like art pieces than just architectural necessities. For example, some upscale hotels or museum lobbies feature large panels of glass with detailed sandblasted etchings that may include figures or animals. Smaller artistic sandblasted glass panels may be used as architectural accents in homes such as in front halls and kitchen sink back splashes.

Even small amounts of sandblasted glass can add interest to any residential or commercial outdoor or indoor space. Designs for architectural sandblasting are created on computer software programs.

Stencils and sandblasting machines are used to transfer the design onto the glass. To create small pieces of etched glass, it's possible to cover a piece of glass with contact paper and then cut out a design from the paper using a utility knife. Sandblasting equipment can then be used to create a sandblasted effect on the areas not covered by the paper and the contrast between the sandblasted and plain glass is revealed after the remaining paper is peeled off the glass.

R128 – Green in Glass

That all architectural structures are covered by solid opaque walls on all four sides to maintain privacy and security is a given. So, a home with walls of glass that offer a clear view of the inside is bound to create more than just a ripple, and 128 Werner Sobek does just that. This rather novel concept in residential architecture seems to have broken through all conventions and set a new - if not higher - standard in innovative construction.

R128 Werner Sobek is four-storey house, floating high on a hill overlooking the city of Stuttgart, Germany. Inside this curious creation, there are no doors, switches, interior walls or partitions and no closed rooms. But what takes the cake is that the home generates its own energy. The construction material used to create R128 is one hundred percent eco-friendly and recyclable.

R128 has a most attractive glass façade and is devoid of a basement. High quality triple-glazed glass with inert gas filling is in use. The use of a modular design, complete with glass panels and steel frames ensured easy assembly and disassembly of the construction. The insulated glass panels prevent overheating of the interior during summer and loss of energy and warmth during winter. The supporting steel frame comprises of 10 tons of steel.

The ceiling of the Werner Sobek glass house consists of prefabricated panels overlaid by plastic. Beneath the unscrewed floor, aluminium ceiling panels are affixed by clip connections. Lighting, heating and cooling systems are fitted into that layer and this acts as an acoustic absorber pattern.

Sensor controlled doors have been installed on the upper and lower levels of the house. All appliances and environmental systems are also controlled by motion sensors and voice commands. The front door has a voice recognition feature which allows it to open automatically on a voice command. Water faucets in the bathrooms are regulated by sensors. Windows are controlled by touch screen technology.

Every floor has two folding windows each, which allow natural daylight and fresh air to enter the house. During summer, cool water running through the floor elements removes excess heat from the entire house with the help of a heat exchanger. Thus surplus energy is stored for use in winter. This ensures minimal energy consumption. 48 solar powered modules with a total capacity of 6.2 KW are installed on the rooftop, which are responsible for supplying all the power required by the pump system.

This green show-house is expected to go a long way in promoting energy-efficient architecture.

Mir Stekla - 2010

Significant properties and massive potential of the glass made itself as a widely used construction material. Because of the wide range spread of glass in various fields, the Russian glass market is dramatically growing. This leads to the arrival of the new companies every year. Adding the growth of the Russian glass market, international trades show namely Mir Stekla is being conducted every year. This exhibition started its journey in the year of 1999. Mir Stekla International exhibition is the largest trade show for the glass industry in Russia, CIS and Eastern Europe.

Mir Stekla (World of Glass) – 2010, 12th international exhibition for Glass products, Manufacturing, Processing and Finishing Technology is going to be held from June 7-10, 2010 at Expocentr’ Krasnaya Presnya Fairgrounds, Moscow, Russia. This exhibition is going to be organized by ZAO Expocentr. This exhibition carries the official UFI label “UFI Approved Event” and the label of RUEF – the Russian Union of Exhibitions and fairs and the trade show will be supported by the chamber of commerce and industry of the Russian federation.

Opportunities
Mir Stekla offers a place to introduce the new products and grab the audience focus easily. It also increases the customer’s perception on the products by face to face communication and enhances brand awareness. Mir Stekla will provide a great platform to analysis the needs and expectations of the clients or customers. This show makes the product to reach the greater number of target customers by direct sales.

This exhibition will cover several sectors such as Glass production, production technology, production and treatment of sheet glass, machine-tools and equipment for production and finishing treatment of other kinds of glass, research and development in glass industry, technology and the production of refractory, auxiliary equipment and tools, contract work, service, consulting engineering, ready-made glassware and so on.

Exhibitors’ profile
It is expected that this exhibition will be occupied by exhibitors from 24 countries. Exhibit profile includes auxiliary and operating materials, batching equipment, coating technology, measuring and testing equipment, raw materials, artistic glass production equipment, cooling system, drilling equipments, instrument control system, windows or doors fabrication machinery etc.

Visitors’ profile
Visitors profile includes glass manufacturers, architects, automobile component distributors, Automobile manufactures, contractors, engineers, property developers, windows and façade builders and so on. Visitors are also expected from more than 24 nations.

A large attendance of glass industry professionals from various places and also from the Russia will definitely yield a great profit for the exhibitors who are exhibiting the products. High quality service provided by the Expocentr’ staff and the venue’s well-developed infrastructure will definitely promote successful exhibiting.