32158 Camino Capistrano Ste. 106 • San Juan Capistrano, California, 92675

Cutting

Cutting is used to change the size or general appearance of a flat glass sheet from a straight to curve cut. The cutting process may be performed with traditional hand-guided tools, or with automated, modern devices such as water jets and CNC (computer numerical control) machines.

Grooving

Grooving is used to carve simple or complex patterns into the surface of a glass sheet.

Drilling and Countersinking

During drilling, precisely shaped holes are made in a glass sheet. While hand tools can potentially achieve the required accuracy, professionals commonly rely on machines to ensure consistency and quality control. Countersinking produces a conical hole rather than a straight-sided hole.

Bending

The bending process relies on the closely controlled application of heat to curve, fold or otherwise change the basic shape of a flat sheet of glass.

Grinding

Grinding is used to smooth, shape or polish the edges of a sheet of glass. The process may involve the use of hand tools or machines.

Edging

During edging, the edges of a glass sheet are shaped into specific decorative profiles.

Insulated glass

Insulated Glass is glass that contains two panes with an airtight space enclosed between the surfaces. The glass panes are separated by a spacer material and the edges are sealed together as a single unit. Spacers may be a hidden component of the window, but they are a critical part of the system since they are made of steel and provide the window with structural integrity and a thermal and humidity seal. The space between is dehydrated and filled with a safe gas, such as argon or krypton, to block heat from penetrating through the glass. These gases are denser than air, so they are less likely to allow heat conduction through the window.

Insulated glass improves the window’s overall “u-value,” which measures a building’s heat transmission through windows. The lower the u-value, the better the insulated glass is performing. Insulated glass is effective in reducing the transfer of heat through it, so your building stays warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer.

Additional Techniques

Additional techniques used during glass fabrication include engraving, sandblasting, acid etching, satin etching, lamination (the use of multiple, bonded layers of glass to make a single, stronger glass sheet) and tempering (the use of heat or chemical alteration to make a stronger sheet of glass). Advanced fabricators can also perform UV bonding. This modern technique relies on a special ultraviolet light-sensitive adhesive to permanently bond pieces of glass together.